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8/9/2019 Campus Center for Appropriate Technology Newsletter, Spring 2007
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A . T . T r a n s f e r Reinventing the World Through Appropriate Technology
HSU Campus Center for Appropriate Technology Newsletter Spring 2007
Break-through Technologies in Arcata By Beckie MentenHere at CCAT, we generally choose to focus on energy efciency and less consumptive practices to solve the
global environmental crises. However, even in our own fair city, people are working hard to nd technologies
that supplement our existing lifestyle. Though they perpetuate the existing infrastructure that is based
on vehicular transportation, these technologies provide some hope for future environmentally conscious
development. Even more importantly, they have the potential to draw in the mainstream American society,
and can be the rst step in correcting our consumptive and fossil fuel addicted ways.
Contents
Thanks to All........................2
Hello Buck House.................3
Outgoing Co-Ds.....................4
Incoming Co-Ds.....................5
Ecovillages............................6
Natural Building....................7
Greywater..............................8
Rainwater Harvesting...........9
Garden Corner......................10,11
CCAT Fall Courses................12
Hydrogen fuel cars work as electric hybrid vehicles,but instead of running on a combination of gasoline
and electricity, they run on hydrogen and electricity.
These vehicles run a lot cleaner then the typical internal
combustion engine, with emissions that are primarily
water vapor. Schatz Energy Research Center, located on
the HSU campus at the corner of 14th and B, has been
working hard on hydrogen technology for many years.
Schatz is primarily responsible for the hydrogen fueling
station going up here at HSU. The fueling station will be
located at the north end of the Plant Operations parking
lot, and will have the capacity to fuel one Prius hydrogenhybrid car to run 100 miles day (approximately 2 kg
of hydrogen.) The hydrogen will be created within the
station through the electrolysis of water, or the splitting
of hydrogen and oxygen molecules. Though the energy
provided for this system will come from the grid, the
Schatz lab is working on a concurrent energy plant at the
landll that would run on captured methane. The idea
is that the green electricity being put into the grid by this
plant will supplement the energy necessary to run the
hydrogen fueling station.Electric Vehicle Charging
Station at the Arcata PlazaThe city has sponsored the creation of an electricvehicle charging station which will be free and
open to the public. The station is currently under
construction and the city expects it to be open for
operation by this summer. The charging station has
three different types of plug-ins to accommodate
the different models of electric vehicles. Once
the vehicles are charged, they run completely on
electricity, creating no emissions and hence, no
greenhouse gasses.
Though these technologies are very excitingoptions for reducing carbon emissions from
transportation, they both require a substantial load
from grid electricity. The important question to
focus on is the ability of this area to create its own
clean energy from the considerable wind and water
resources available here. For more information on
the proposed wind and water power plants here in
Humboldt County, call the Redwood Coast Energy
Authority in Eureka at 707-269-1700.
Hydrogen Fueling Station
on the HSU Campus
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Paul BiasPaul and his partner Jennifer
Fuller own Organic House,
a contracting and consulting
business that specializes in
green building and design.
Over the course of the Buck
House project, they offered
countless hours of volunteer
time, assistance, andmaterials. The project would
not have been possible
without them.
Steve BohnerSteve and his wife
Amy operate Alchemy
Construction. Steve is
specialist in radiant oor
systems, and helped CCAT
stay warm for the future. He
secured a state of the art
boiler for a reduced price,
and donated other materials
that helped CCAT complete
this project on a limited
budget.
Ben ScurfeldBen is a member of the
CCAT steering committee
and owner of Scureld Solar.
Ben worked with CCAT,
students, and the Renewable
Energy Student Union to
install the photovoltaic and
solar hot water systems.
Travis SmithTravis is a licensed
electrician, small business
owner and fulltime student.
Travis donated his time
to teach students about
electricity, and completelyrewire the upper story of the
CCAT facility.
Nate McKeeverNate is a licensed electrician,
small business owner, and
fulltime student. Nate helped
students rewire the upper
story of the CCAT house and
worked with CCAT and HSU
administrators to resolve
issues with installation of
phone and data lines.
CCAT Thanks All who Helped Make the Buck House Move Happen
CCAT received an anonymous donation this semester that provided enoughmoney to pay Dave Grow, a local specialist in blown in cellulose insulation.The insulation consists of cellulose bers from recycled phone books and
newspapers that is mixed with wheat starch and thrown into a giant mixing
device called a hopper. A vacuum hose connected to the hopper is used to blow
the insulation into the walls.R value denes the ow of heat from the interior to the exterior of the house and
blown in cellulose insulation performs better than typical berglass insulation.
