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Straw Bale Houses

It might sound like something out of a fairy tale, but building a house of straw might not be such a far-fetched idea after all.

The idea appeals to some because straw is a renewable resource, essentially a byproduct of agricultural harvesting that requires very little energy to produce. And homes built with straw have an aesthetic appeal because of their unique, rounded corners.

Far from flimsy, today’s straw homes are post-and-beam structures that are reinforced with steel running through the bales to hold them together. The straw is actually used inside the walls. Though it is cheap (about $2 per bale), these homes cost no less to build because of the high cost of labor. A straw bale house that is poorly put together can be ruined by moisture or insects, so it’s critical to have it done properly.

Straw homes are just as energy efficient as most other types of homes, experts say. But if you build one, you’ll still be saving energy because many of the materials you’re using are produced without burning fossil fuels. Also, since straw can be harvested from most local farms, you don’t have to burn fuels to ship it very far.

Of course, you still have to worry about the Big Bad Wolf. But that’s another story.

To read more about straw bale housing, please click here.

To read more about this and other environmental health issues, go to: www.environmentalhealthnews.org, www.ourstolenfuture.org, or www.healthandenvironment.org