Making homes out of clay, sand and straw — a material called “cob” — might raise eyebrows in earthquake country, but Bay Area devotees are hoping to gain acceptance for what they say is an inexpensive ...

Cob is made from a mixture of sand, clay, and straw. Ancient 'cob house' building technique may be key to cheap sustainable ...

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Cob house with stones and decorations - leonardo/Shutterstock From earthships to container homes, sustainable architecture only ...

How do you know when you have added enough straw and your mix is done? As you add straw, you should be able to feel the consistency of the mix changing under your feet. Suddenly it will reach a point ...

Most of the rock used for the foundation, and the clay for the cob (clay and straw) walls and pizza oven were collected on-site. For years, I dreamed of building my own home using natural materials.

Miguel Elliott, founder of Living Earth Structures and a longtime resident of Petaluma, moved to Maui last fall after the devastating fires there, with the intention of sharing his knowledge of ...

When members of Solano Canyon Community Garden set out to build amphitheater seating on their piece of Elysian Park, they knew there was only one way to go about it. “Part of the agreement with the ...

When Miguel Elliott is working, he?s dancing. Dipping his toes into a pile of mud he begins the stomp, an ancient two-step that is part of the process of turning wet earth into walls with his two bare ...

Do you find yourself staring at concrete walls, daydreaming about an idyllic life close to nature? Does the sight of drywall make you want to pack your bags, lock the door, and run off into the forest ...