Blown in cellulose insulation achieves an R value of 18 in a house with 4 inch
walls because it lls every nook and cranny in the wall. It contours around pipes
and wires, which signicantly reduces heat transfer. Batt berglass insulation,
comes in sheets and is installed between wall joists. It is impossible to seal batt
berglass insulation tightly, therefore heat transfer is signicant and although the
package may tout that the R value is 18 for this type of insulation, it is actually
about 13. The Buck House, with 6 inch walls and blown in cellulose insulation
will have an R value of about 21.
The secret admirer who donated this money to CCAT made it possible forour
home to have the highest quality insulation available on the market and allowedus to signicantly lower our heating costs. To see the superior quality of blown
in cellulose insulation come take a tour of our new facility in the fall. We have
installed a truth window that will let you see right into the wall as you enjoy the
cozy warmth that an anonymous donor afforded us.
Top
Sam Hart
Jeff Steuben
Beckie Menten
Niki Beckman
Patrick Wiley
Max Unger
Seth Magnuson
Bottom
Aydee Virgen
Dave Garrison
Danielle Ladimir
Marisa Evans
Sara Dykman
Rosie Records
Jasper Peach
Echo Casey
Eric Zielke
Matt Peters
Ben Mattio
CCAT Employees Deserve a Pat
on the Back as Well!!!
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Good Bye Janky!! Hello Buck House!! By Nikkie BeckmanThe Janky Jenkins HouseEvery setback and obstacle we have faced with this move
has been a chance for growth. We moved a household, an
organization, and an entire community about a hundred
yards down what hill. It is amazing what a difference a
hundred yards can make. We moved from a site withabundant gardens, a blossoming greenhouse, functioning
greywater marshes, vermicompost, energy technologies,
and the list continues.
Our new site was
over run by ivy
and non-native
berries and the
Jenkins House
was an inefcient,
un-insulated,
1960s throwback,
complete with
asbestos pipes,
asbestos siding
and lead paint. We
made due with what
we had and now
our site is almost
unrecognizable with
ourishing gardens, budding fruit trees and an overowing
herb spiral and a native plant restoration project.
Numerous student projects have given the grounds a cob
oven, a few living roofs, and a plethora of designs for the
continuing renovation of the Buck House. As our time is
winding down in our temporary facility the CCAT communitybids farewell to a plenitude of problems and welcomes the
wealth of potential made possible by the renovation of the
Buck House.
The Buck HouseThe Buck House has been home to our student run organi-
zation since 1978. In the past thirty years, the house has
seen nearly 100 Co-Directors, hundreds of employees, and
thousands of volunteers and visitors. The Buck House will
soon be our home again, but it will take some more hardwork and perseverance to get there. This Spring semester
2007, the renovation of the Buck House has welcomed the
new presence of a student volunteer construction crew.
These students have dedi-
cated their Fridays to learning
about green construction,
and have helped to install the
electrical, plumbing, insula-
tion, drywall, etc under the
supervision of local green
contractors, all of which have
volunteered their time and
resources for our cause and
organization. By the end of
the summer 2007, we hope
to have construction nished
and the entire organization
(and residents!) moved back
into our rightful home. Once
in the Buck House we will need to reinstall the majority of
our technologies including our greywater marsh, rainwater
catchment system, greenhouse, compost demonstration
site, and the alternative and natural building demonstra-
tions for our new workshop. There will be a multitude
of volunteer and student opportunities for the followingsemester, so come and get involved with all the exciting
projects we will be working on this summer and next Fall
semester!
The new CCAT will be a place of exploration and experimentation where students of all
backgrounds can bring their projects and implement them. -Beckie Menten
I see solar power and the systems used at CCAT on the roof of every home in this
country. -Seth Magnuson
I envision our beautiful gardens as a welcoming place where tours and resources will
help people make a personal connection with organic gardening and healthy foods.-Marisa Evans
The new larger CCAT house will provide a sanctuary for the community to innovate
strategize, and implement eco-friendly ideas. -Jasper Peach
The rats that have inltrated our grounds will create their own sustainable community
entitled, RRAT Righteous Rats for Appropriate Technology. -Sam Hart
CCAT is changing just as fast as the rest of the world and the sun shall give us the
needed energy to ow like a wave to your front door. Charge it! -Max Unger
The technology that CCAT utilizes will eventually become so integrated within our
lifestyles that the human population will most likely take it for granted. -Eric Zielke
What do you th ink the fu ture ho l ds fo r CCAT?
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CCAT Bids Farewell To Two Co-Directors: Pat and Beckie...
Beckie Menten
The lessons I have learned in my whirlwind of time between
the walls and gardens of CCAT are those that will remain
with me for the rest of my life. I have learned in one
year more then I ever thought possible. Through battling
barriers, crying in frustration at the constraints holding us
back, facing down the restriction of a small budget, I have
learned to trust deeply in the community of people that
surround me. Working alongside motivated and inspired
volunteers and employees, I have watched a house
come down and go up again and I have seen people gainknowledge and skills they never thought possible.
I have learned an enormous amount from the people
around me. The employees and volunteers who keep this
place constantly evolving, vibrant, beautiful and fun are
the soul of this organization. I am excited to watch CCAT
grow and develop in coming years, welcoming ever more
people to the community, forever an institution devoted
to the spread of knowledge and experimentation. Upon
the birth of the new CCAT facility, I envision years of such
development and I cannot wait to follow the many new
adventures that lay in store.
Endless thanks to the steering committee, a group oftalented and wise people that give so much to CCAT. A
special thanks to John Meyer for being such a phenomenal
presence in the existence of CCAT. Zach, thanks for
your unwavering commitment to realizing your dreams and
inspiring others around you. Jeff, Sam, and Jess, I have
so much faith in you three, and I cant wait to watch you
work. Pat and Niki, I have never laughed harder in my
life. Your friendship has kept me going, thanks for helping
to preserve the fun and laughter necessary to keep us all
alive. Hey Niki, I call it on the switch!
Patrick Wiley
My time as CCAT co-director was one of the most
challenging and rewarding experiences of my life. The
incredible diversity of tasks co-directors often face has
made me a better communicator and greatly improved my
ability to multitask. This past year has gone by so quickly
that I can hardly believe that my term as co-director is
nearing completion.
It was a privilege for me to become part of the CCAT
community. I have made many friends at CCAT, and will
miss Friday voyages to the local burrito carts. I had great
fun working with employees and volunteers on various
projects and especially enjoyed living with Zach, Beckie
and Niki. The hilarity and craziness of my CCAT roomies
will always make me smile.
So anyhow, good luck to the future Co-Ds. I have
tremendous faith in all of you. Thanks for the great times!!
In five years I envision a CCATthat is completely relocated
into its new facility. By that timeCCAT will have a steel roof, aworking greenhouse and su-
perbly designed greywater andrainwater catchment systems. Icannot wait to come back in fiveyears and see if my vision has
become a reality.
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Jeff Steuben
Everybodys always congratulating me these days and
I dont know what to do with my newfound fame as Co-
Director. I just see myself as a guy who loves plants and its
that love that builds my platform: plants and food. Last year,
I attended the 250-mile potluck, which brought up many
important issues about food consumption. It seems to me
that average college students are practically the worst fed
and least connected to their food out of any group in our
society. Even though we in Humboldt like to see ourselves
as sustainable, much of our food must be imported longdistances on an all-to-vulnerable highway (if youve driven
past confusion hill, you know what I mean). A keystone
of sustainability and surviving in a post-peak oil world is
local food production, so with that, Id like to bring some
attention to our food cycles. Starting with compost and dirt,
and going all the way to our method of cooking we can
maximize the nutrients we get from our food and realize our
connection with and dependence on the land that sustains
us all.
On the political front, I also see advantages to keeping it
local, since regional governments are able to more closely
represent what the people want. I think we should invest in
bio-regional agriculture as well as governmental systems,perhaps looking to the American Northwest and the ideas
manifested in the proposed great nation of Cascadia.
Sam Hart
Two years ago, past Co-Director Jeff Adams shared his
perspective about the unique opportunities and challenges
CCAT was facing. As many of you know, Jeff was speaking
about how the program was relocated to the Jenkins House
from its original site where the new Behavioral and Social
Sciences building has now been erected. Rather than
expressing his dissatisfaction with the inconveniences of
the move, Jeff saw the move as an exciting opportunity for
students to learn from.
I started volunteering for this organization during thatperiod of time and later I was given a job here, which I have
continued to the present. Throughout that time I have seen
CCAT grow in a variety of positive ways: our grounds are
ourishing and expanding, new projects have been erected
such as the living roof over our cob bench, and ideas for
new projects are currently being constructed such as our
future greywater marsh. Jeff was right, it has been a unique
time for this program and I think all who work here would
agree that CCAT is progressively growing.
Recently, I was afforded a position as a future Co-Director
and I will be one of three persons who will live in the
recently moved and reconstructed Buck House. I see thisas yet another unique period in this organizations history,
a time which will see some much awaited changes. We will
be settling into a permanent residence and it will allow us
to make decisions that can be permanent, as opposed to
decisions that have been transient in the past. We will be
installing new Appropriate Technology systems and Niki,
Jeff, and myself are already planning a trip this summer to
a few different Permaculture sites to gain some insight as
to what we could add to the site. This is the beginning of
something altogether new for CCAT and I feel privileged
and excited to contribute to this time.
...And Welcomes Two More: Jeff and Sam
A keystone of sustainabilityand surviving in a post-peak oilworld is local food production
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It seems like our civilization is sedated by dreams of fuel drilling in foreign lands, material wealth, articial food,and trepidation toward one another. The images of vice and the words of hate clearly resonate unease over the fate
of humanity. Climate change, the Apocalypse, the wars that we will hand down to our grandchildren, the suffering of
so many for the prosperity of so few; this is chaos and mind scrambling. But however severed and sickened the world
may be, it is the world we have been given and in many respects, it is the greatest gift we could ever receive. I say this
because this is the greatest challenge humanity has ever faced and has the potential to unify this lone species.
Time is the essential elementand each morning people arewaking up to new ways of living, they are treading lightly, customizing their
destinies, adopting new technologies, networking countries, states, cities, towns
and communities. They are nding truth in information, dismantling cultural
boundaries, and creating a sort of Earth Village; One Earth Village, made of
many small EcoVillages. Homo Sapiens are once again on the move...and this
is the evolution to Homo Appropriatus.
An EcoVillage is simply a human settlement designed to integrate
life support systems into a self-cycling environment of continuity.
The philosophy behind this sort of organization is to build the
physical forum in which we can collectively construct our homes,
cultivate our food, raise our children, appropriate our commons,
express our ideas and develop ourselves without having to get
the go ahead from the upper crust of our society. This is achieved
through a masterful blending of a supportive social environment
with a low-impact way of life; their marriage giving birth to ecological
designs and building, renewable energy harvesting, full-loopwaste/food cycles and other sustainable concepts. Many share technologies that are (or will soon be) employed right
here at CCAT such as water collection, alternative energy systems, small-scale wastewater treatment and biodigestors,
collective organic farming grounds, protective dwellings, educational facilities, and recreational sites.
The personality of each village is unique!Communities are popping up all over the Globe. Brazil has
an amazing center called EcoCentro IPEC that has evolved
into a super successful instrument of education. In Europe
there is BedZed, Findhorn, ZEGG, Freetown, and others.
There are Ecovillages in Africa, Oceania, South and Central
America, Asia, and Australia. The U.S. has EVI, EarthHaven,
Dancing Rabbit, Los Angeles EcoVillage, The Farm, BereaCollege, Twin Oaks and many others. This brings us back
home to CCAT, the brainchild of 30 years of adaptation,
renovation and experimentation. Thus, it has become the
paragon for our society. CCAT is smack dab in the middle
of a plethora of alternative-thought culture and higher
education. I see this house and plot of land becoming a living
lab for ideas, a generator of sustainability, and the breeding
ground for new technologies, social re-design, and artistic
expression. This is the pioneering of the new generation; we
are the ones we have been waiting for.
EcoVillage Earth, Living Lightly By Matthew Peters
So what is a
contemporary EcoVillage?
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Imagine a sustainable world where you haveenough information to make the best choices for
your environment, your sense of beauty, and your
pocketbook. Whether you limit your vision to your
backyard or a grand scale global paradise, you should
feel fortunate to know that this world already exists.Sustainable living is attained by people all over the
planet through the use of natural building methods and
techniques.
Lonny Grafman, a lecturer in the HSU department
of Environmental Engineering, denes natural building
as working through nature and design, to rst protect
and shelter people and second, to do so with the least
impact and greatest enhancement to the environment
possible. Natural builders consider and attempt to
minimize the non-renewable energy resources that go
into nding and preparing materials (commonly referred
to as embedded energy) and the energy inputs after
construction, resulting from the operation of the homeor building. Utilizing the advantages of nature, the
homes created are often more efcient, less toxic, and
aesthetically beautiful.
Included are some examples of natural building
methods that are used around the world. You will notice
methods and styles of natural building are varied to suit
the needs of diverse environments. Those examples
listed are only the tip of the iceberg. For natural building,
the door to ingenuity is always open.
An interesting note, as you may choose to apply
these methods, is that despite the growing popularityof these designs and although these homes are
often more efcient and environmentally friendly
than the conventional alternative, they are often
subject to building and code regulations that are
not exible to their advantages. As a response
there is a ballot initiative currently underway called
the California Sustainable Healthy Home Waver
which is advocating for changes is statewide
policy. The initiative can be read at http://www.
greenhomebuilding.com/pdf/CSHHW.pdf.
Sustainable Living Through Natural Building By Jillian Luchner
New BuildingsAdobe is a mix of clay which acts as a binding agent,
sand for compressional strength and a ber, like hay,
for cohesion. Mixed in proper ratios and then made into
sun-cooked bricks, adobe is one of the oldest and most
widespread construction materials. Adobe design is bestsuited for the dry areas of the southern part of the states
where the warm summers and cooler winters work well
with the moderating capabilities of the material.
Bamboo is a strong, waterproof plant with a history
of use in building which ranges from old Japanese
suspension bridges to some of the rst airplanes. Although
bamboo habitat has been threatened by recent changes
to its natural ecosystems and its use was reduced in
some native locations due to a feeling that it was a poor
persons material, its functionality and beauty are now
making a cultural comeback.
Cob is made of many of the same elements as adobe,
but is applied to the housing framework in handmade
clumps or balls. The word Cob actually comes from
an old English word meaning lump. Most adobe and
cob housing are plastered in stucco, whitewash, lime
or cement to protect from erosion. With appropriate
protection from rain and wind, cob houses in the United
Kingdom have survived over 500 years.
Rammed Earth buildings have walls that are about
18-24 inches thick created by tightly wedging earth in
between two frames. The earth is sometimes mixed with
Portland Cement, which helps to protect the structure from
weathering in less arid climates. Parts of the Great Wall ofChina were made with rammed earth construction.
Straw Bale housing is known for its highly insulating
properties and resistance to re and is a great way to put
excess straw to use that can no longer be burned under
California Clean Air Standards.
Recycled BuildingsPaper Crete involves recycling most any ber-based
product, old phone books, newspaper, etc. and mixing it
with a concrete to make a stronger building material for
housing. With our nations annual production of paper
waste exceeding 84 million tons, papercrete appears quite
an available natural resource for the urban environment.
Old Tires can be used in roong and can also be used
like interlocking bricks and then plastered over and lled
with a cob or cement to create houses called earthships.
Concrete from old buildings, once viewed as waste
and trucked at great expense to disposal sites, is now
be recycled on site during demolition. The materials arecrushed and used as backll for the foundation of new
buildings.
Drywall is made of 90% gypsum, a natural earth mineral,
which serves a variety of uses in commercial products, soil
nutrients and cement making. The mineral, and the paper
on which it is adhered, are easily recyclable, reducing the
amount of resource mining needed as well as the amount
of gypsum making its way to landlls. As CCAT puts up the
gypsum dry-wall boards to its new home, it is comforting to
think that this material is also part of a larger life cycle.
* Check out www.appropedia.org, a central source for
appropriate technology and sustainable living founded by
Lonny Grafman.
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Canon Beach, ORThis system uses existing
wetlands where the only
physical alteration was
the construction of dykesto control water ow.
Due to high uctuations
in permanent population
from tourism, the city
developed a unique
two-part system, where a facultative lagoon
process is used to treat water in the winter
months, and in the summer months efuent is
discharged into the wooded wetlands for the
nal stage of treatment.
Hayward Marsh, Hayward, CAThe Hayward Marsh, system had a two-part
goal: rst, to restore nearly 400 acres of former
wetlands to their previous conditions, and
then to use wastewater as a resource instead
of as a liability. Situated on an area that was
once used for saltproduction, the dykes
were removed in the
early 80s to make
way for wetlands
development. After
the tidal action
brought wetland
conditions back to
the area, ve basins
were created to hold
marshes. The source
of the freshwater for
these constructedwetlands is treated
wastewater. This is a
high prole marsh in a
fairly populated area,
and primarily serves to
show that wastewater
can be used for many functions, and does not
have to be considered a liability.
Greywater is a term that describes domesticwastewater originating from showers, sinks and clothes
washers. Unlike blackwater, greywater does not contain
toilet water. Reuse of greywater enables the recycling
of large volumes of water, thus lowering demand on
potable water systems. While greywater systems
provide greatest benet in arid regions with waterscarcity issues, they can be benecial in a variety of
different settings.
Prior to the CCAT relocation project, volunteers,
students and employees successfully designed and
constructed a greywater system that met the needs of
the CCAT community. Over the past few semesters,
engineering students and members of the CCAT design
team have spent considerable time and effort designing
a greywater marsh for the new facility. The CCAT
greywater system aims to adequately treat greywater,
while minimizing the resources needed for consumption
and the continued operation of the greywater system.
Additionally, the end use of greywater for the irrigation of
ornamental plants located in multiple places will improve
the aesthetic appeal of the CCAT grounds.
The blackwater and greywater plumbing of the newCCAT are separated but exist nearly two feet below
grade, necessitating the installation of a subsurface
pump station. Greywater from the house will ow into
the pump station and be transported to a sedimentation
basin mounted atop a bike storage structure. The
greywater will remain in the sedimentation tank for2-3 hours, allowing heavier solids to settle to the tank
bottom. Efuent from the sedimentation basin will
gravity ow to a subsurface system. Marsh vegetation
effectively removes nutrients from greywater, while their
roots provide substrate that encourages the growth of
benecial microorganisms. In general, marsh plants
provide a simple, inexpensive and low energy method of
treating greywater.
Following treatment with a subsurface marsh, the
greywater will ow into a pond. In addition to its visual
appeal, algae, vegetation and other aquatic organisms
present in the pond will further treat the greywater.
Efuent from the ponds will be used for irrigatingornamental plants housed in constructed planter boxes
and thus, CCAT will cbe able to close yet another loop.
GreywaterBy Patrick Wiley
8
Vermontville, MIThis town developed their system atop a hill to gain
maximum gravity ow potential. The open ponds
treat the water through microbial processes, and
then treated water ows downhill to seepage elds.
Over time, these seepage elds have developed
aquaculture vegetation, and have formed wetlands.
The placement of theponds at the top of the
hill eliminates the need
for pumping, cutting
energy use in the system
signicantly.
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In the arid desert regions of the southwest, huge
amounts of money and resources are spent to access
and transport water from underground aquifers and other
sources, while local water resources are virtually ignored.
In Tucson, Arizona, more rain falls each year than is
consumed by residents, but drainage systems designed
for ood control quickly remove this valuable resourcefrom the valley. Residents rely on groundwater, which is
being pumped at rates far exceeding the time required
for natural recharge and as the water table continues to
decline about 3-4 feet every year, aquifers are beginning
to collapse, a phenomenon
known as subsidence.
In an effort to reduce
demand on these natural
underground storage tanks,
four billion dollars were
spent to initiate the Central
Arizona Project (CAP),
which brings thousands of
gallons of water from the
Colorado River to cities in
the southwest with scarce
water resources. Every
year, over 80 million dollars are spent to operate this
project, most of which pays for the electric bill. Ironically,
the project consumes 5-10 gallons of water for every one
kilowatt hour of electricity produced and countless gallons
are lost to evaporation as the water is transported across
the desert.
The advantages of rainwater harvesting are extensive,
including ood control, bioremediation of urban toxinsthat contaminate the water supply, reduced demand on
freshwater resources, and beautication of metropolitan
areas. This being said, it is obvious that arid regions
are not the only places that could benet from the
implementation of rainwater harvesting principles. In Los
Angeles, California for example, rainwater harvesting
could provide half of the citys water needs. Instead, the
city spends a billion dollars a year to import water for
municipal use, while a half a billion dollars are spent each
year to drain storm water run-off. In Seattle, Washington,
where water is abundantly available, neighborhoods have
been transformed into rainwater harvesting systems. City
streets have been narrowed, raised, and otherwise alteredto achieve a curvilinear shape conducive to passive water
transport and pavement has been reduced to 11% while
vegetative coverage has been substantially increased.
These modications have allowed for the passive
application of run-off to plant beds along the street side
and have the added benet of slowing down trafc.
Rainwater Harvesting, Not Just For Drylands By Echo CaseyIn some parts of the world, freshwater is readily
available and relatively affordable. However, it is a rapidly
declining natural resource and whether you live in a place
of plenty or one of scarcity, water use and conservation
are issues that affect us all. Even in Humboldt, where
rivers, lakes and precipitation provide ample sources of
freshwater, we must consider the social, environmentaland economic implications of water consumption and
depletion.
Rainwater harvesting is an appropriate technology
that can be used to reduce water use and the various
costs associated with water collection and
distribution and waste-water treatment.
Brad Lancaster,
author ofRainwater
Harvesting for
Drylands, argues that
rainwater harvesting is
an effective method for
achieving sustainability.
He states that
rainwater harvesting
enables you to thrive
within the constraints of your local rainfall
budget and reduce your footprint on the hydrogeologic
cycle. By storing water during times of plenty and drawing
on these stores during drought, rainwater harvesting
allows you to sustain and enhance your water resource
base, rather than deplete it.
Rainwater
harvesting
principles areconsistent with
the tenets of
permaculture,
dened by
Lancaster
as a design
methodology
that mimics
natural
systems.
Lancaster
explains that
we can designrainwater
harvesting
systems to
use passive
strategies that will do the bulk of the work for us and will
require little maintenance. Additionally, active design
strategies can be applied to supplement the system,
but these features are generally more costly and energy
intensive and should not be the foundation of the system.
The most important principle of rainwater harvesting is
plant the water where it falls.
An average residential street in
Tucson drains a whopping million
gallons of run-off every year. This is
enough to sustain 422 trees for every
mile, which equates to one tree every
25 feet on both sides of the road. In
addition to the aesthetic appeal and
habitat provided, the installation of
these trees would also decrease the
heat island effect by an average of 10
degrees Fahrenheit along the street.
*For more information on rainwater harvesting
check out Brad Lancasters website:
http://www.harvestingrainwater.com/
9
8/9/2019 Campus Center for Appropriate Technology Newsletter, Spring 2007
10/1210
G arde n s G row Eve ry w he re B y S a r a D y km a n
Californians have it pretty easy when it comes to growingfood, but rest assured it can be done anywhere elsein the world too. When I rst proposed the idea of turning
a small patch of Wyoming turf into a food producing haven
people questioningly raised their eyebrows under their sun
faded cowboy hats. Although it might not have been as
easy as say growing lettuce at CCAT, I knew it could be
done and began to dig the very next day.
After three days of digging, I had removed three buckets
of rocks from a 6x12ft plot of clay outside my back door.
To mitigate the crappy soil I consulted the resources I
had on hand. From the state land near my house I lled
a plastic bag full with nutrient rich rabbit poop. The horsepasture provided ingredient number two: horse manure.
The garden store dumpster was my source of good old
potting soil. I turned the recipe into nutrient rich soil and
was uplifted with a sense of pride. There is nothing quite
like turning local resources like horse manure and hand
collected rabbit droppings into soil that will feed the plants
that will eventually feed you. I envisioned farmers markets,
potlucks, and crazy summer watermelon feeds.
After tackling the crappy soil dilemma I took on the
problem of hungry deer. Wyoming, if you havent been
there, has very few people, but an awful lot of deer. (and
by a lot of deer, I mean a lot of deer) Every evening they
would come to my backyard and a staring contest ensued.
Head to head we stomped and huffed until one of us got
board or spooked. The book of garden problems at the
garden store recommended that I shoot the deer, but I
took a less invasive approach and lined the garden with
chicken wire. I am especially proud of the door I made,
and rather than try and explain it, just take my word that it
was awesome. I made a skirt on the bottom of the fence
to keep the rabbits out and for aesthetics I used the rocks
I dug up to create a border.
As extra precaution I implemented every strategy to deer
proof my garden I could think of. I collected dog hair, cat
hair, and my own hair and it hung in the corners of the
garden. I also peed around the perimeter at night (so as
not to attract attention), put pepper on the leaves, planted
aromatic owers, and placed a fox skull at the entrance. Ifthe skull didnt keep the deer away, at least it would keep
my roommates out.
Meanwhile the little seeds that I had acquired over the
months were popping up. Every morning I sat with them
and ate breakfast as I watched the clouds oat over the
mountains. In the evenings I bid them goodnight and
shared a sip of Gatorade or refreshing OJ with them.
Before I knew it they were big enough to be planted in their
new home, my varmint free garden. The planting went
smoothly, and they continued to grow. I watered them,
weeded them, and of course sang to them, and encour-
aged them to grow faster because I was hungry. I plantedthem in no particular order as to mitigate bug infestations
and nibbles from the horses. All went as planned except
for the farmers markets and watermelon feeds.
My rst success was a pepper and let me tell you, it was
the best pepper I have ever eaten in my entire life. I must
say it will probably be the best I ever eat. By the time I was
on the greyhound back to Humboldt I had eaten one tasty
pepper and two green beans, and had learned that you can
plant a garden just about anywhere.
I was also sold on the idea of transforming Bermuda
grass lawns into productive food gardens, where people
can eat a carrot that isnt picked hundreds of miles away,where people can eat a potato that isnt shipped using our
dwindling supply of petroleum, where children can once
again feel the dirt between their ngers, and parents can
leave their children more than plastic money and asphalt.
Gardening is a
powerful action
that creates
sustainable
communities.
For every
location that
a garden isplanted, a new
and unique
set of creative
ideas must be
implemented
to tackle local
variations, but
the point is
anyone can do
it. Heck, I did it.
8/9/2019 Campus Center for Appropriate Technology Newsletter, Spring 2007
11/12
The CCAT Gardens Are Shaping UpBy Sara Dykman
Holding Back
With the demolition of the Jenkins House scheduled for
June and no one sure which part of the grounds they are
going to plunge their two-ton earth destroyers into I am
forced to bite my teeth and not plant the orchards and
annual vegetable beds quite yet, but there is still plenty ofwork to be done.
I utilized much of the grounds for planting quick growing
annuals: chard, lettuce, spinach, and annual herbs. This
way CCAT is still producing food, but no perennials will be
compromised when the demolition begins.
The mini greenhouses
were used to start
plants and when the
bulldozers are gone
my intent is to have
them ready to go
in the ground. The
cover crops planted
last semester were
cut and tilled under so
the grounds are ready
for planting and those
plants are going to
love that nutrient rich
soil. Look out!
Lots of people helped CCAT with the arduous task of
pulling weeds, but like my CCAT garden mentor told me
choose your ground cover before your ground cover
chooses you, so we planted some strawberry shoots,native Redwood sorrel, miners lettuce, bunchberry, and
English Ivy. Just kidding on the ivy, please for the love of
CCAT dont ever plant English Ivy. Many people have
spent many hours this semester pulling it up.
The North Coast Chapter of the California Native
Plant Society came out and gave CCAT a native plant
consultation. They identied many natives hidden in
corners and along the edge of the site where blackberries
and other invasive plants loom. Folks living on the North
Coast interested in native plant gardening can request
a consultation from the Native Plant Society at http://
northcoastcnps.org/ In the meantime, come to CCAT andcheck out the beauty of the natives; the Douglas irises,
bleeding hearts, trillium, sorrel, currents and huckleberries
are all blooming.
The groundskeepers and volunteers can always keep
busy researching other plants to plant now and in the
future. If anyone knows of any plants that they think CCAT
should try and grow, or they have had success with in
similar climates, please email us. The gardens are here
to showcase the potential of urban gardening, the more
people who share their knowledge with us, the more people
we can reach.
Plant Some Natives
Spring is in the air and the native plants at CCAT are going
wild. It is always a good idea when planning a garden
to incorporate some natives into the design. Many times
natives are easier to maintain because they are adapted to
the local climate, provide suitable homes for native critters,and can provide delicious food. Here are some native
plants you can incorporate into your own garden.
Ceanothus thyrsiorus-
Blue blossom
Blue blossom is an
evergreen shrub. It has
pretty blue owers that
bloom from March to June.It can cope with full sun
or grow in light shade.
The plants are beautiful
and smell good too. It
is a nitrogen xer so it
replenishes nitrogen in poor
soil which helps nearby
plants. The plant is rich
in saponins, which when
crushed in water creates a
mild soap.
Vaccinium ovatum-Huckleberry
It does not get much better
than this: color, food, and
easy to grow. This plant
grows well in sun or shade,
but if you plant it in the sun
you will be able to enjoy
sweet berries. If also likes
acidic soil, so add some
redwood duff to the soil.
Use the leaves to make a
tea, and the berries to eat
raw. You can also cookthe berries into pies or
preserves. Either way they
are good. CCAT has had
limited success with taking
cuttings from older plants
and getting them to root, but
it can be done.
Oxalis oregona-
Redwood sorrel
This is an excellent ground
cover that spreads relatively
easy, has beautiful purplish
owers, and is tasty in salad.
Iris douglasiana-Douglas iris
If you have a shady area of
your garden, and you like
beautiful owers, try the
Douglas iris. The purple
owers are long lasting. It
works well in rock gardens,
along boarders, and as a
groundcover under large
taller plants.
11
8/9/2019 Campus Center for Appropriate Technology Newsletter, Spring 2007
12/12
The Campus Center for Appropriate Technology
1 Harpst St.
HSU, Buck House, #97
Arcata, CA 95521
http://www.humboldt.edu/~ccat/
ccat@humboldt.edu (707) 826-3551
Non-Proft Org
U.S. Postage
PAID
Permit No. 78Arcata, CA 95521
CCATs Fall 2007 Courses
P i t d 100% l d d f P t C W t12
ENGR 280: Intro to Wastewater Management (1)
Facilitated by: Pat Wiley
Wednesday 6-8 pm (begins rst week of classes)
This seven week seminar is an introduction to variousbiological wastewater treatment systems, pumps,
process control parameters, dewatering equipment
and laboratory procedures.
ENGR 280: Lost Arts of Living (1)
Facilitated by: Niki Beckman, Jeff Steuben
Wednesday 11-2 (begins rst week of classes)
This seven week series of experiential and
exploratory workshops covers skills, crafts and natural
patterns that are no longer commonly practiced.
Potential topics include shelter building, re building,
food preservation and more.
ENVS 480: Herbalism (1)
Facilitated by: Sabel Rose Regalia
Tuesday 12-2pm (begins third week of classes)
In this six week course students will learn about theuse of herbs as medicine and how they can be used
to maintain better health. Learn herb cultivation and
propagation, herbal remedy creation and alternative
healing methods.
ENGR 280:Sustainable Technologies Seminar(1)
Facilitated by: Niki Beckman, Sam Hart
Wednesday 2-5pm (begins rst week of classes)
This seven week seminar series will cover a range of
technologies and their applications in the community.
Potential topics include green building, community
agriculture, greywater systems, alternative energy,
biodiesel as a fuel and more.
ENGR 280:Permaculture Lecture Series
Facilitated by: Selena Rowan
Monday 2-4pm (begins rst week of classes)This seven week course will cover the fundamentals
of permaculture-sustainable systems design
through readings and discussion of permaculture
literature, focus projects and surveys of permaculture
technologies and systems.
ENVS480: CCAT Design and Building Team(1)
Facilitated by: Niki Beckman, Sam Hart, Jeff Steuben
Friday 12-2pm (begins rst week of classes)
This class will provide students with hands-on
experience, exploring the design and construction
possibilities for the new CCAT facilities and grounds.
Students will select green building materials, design
and construct Appropriate Technology systems, and
further the LEED certication process for CCAT.
ENVS 480: Organic Gardening (1)
Facilitated by: Niki Beckman, Jeff Steuben, Sam HartThursday 1-3pm (begins rst week of classes)
This seven week course teaches small-scale food
production without the use of chemicals. Students
gain hands-on experience in soil preparation,
plant propagation, garden planning, greenhouse
management and more.
Course Descriptions for Environmental
Science and Engineering Courses to be
Offered Through CCAT: