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The Indigo Nature Haven

Project

Business Plan
including:
The Indigo Nature Haven
Purely Indigo
&
Gwynadd :
A “Green Friendly” Development

Prepared By: Monica Nathan

Date: October 18th, 2005


Updates and Revisions : March 19th, 2006
& February 19, 2007
THE CONTENTS OF THIS BUSINESS PLAN ARE/AND HAVE BEEN
THE SOLE OWNERSHIP AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OF MONICA
NATHAN SINCE THE CONCEPTION OF THE ORIGINAL IDEA IN 1978.
ANYONE WISHING TO IMPLIMENT OR RE-CREATE THIS PROJECT
MUST HAVE THE EXPRESSED AND WRITTEN PERMISSIN OF MONICA
NATHAN.

Confidential and proprietary


The Indigo Nature Haven Project
Business Plan

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Business Plan

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.............................................................................................5
1.1 BACKGROUND................................................................................................................6
1.2 OBJECTIVES...................................................................................................................6
1.3 MISSION.......................................................................................................................7
1.4 KEYS TO SUCCESS..........................................................................................................7
2 MANAGEMENT............................................................................................................7
2.1 ORGANIZATION CHART....................................................................................................7
2.2 KEY ADVISORY PERSONNEL.............................................................................................9
2.3 TEAM ANALYSIS.............................................................................................................9
2.4 TEAM GOALS................................................................................................................9
3 COMPANY .....................................................................................................................9
3.1.1 Client History.....................................................................................................9
3.2 TECHNOLOGY OVERVIEW...............................................................................................10
3.3 PRODUCTS AND SERVICES..............................................................................................11
4 OBJECTIVES...............................................................................................................11
4.1 SHORT TERM OBJECTIVES..............................................................................................11
4.2 SALES ANALYSIS YEAR MID-2007- EARLY 2008 ...........................................................12
4.2.1 Years 2008 and beyond.....................................................................................12
4.3 REVENUE PROJECTIONS.................................................................................................13
4.4 ADVANTAGES...............................................................................................................14
4.4.1 Risks..................................................................................................................14
5 LOCATION...................................................................................................................14
DEMOGRAPHICS.................................................................................................................15
6 RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT..............................................................................16
6.1 MARKETING................................................................................................................16
7 OTHER AREA CENTERS..........................................................................................17
7.1 FUTURE PROMISING OPPORTUNITIES................................................................................20
8 APPENDIX....................................................................................................................21
8.1 APPENDIX A: GREEN TECHNOLOGY OVERVIEW................................................................21
8.2 APPENDIX B : KABBALAH............................................................................................22
8.2.1 What is Hermetic Kabbalah? ..........................................................................23
8.2.2 How old is Kabbalah? .....................................................................................24
8.3 APPENDIX C: WIND TURBINE TECHNOLOGY....................................................................24
8.4 APPENDIX D: HOUSE OF STRAW.....................................................................................27
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8.4.1 Introduction......................................................................................................28
8.4.2 Straw-Bale Construction..................................................................................29
8.4.3 The Navajo Project...........................................................................................31
8.4.4 Other Contemporary Straw-Bale Homes.........................................................43
8.4.5 Affordability......................................................................................................44
8.4.6 Frequently Asked Questions About Straw-Bale................................................47
8.4.7 Resources..........................................................................................................49
8.5 APPENDIX E: REASEARCH & DEVELOPMENT : SPIRULINA PLATENSIS..................................50
8.5.1 Nucleic Acid Safety Research...........................................................................52
9 CONCLUSION:............................................................................................................53

Contact information:

The Indigo Nature Haven Project


231 East 89th St.
NYC, NY 10028
Phone #’s: 212-831-3727
908-453-4359 (call here first)
Fax #: 908-453-4349
E-Mails: pindigo@lycos.com & indigoproje@yahoo.com

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Business Plan

1 Executive Summary

The Indigo Nature Haven is an experimental self-sustaining community and retreat center
powered by wind turbine and solar technology. It will be set-up primarily for young
adults who have been labeled as ADD and ADHD by society. The parent company,
Purely Indigo will produce Eco-fuels, water purification systems and eventually high-
protein, low cost, natural food substitutes to be used here and in third world countries.
Gywnadd will be the name of the completed community where The Indigo Nature Haven
retreat center and Purely Indigo’s, headquarters and laboratory and some production
fields will be located. This will be the main community, located in Herkimer County on
aproximately 327 continuous acres (an additional 175 acres on the property border is
available), with a small area of the property listed as a Historic Landmark, (it is my hope
that with the aid of state and federal grants, we will be able to restore this Landmark to its
former beauty, at some point in the near future). This property is a turn key operation and
aside from the “green friendly development”, the doors can be opened immediately for
business. Gywnadd will consist of a limited number of homes built to zero energy and
near zero energy specifications. These homes would be sold without the land rights, much
like a condo format to protect the community’s future interests and the land upon which it
is built. The community will have a small old fashioned “main street”, which will consist
of small stores that will be available in the form of concessions. Purely Indigo eco-fuel
production, all horse boarding and holistic pet food distribution and cottage industries
will be done from this property. This Project can be accomplished with just the 327 acres
tract but in the future could be expanded into other areas greatly enhancing projections
and creating unlimited production possibilities.

This will be a back to nature and balance approach bringing young adults and animals
into an atmosphere of healing experience, through working with and close to the land.

Gwynadd will be a self-sustaining community in the sense that most of the food produced
will be from the community properties. All energy required to run the community will
come primarily from the afore mentioned wind turbine technology, combined with other
forms of “green” energy.

The community will be located in Herkimer County NY both adjacent to Monticello and
Cooperstown, New York, the Pocono region of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Herkimer
County demographically speaking are part of an upcoming region both in terms of prop-
erty values and expanding population as well as state funding support. The property is a
327 +/- acre tract located in an agricultural, residential and recreational open zoned area.
Finally, the idea of having a Historic Landmark on the property will increase public in-
terest and available funding sources. We have approached The Herkimer Historical Soci-
ety with the business plan and we were received with eagerness to help. This property is
located in one of the areas being looked at by the state of NY to expand the rail system to
facilitate the traffic expected when the decision is made as to what Native American Tribe
will control the upcoming casino rights.

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1.1 Background

The Indigo Nature Haven Project’s founder is Monica Nathan, Animal Nutrition Special-
ist, Senior Social Science Researcher, Exotic Plant Specialist, B.A., B.S.
Monica’s background is in organic farming, animal nutrition, exotic plant biology, zo-
ology, various levels of management and Social Science Research. Monica is currently
working in conjunction to the National Academy of Engineering in the development of
her design of an efficient low cost water purification system as a possible solution to
clean up the arsenic laden ground water of Bangladesh. Monica has also been working on
a new form of high energy Eco-fuel from a currently unused biomass source. This new
form of fuel could be used in diesel and gasoline engines in current use without petro-
leum additives and without engine modification. Her hobbies are mechanics, quantum
physics and ancient manuscripts. She is also actively involved in helping others find
meaning by empowering them to find their life purpose.

The Indigo Nature Haven team members are experienced, outstanding leaders in the fol-
lowing areas: Business planning, Education, Farm Management, Development and imple-
mentation.

All technologies used in this Community of the future, (“prototype”) will be green tech-
nologies with emphasis on the environment, energy solutions and sustainable housing and
farming practices. For example, a high ratio of the buildings will be straw bale structures
that are energy efficient and earth friendly. Electricity will be generated by means of wind
turbines and solar collector panels.

1.2 Objectives

• Develop a future prototype of a self-sustaining residential, business and farming com-


munity.

• Through the skills developed at the center/community people will be equipped to return
to live in their community setting independently.

• To create a template of a viable and sustainable working community.

• Production of an environmentally friendly alternate fuel source (Eco-fuel).

• Production and manufacture of highly effective low cost water purification systems.

• To create an alternative and inexpensive food source for use in the American mainland
and third world countries.

• To create a community of viable enlightened citizens.

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• To create an atmosphere of healing experience with a back to nature approach.

• Add value for our investors and employees.

• Create a resource center for young adults with ADD and ADHD.

1.3 Mission
• To develop and provide products and services that makes a difference in the qual-
ity of life for our community and the world around us.

• To provide an environment that inspires our team to continually grow and experi-
ence an outstanding physical, emotional, fulfilled life.

1.4 Keys to Success


• Maintain structure and philosophy focused on a self-sustaining farm community.

• Variable sources of income, for example federal and state energy and agricultural
grants, sale of energy to electric company brokers, production of 100% usable
Eco-fuel, creation of a new high protein food substitute, working out a system
exchanging accommodation for manual labor and use of farm land for horse
boarding business and lastly various cottage industries for local commerce.
• Development of a future community of zero energy buildings.
• Revenue from “main street” concession program.
• Leasing to independents with like minded interests.
• Manufacture of a low cost efficient water purification systems.
• Maintaining farmland through sale of energy and sweat equity/barter system.
• Creating a new market in natural and holistic pet foods.
• Creating a learning center to enable visitors to become viable, enlightened cit-
izens.
• Energy grants and rebates through use of green technology.

2 Management

2.1 Organization Chart

• General Employees:
o Monica Nathan, President - responsible for entire operation. Focus on business
operations, building client relationships, Sales and marketing, new business de-
velopment, technical and project management support.

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o Dericka Coady, Senior Manager - responsible for all the daily functions to en-
sure smooth running community/farm/center.

o Michelle Stokes, Accountant-responsible for all profit and expenditure re-


cord keeping, quarterly reports, etc.

o Lorraine Henrich, Senior Educator, Counselor and Spiritual Guide-re-


sponsible for maintaining a solid line of communication between the
young adults and the rest of the community.

o Regina St. Clare, PHD, (Retired Professor of Education, Monmouth Uni-


versity) Counselor – responsible for helping the young adults of the com-
munity through their personal “trying times”.

o Daniel Schaller, Maintenance Expert- responsible for keeping the center;


it’s buildings and equipment in proper repair.

Consultants and advisors:

o Jason Ruddock, Computer and Software Consultant


o Ludmila Ostrovsky, Health Care Specialist
o Sandra Perez Luciano, Nutrition Expert.
o William Wilson Sr., Pet Industry Consultant
o Rev. Frankie Timmers, Interfaith Minister, Center Tidings co-ordinator.
o Craig Denega, Insurance and Animal Health Expert.
o James Huang, Mechanical Engineering Expert.
o Greg Potosnak, Business Coach and Advisor.

• Vendors and /or working in conjunction with:

o New Dimensions Montclair, NJ


o Wise Man Book Store, Pompton Plains, NJ
o The Tree of Light Healing Center, Sommerville, NJ
o The Indigo Light Center, LosVegas, NV
o Columbia Tree Farm, Polksville, NJ
o Fauna Foods, Elmhurst, NY
o Evolve division ,Triumph Pet Foods ,Walwick ,NY
o Healing with Natural Harmony, PA area
o The Indigo Alliance,(Alternate dietary & holistic techniques), Vernon, NJ
o The Association for Higher Awareness, Morristown, NJ
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o Trust Feng Shui, Denville, NJ


o Feng Shui by Design, Somerville, NJ
o The Tao Center, Montville, NJ and Woodhaven, NY
o The Dynamic Dance, Lincoln Park, NJ
o The Metaphysical Center, Wayne, NJ For add. info. on any vendor/assoc. please contact us.
o Zeke Jewelers, Woodbridge Jewelry Exchange, Woodbridge, NJ
o Ancient Healing Arts Association, PA and CA
o First Church of Religious Science, Morristown, NJ
o Fabrikant Estate Jewelers, NYC

2.2 Key Advisory Personnel


Advisory and Upper Management: Monica Nathan, Lorraine Henrich, Michelle Stokes
and Jason Ruddock. General Management: Dericka Coady. Board of Directors : Monica
Nathan, Greg Potosnak, Dericka Coady. (Resumes & Bios will be made available upon request to
serious investors only.) Qualified persons interested in become a member of the board should call,
write or email to the Project contact information to set up an appointment and interview.

2.3 Team Analysis


The personnel team consists of a diversified, well-rounded group of individuals who can
expedite work as a cohesive team or in an independent take charge approach.

2.4 Team Goals


The team is committed to learning and growing through team building events and learn-
ing experiences. Our team goals are as follows:

• To remain focused on generating recurring revenue, managing time, and empower-


ing each other to take on roles and responsibilities the will enable The Indigo Nature
Haven Project to get to the next level.
• To be leaders and take on roles and fulfill them consistently.
• To follow through to completion for outstanding outcomes.
• To maintain high energy as a team and as individuals to achieve our desired outcome as a
center.

• To maximize our time in the upcoming growth period of center development to minimize
down time.
• Live each day to it’s fullest potential.
• Empower each person who visits the center.

3 Company

3.1.1 Client History

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The Tree of Light Healing Center located in Hampton, NJ is an educational and spiritu-
al center servicing all people who seek to know more about themselves, their purpose,
and the Universe. Using meditation and stress management techniques the Tree of Light
brings every client/student on a journey that unlocks the doors to the inner psyche that
lead to positive self- image and enhanced relationships with others. Through self- dis-
covery each student/client is able to create positive goals in life and successfully achieve
them.

Fauna Foods, Elmhurst , NY Former business associates of Monica Nathan. Fauna


Foods will be providing the holistic pet foods for distribution; the usual contract fees
have been waived.

Washington Pet Shop, Bangor, PA formally of White House Station, NJ William Wilson
Sr.has agreed to act as a consultant and liaison to enable The Indigo Nature Haven to cre-
ate a distribution center for our own private label holistic and natural pet foods as well as
horse feeds. This will result in a wholesale and distribution throughout NY, PA and parts
of NJ as well as retail via The Indigo Nature Haven.

Healing with Natural Harmony, PA area, is an energy healing center


utilizing Reiki, Huna, acupressure and therapeutic massage techniques in combination
with natural essential oils, toxic free personal products, a natural dietetics regimen and a
variety of self-help exercises. This approach is designed to create a healthy body and
mind.

The Indigo Healing Center is designed to teach those interested in understanding the
nature of today’s young adults.

Zeke Jewelers of Woodbridge, NJ, Sale, repair and design of fine jewelry, former busi-
ness associate of Monica Nathan.

3.2 Technology Overview


Green technology is the wave of the future as it holds the potential keys to maintaining a
balanced ecosphere and an economic springboard towards the needs and expectations of
future populations. The need for alternate food and fuel sources is self evident in our
present environment. At the rate we are going the Western world will have depleted its
oil resources prior to the year 2100 or aprox.70 years from now, with other resources not
far behind. Methane gas produced through cattle raising and pollutants caused by fuel
sources, chemicals used to provide food sources have reeked havoc with our Van Allen
belt causing a green house effect and global warming.

Providing a template for self-sustaining farming practices and clean fuel production prac-
tices will greatly enhance the quality of our lives and the lives of our offspring.

Please see Appendix A for more information.


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3.3 Products and Services


Wind turbine technology (sale of energy to electrical brokers, by autumn 2007) (Ap-
pendix C)
Production and sale of Eco-fuel ( online by Late Summer 2007).
Start of Development of full scale energy efficient self-sustaining community
( Summer 2007)
Holistic and natural pet food products through existing vendors as well as a home label
product.( online imediately and Home Label by Late spring 2008)
“Main Street” concession program: (Summer 2008)
Leasing to like minded independents.
Gwynadd “green friendly Development” ( completion by spring 2009)
Various crafts (cottage industries can start immediately) created by visitors to the cen-
ter.
Kaballah Center (see Appendix B)( online within the first 2 months)
Horse-boarding. (Aprox. $650 pr/mth. Pr/horse)(online within the first 3 months)
Classes *($45 to $1500 pr/class depending on class type.)( online within the first 2
months.)
Lectures* ( $0 to $100)( as soon as a booking is made)
Accommodations (up to $45 per person per nite) (Immediately)
Concerts* (up to $100) ( as soon as a booking is made)
* Center will receive 50 % of the cost.
• Green technology
• Solar panel collectors
• Generator systems
• Straw bale structures (see Appendix D)
Water purification systems ( according to National Academy of Engineers schedule)
Alternate food source Research and Development * (see Appendix E)
Alternate fuel source Research and Development*: Alternate fuel source (Ecofuel):
Production and utilization of biomass for energy -- Biomass is any organic matter which
is available on a renewable basis, including agricultural crops and residues, wood and
wood wastes, municipal wastes, and aquatic plants. * Will be in conjunction with local university

4 Objectives

4.1 Short Term Objectives

Our short-term plan is to begin:1. Retreat center and Classes set up thru network ( See 2.1
vendors sec.) 2. Horse boarding. 3. Natural and holistic home label pet food distribution
business. 4. Wind Turbine Technology. 5. Eco-fuel production.

These ventures are to start immediately to provide financial sovereignty to the center.

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The retreat center will be for accommodations and general subject and optional Kaballah
classes and enable the incoming visitors to reestablish themselves through a greater sense
of self understanding.

4.2 Sales Analysis Year mid-2007- early 2008

1. Wind Turbines are expected to generate a min. of $1000 Pr/ Mth /Per Turbine.
2.Percentage of fifty percent given to Center from profits of visiting teachers and
lecturers and concert performers. (classes from $22.50 to $750.00 per student per class;
lectures from $10.00 to $75.00 per attendee.)
3.Sales of natural and holistic pet foods purchased by the trailer truck at $20 to $25K per
truckload purchased at unlisted wholesale prices (Est. gain: $7,500 to $11,250 PR/LD).
4.Production of Eco-fuel by late summer 2007.
5.Example: 20 horses: current rate of $650 Per/horse Per/Mth. Avg. $13,000 Pr/Mth.

4.2.1 Years 2008 and beyond

Completion of full scale self-sustaining community by Summer 2008 and the completed
Gwynadd Development by summer 2009. Our goal is to eventually put back approxim-
ately 50% to 60% from receivables of the previous year, to be used for the following R
and D, capital improvements and low risk investments. Grants will be applied for on an
ongoing basis.

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4.3 Revenue Projections


Projections 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6
Horse Boarding $ 156,000 $ 156,000 $ 156,000 $ 156,000 $ 156,000 $ 312,000
Pet Food $ 180,000 $ 360,000 $ 540,000 $ 820,000 $ 1,140,000 $ 1,450,000
Classes $ 78,000 $ 156,000 $ 185,000 $ 206,000 $ 263,000 $ 526,000
Lectures $ 64,400 $ 128,800 $ 205,000 $ 258,000 $ 357,000 $ 883,000

Farm Sales incl. Eco-fuels $ 50,000 $1,750,000 $2,300,000 $ 4,700,000 $ 8,500,000 $13,900,000
Farm Subsidies $ 100,000 $ 250,000 $ 250,000 $ 320,000 $ 320,000 $ 420,000

Leasing $ 125,000 $5,000 $ 595,000 $ 595,000 $ 595,000 $ 595,000


Concessions $ 595,000 $ 595,000 $ 595,000 $ 595,000 $ 595,000
Guest Accomidation $ 21,520 $ 23,040 $ 34,560 $ 44,560 $ 54,560 $ 72,000
Money from Grants:
Research $ - $ 70,000 $ 70,000 $ 70,000
Energy $ - $ 850,000
Farm $ - $ 870,000 $ 50,000 $ 50,000 $ 50,000 $ 50,000
Outreach $ 10,000 $ 10,000 $ 10,000 $ 10,000 $ 10,000 $ 10,000
Energy Rebates $ - $ 14,200 $ 14,200 $ 14,200 $ 14,200 $ 14,200
General Store $ 800,000 $ 150,000 $ 240,000 $ 480,000 $ 530,000 $ 610,000
Tax w riteoffs for earth friendly
housing $ 4,200 $ 4,200 $ 4,200 $ 4,200 $ 4,200
Craft Sales $ 4,500 $ 6,000 $ 6,000 $ 6,000 $ 6,000 $ 6,000
Fairs and Events $ 4,000 $ 8,000 $ 8,000 $ 8,000 $ 8,000 $ 8,000

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6


Revenue $ 1,593,420 $5,406,240 $5,262,960 $ 8,336,960 $12,602,960 $35,000,000
Costs
Landscaping $ 5,000 $ 2,000 $ 2,000 $ 2,000 $ 2,000 $ 2,000
Building and Improvements $ 15,000 $ 32,000 $ 27,000 $ 27,000 $ 27,000 $ 27,000
Mortgage $ 114,894 $ 114,894 $ 114,894 $ 114,894 $ 114,894 $ 114,894

Taxes $ 2,400 $ 2,400 $ 2,400 $ 2,400 $ 2,400 $ 2,400


Emloyee Salaries $ 120,000 $ 135,000 $ 150,000 $ 150,000 $ 150,000 $ 150,000
Miscellaneous $ 18,000 $ 18,000 $ 18,000 $ 18,000 $ 18,000 $ 18,000
Supplies and Equipment $ 27,000 $ 12,000 $ 12,000 $ 12,000 $ 12,000 $ 12,000
Total Insurance (Insurance) $ 8,000 $ 8,000 $ 8,000 $ 8,000 $ 8,000 $ 8,000
Energy Projects $ 300,000
Research Projects $ 50,000 $ 50,000 $ 50,000 $ 50,000

Profit $ 1,288,126 $5,083,946 $4,930,666 $ 8,004,666 $12,270,666 $34,667,706

Please Note: These Revenue projections are based on whole year figures not quarterly
figures and are subject to change, with mortgage interest rates, cost fluctuations, etc.

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4.4 Advantages

Our short-term market

• Little or no competition in outlined fields

• Expanding demographics.

• Rising property values.

• Large networking system

• Unlimited expansion possibilities.

• Self-sustaining, profit producing facilities funded by “green” energy grants.

• Develop a new community of well rounded individuals who will filter into the
surrounding communities as home owners, community leaders, and empowered
citizens.

4.4.1 Risks

The purpose of the multiple and obviously diversified business ventures contained
in this project is to allow for sustainability even through times of recession.

Careful financial planning will also be implemented, for example: purchasing a


lifelong annuity that will guarantee overhead costs are met on a monthly basis.

A large networking system will insure constant business flow.

5 Location

Herkimer Co. NY, 327 acres and a Historic Landmark on the property NY. Property val-
ues in Herkimer County have increased approximately 200% in the last 2.5 years and 60
to75% in the last year. Herkimer County is one of the most heavily funded counties in
NY state. Having a Historic Landmark on the property will increase public interest and
available funding sources. We have approached The Herkimer Historical Society with the
business plan and was received with eagerness to help. These two areas are being looked
at by the state of NY to expand the rail system to facilitate the traffic expected when the
decision is made as to what Native American Tribe will control the casino rights.

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Demographics

People Mapstats Herkimer County New York

Population, 2004 estimate 63,858 19,227,088


Population, percent change, April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2004 -0.9% 1.3%
Population, net change, April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2004 -579 250,267
Population, 2000 64,427 18,976,457
Population, percent change, 1990 to 2000 -2.1% 5.5%
Population under 5 years old, 2000 3,591 1,239,417
Persons under 5 years old, percent, 2000 5.6% 6.5%
Persons under 18 years old, 2000 15,692 4,690,107
Persons under 18 years old, percent, 2000 24.4% 24.7%
Population 65 years old and over, 2000 10,844 2,448,352
Persons 65 years old and over, percent, 2000 16.8% 12.9%
Female persons, percent, 2000 51.5% 51.8%

White persons, 2000 (a) 63,031 12,893,689


Black or African American persons, 2000 (a) 329 3,014,385
American Indian and Alaska Native persons, 2000 (a) 139 82,461
Asian persons, 2000 (a) 263 1,044,976
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander persons, 2000 (a) 11 8,818
Persons reporting some other race, 2000 (a) 113 1,341,946
Persons reporting two or more races, 2000 541 590,182
Persons of Hispanic or Latino origin, 2000 (b) 580 2,867,583
White persons, percent, 2000 (a) 97.8% 67.9%
Black or African American persons, percent, 2000 (a) 0.5% 15.9%
American Indian and Alaska Native persons, percent, 2000 (a) 0.2% 0.4%
Asian persons, percent, 2000 (a) 0.4% 5.5%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, percent, 2000 (a) Z Z
Persons reporting some other race, percent, 2000 (a) 0.2% 7.1%
Persons reporting two or more races, percent, 2000 0.8% 3.1%
Persons of Hispanic or Latino origin, percent, 2000 (b) 0.9% 15.1%
Births, 1997 699 257,238
Deaths, 1997 723 158,653
Infant deaths, 1997 6 1,727
Living in same house in 1995 and 2000', pct age 5+, 2000 66.4% 61.8%
Foreign born persons, percent, 2000 2.0% 20.4%
Language other than English spoken at home, pct age 5+, 2000 5.2% 28.0%
High school graduates, percent of persons age 25+, 2000 79.4% 79.1%
Bachelor's degree or higher, pct of persons age 25+, 2000 15.7% 27.4%
Persons with a disability, age 5+, 2000 11,689 3,606,147
Mean travel time to work (minutes), workers age 16+, 2000 21.9 31.7
Housing units, 2002 32,217 7,754,508
Housing units, net change, April 1 2000 to July 1 2002 191 75,201
Housing units, percent change, April 1 2000 to July 1 2002 0.6% 1.0%
Homeownership rate, 2000 71.2% 53.0%
Median value of owner-occupied housing units, 2000 $67,500 $148,700
Households, 2000 25,734 7,056,860
Persons per household, 2000 2.46 2.61
Median household income, 1999 $32,924 $43,393
Per capita money income, 1999 $16,141 $23,389
Persons below poverty, 1999 7,921 2,692,202
Persons below poverty, percent, 1999 12.5% 14.6%

Geography MapStats Herkimer County New York


Land area, 2000 (square miles) 1,411 47,214
Persons per square mile, 2000 45.7 401.9
FIPS Code 043 36
Metropolitan or Micropolitan
Statistical Area Utica-Rome, NY Metro Area

Business MapStats Herkimer County New York


Personal income, 2000 ($1000) 1,385,422 658,720,315
Personal income per capita, 2000 21,528 34,689
Full-time and part-time employment by place of work, 2000 26,355 10,548,192
Full-time and part-time employment, net change 1990 to 2000 1,773 729,262
Employment in government, 2000 5,052 1,482,763
Earnings, 2000 604,480 502,971,599
Average earnings per job, 2000 $22,936 $47,683
Private nonfarm establishments with paid employees, 2001 1,175 493,86
Private nonfarm establishments, percent change 2000-2001 -0.7% 0.4%
Total number of firms, 1997 3,878 1,509,829
Minority-owned firms, percent of total, 1997 3.3% 19.6%
Women-owned firms, percent of total, 1997 20.4% 26.1%
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Manufacturers shipments, 1997 ($1000) 662,359 146,720,195


Retail sales, 1997 ($1000) 313,356 139,303,944
Retail sales per capita, 1997 $4,821 $7,678
Housing units authorized by building permits, 2002 132 49,149
Value of new private housing units, 2002 ($1000) 12,773 5,915,997
Farm land, 1997 (acres) 141,847 7,254,470
Federal funds and grants, 2002 ($1000) 317,123 128,994,460
Housing units authorized by building permits, 2002 132 49,149
Value of new private housing units, 2002 ($1000) 12,773 5,915,997
Farm land, 1997 (acres) 141,847 7,254,470
Federal funds and grants, 2002 ($1000) 317,123 128,994,460

(a) Includes persons reporting only one race.


(b) Hispanics may be of any race, so also are included in applicable race categories.
Figures are in absolute numbers unless otherwise indicated.

FN: Footnote on this item for this area in place of data


NA: Not available
D: Suppressed to avoid disclosure of confidential information
X: Not applicable
S: Suppressed; does not meet publication standards
Z: Value greater than zero but less than half unit of measure shown
F: Fewer than 100 firms
Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Agricultural Statistics Service, National Center for Health Statistics, U.S. Census Bureau

6 Research & Development

60% of all profits will be rolled back into the company. Out of this income 50% will go into sav-
ings and the balance into and R&D account specifically earmarked for new technology develop-
ment. (see Appendix E)

6.1 Funding

The Indigo Nature Haven intends to obtain start up costs through private mortgage
and /or venture capital funding. In conjunction with pending applications for various
state and federal energy and agricultural grants and philanthropic venture funding.

An escrow account will be set up in the first year to cover the first six to twelve months
expenses.

A percentage of moneys earned and funded to the center will be allocated to a previously
mentioned Annuity Fund to facilitate the monthly expenses of the center and to prevent
financial risk during seasonal lulls.

6.1 Marketing

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Advertising will be done through various area specific magazines, as well as through fly-
ers, etc. distributed at the centers and businesses working in conjunction with The Indigo
Nature Haven.

A community outreach program instituted and run solely by The Indigo Nature Haven,
would bring in young people and adults to the center.

7 Other Area Centers

The following is list of centers in the area that cater to somewhat similar clientele. We
feel that our center compliments the services offered by these centers, while offering a
line of services that are clearly unique to the area.

Reprinted from THE RIVER REPORTER, Stuart Communications, Narrowsburg, NY


Retreat, revive, and renew
By MARCIA NEHEMIAH
Retreat. A place of safely and refuge. A time to withdraw from the world, to meditate,
walk, contemplate or think of absolutely nothing. Privacy. No phones, no computers, no
television. After the hustle of summer, the fall and winter seasons are especially profit-
able limes to pull back and reassess one's life. Sullivan County is home to a number of
specialized bed and breakfasts that cater to visitors' bodies, minds and spirits and offer
opportunities for quiet renewal.

Creative therapies
Reflections Bed & Breakfast
1107 Plans Road
Forestburgh, NY 12777
845-796-2554
http://www.reflectionsccta.com

Located on 30 acres in Forest-burgh, Reflections Bed & Breakfast is a country retreat for
individuals or small groups. The grounds include a spring-fed lake for swimming and
fish-ing, sculpture gardens, a tennis court, a sauna and a walking trail. Home-cooked
gourmet meals use produce from the center's organic garden.

Reflections is also the home of The Center for Creative Therapies and the Arts, a retreat
catering to people who want to tap their creativity. The center's professional staff all have
advanced degrees, training and experience in areas such as guided imagery, music ther-
apy, mandala work, reiki, herbal consultations, medicinal plants and art/math and dream-
work.

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Classes for the fail include guided imagery and music. Inner Work, the Wisdom of (he
Dream. Reiki. Fibonacci and the Golden Mean, Biue Pond, Pine Forest: A Spa Retreat for
the Rejuve-nation of the Spirit and dreamwork for artists.

Healing arts and spiritual practice


New Age Health Spa
P.O. Box 658
Route 55
Neversink, NY 12765
800-682-4348
845-985-7600
http://www.newagehealthspa.com

The 2003 Spa Finder award winner for Best Small Spa in the USA, New Age Health Spa,
situated on 280 acres adjacent to the Catskill Forest Preserve in Neversink, provides
country-inn style lodging for 72 guests. Patrons enjoy unlimited use of the facilities,
activities and lectures. The Spa has a fully equipped gym, heated indoor and outdoor
pools and an exercise studio. Classes in yoga, tai chi, meditation, pranayama (breathing
techniques) and chi kung are offered.

Spiritual practice takes place in the Cayuga Yoga and Meditation Center. Lined with
Western redwood, the room features a grand stone fireplace, heated floors, and 5’ tall
golden statue of Buddha statue. Participants immerse themselves in the Eastern healing
arts to reduce stress, increase flexibility, enhance mental clarity and improve organ func-
tion. All classes ire suitable for both beginner and mere advanced students of spiritual
practice. Low-fat, vegetarian meals are prepared for guests using ingredients grown in the
Spa's own greenhouse. Some guests may choose to undergo the cleansing juice fasting
program and massages, body wraps and facials are also available.

The spiritual program at New Age Health Spa begins with a classic seated meditation at
sunrise, followed by a three-mile walk through the countryside and a 50-minute yoga
class. The afternoon features instruction in a variety of practices such as Ai Chi, a Japan-
ese form water exercise, Chi Kung, a Chinese discipline lo balance energy and Tai Chi. a
martial art form lo induce relaxation and peace of mind. The day's class schedule con-
cludes with a pre-dinner meditation, which may include breathing exercises, chanting and
guided visualizations.

The Spa additionally presents special yoga weekends featuring renowned guest instruct-
ors.

Over five miles of groomed trails on the property can be used for nature walks, cross-
country skiing or snow shoeing. The “Alpine Tower” presents a challenge for team

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building for corporate groups and individuals as they try to scale the five-story tall
wooden structure while tethered to a support team below.

Examples of workshops offered include Feng Shui From The Heart, Relax Your Back,
Connecting With The Inner Body, Finding Peace In An Ever-changing World, Drumming
Away Stress, Psychotherapy And The Spiritual Path, Balancing Past, Present And Future,
Optimizing Digestive And Liver Function With Herbs and Acupuncture.

Ashrams and Zendos


Sivananda Ashram Yoga Ranch
P.O. Box 195. Budd Road
Woodboume, NY 12788
845-436-6492
NYC: 212/255-4560 http://www.sivananda.org yogaRanch@sivananda.org

The Sivananda Ashram Yoga Ranch (est. 1974) is one of eight ashrams founded by
Swami Vishnuevananda for the practice of yoga and the study of yoga. The Ranch, situ-
ated on 77 acres with a pond and nature trails, offers a variety of programs for yoga prac-
tice ranging from a single yoga asana class, a vegetarian meal using organic food from
the on site garden, or a group meditation, to an intensive month-long Yoga Teachers"
Training Course and a work-study program.

Dai Bosatsu Zendo


Livingston Manor, NY
845-439-4566

Dai Bosatsu Zendo is a Buddhist monastery on 1,400 wooded acres in Lew Beach, over-
looking Beecher Lake, the highest site above sea level in the Catskill Region.

Himalayan Institute
RR1 Box 1127
Honesdale, PA 18431
570-253-5551 ext 3000
800-822-4547
http://www.Himalayanlnstitute.org
clih@himalayaninstilule.org

The Himalayan Institute, located on 400 acres of rolling hills in Honesdale, PA, offers
programs in hatha yoga, meditation, stress reduction, nutrition, spirituality and Eastern
philosophy. Weekend and weeklong classes, month-long self-transformation programs,
longer residential programs, spiritual retreats and custom-designed holistic health ser-
vices are available.

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Riverlights B&B and Yoga Center


5720 Route 97
Narrowsburg. NY 12764
845-252-6851
www.riverlights@morris.name

Located on Route 97, Sullivan County's Scenic ByWay, just south of the hamlet of Nar-
rowsburg, Riverlights, a five-bedroom Arts and Craft-style home, occupies eight acres
traversed by Ten Mile River and surrounded by opportunities for hiking, hiking, an-
tiquing, kayaking, canoeing and skiing. Homemade breakfast and daily yoga classes
offered.

7.1 Future Promising Opportunities


Opportunities for growth and expansion are endless:

• A summer program for younger children to work in nature and live in an un-
scheduled environment suitable for ADD and ADHD children.
• Mail Order Catalog servicing the crafts of the Center.
• Sponsorship program to support community animals.
• Classes in practical application to job related areas
• Self-empowerment and achievement classes.
• Ecofuel research center.
• Create a center networking system.
• Expansion of tiding network already in place.
• Foundation Center
• General store:
o Community grown herbs and natural foods
o Craft Center
o Antique Center
o Amish goods
o Thrift Center
o Sale of rough wood lumber and firewood
o Resale of restored antique cars and farm equipment
o Tea House
o Indigo Natural pet products
o Natural personal products
o Book shop
o Handmade horse equipment

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8 Appendix
8.1 Appendix A: Green Technology Overview
Green Technology will be the wave of the future, since our resources are rapidly deplet-
ing. There is a need to develop mew technologies to overcome the coming energy crisis.

The following is reprinted from The Coming Global Oil Crisis (http://www.hubbertpeak.-
com/hubbert/)

M. King Hubbert
October 5th, 1903 -- October 11th, 1989

“Our ignorance is not so vast as our failure to use what we know."


M. King Hubbert
The late Dr. M. King Hubbert, geophysicist, is well known as a world authority on the es-
timation of energy resources and on the prediction of their patterns of discovery and de-
pletion.

He was probably the most well known geophysicist in the world to the general public be-
cause of his startling prediction, first made public in 1949 that the fossil fuel era would be
of very short duration. ("Energy from Fossil Fuels, Science")

His prediction in 1956 that U.S. oil production would peak in about 1970 and decline
thereafter was scoffed at then but his analysis has since proved to be remarkably accurate.

On Buzz Ivanhoe's copy of NBS Special Publication 631, p.140-141. M.K. Hubbert,
1982, there is an undated handwritten note:

To L. F. Ivanhoe, a kindred soul, M. King Hubbert


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DR. HUBBERT (in response to remarks by David Nissen - Exxon): Your kind re-
marks with regard to my previous studies of the evolution of the U.S. petroleum industry
are greatly appreciated. However, you suggest that my estimates of the ultimate amounts
of oil to be recovered is questionable for reasons of classification and because I have not
taken into account the effect of the price of oil on ultimate recovery. You mention oil
shale, coal, and the Orinoco heavy oils of Venezuela.

With regard to classification, if unintelligibility is to be avoided it is essential that one


define his terms and then adhere rigorously to those definitions. In the present study I
have been concerned with the techniques of estimation as applied to conventional crude
oil and natural gas in the U.S. Lower-48 states. This excludes consideration of shale oil,
coal, Orinoco heavy oils, natural gas from unconventional sources, and also oil and gas
from Alaska.

My analyses are based upon the simple fundamental geologic fact that initially there was
only a fixed and finite amount of oil in the ground, and that, as exploitation proceeds, the
amount of oil remaining diminishes monotonically. We do not know how much oil was
present originally or what fraction of this will ultimately be recovered. These are among
the quantities that we are trying to estimate.

Your statement that the fraction of the original oil-in-place that will be recovered is cor-
rect, but the effect may easily be exaggerated. For example, we know how to get oil out
of a reservoir sand, but at what cost? If oil had the price of pharmaceuticals and could be
sold in unlimited quantity, we probably would get it all out except the smell. However
there is a different and more fundamental cost that is independent of the monetary price.
That is the energy cost of exploration and production. So long as oil is used as a source of
energy, when the energy cost of recovering a barrel of oil becomes greater than the en-
ergy content of the oil, production will cease no matter what the monetary price may be.
During the last decade we have very large increases in the monetary price of oil. This has
stimulated an accelerated program of exploratory drilling and a slightly increased rate of
discovery, but the discoveries per foot of exploratory drilling have continuously declined
from an initial rate of about 200 barrels per foot to a present rate of only 8 barrels per
foot.

8.2 Appendix B : Kabbalah


We feel that Kabbalah is a complimentary approach that will allow people to return to
their correct path, while giving them a structure that they can use throughout their life.

Kabbalah is an aspect of Jewish mysticism. It consists of a large body of speculation on


the nature of divinity, the creation, the origin and fate of the soul, and the role of human
beings. It consists also of meditative, devotional, mystical and magical practices that
were taught only to a select few and for this reason Kabbalah is regarded as an esoteric
offshoot of Judaism. Some aspects of Kabbalah have been studied and used by non-Jews
for several hundred years .
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8.2.1 What is Hermetic Kabbalah?


Many people who study Kabbalah are not Jewish. This has been happening for 500 years
or so. It is difficult to know what to call this variant of Kabbalah. "Non-Jewish" is inac-
curate, as I have personally known several Jews who opted for Hermetic Kabbalah in
preference to the traditional variety! At one time it was called "Christian" Kabbalah, but
this is also very misleading.

The origin of this variant can be placed in Renaissance Italy in the last decade of the 15th.
century. It was an amazing decade. In 1492 Christopher Columbus set sail for America.
In that same year the King of Spain expelled all Jews from Spain on pain of death, bring-
ing to an end centuries of Jewish culture in Spain, and causing a huge migration of dis-
possessed Jews through Europe, many of whom were welcomed by the Turkish sultan,
who is reputed to have observed that the King of Spain had enriched Turkey by beggaring
his own country.

At around the same time, at the court of the great banking family of the Medicis in
Florence, Marcelio Ficino had established the Platonic Academy under the patronage of
the Medicis and was translating the works of Plato. A bundle of manuscripts, lost for cen-
turies and dating back to the 1st. and 2nd. centuries A.D. was discovered; this was the
Corpus Hermeticum, a series of documents relatingto Hermes Trimegistus, identical with
the Egyptian god Thoth, god of wisdom. Cosimo de Medici told Ficino to stop translating
Plato and to concentrate on the Corpus instead.

At the time it was believed that the Corpus really was the religion of the ancient Egyp-
tians, and that Hermes was a kind of Egyptian Moses. The fact that they were written
much later, and heavily influenced by Neoplatonism, had the effect of convincing readers
at that time that Greek philosophy was founded on much older, Egyptian religious philo-
sophy - this had a huge influence on liberal religious and philosophical thinking at the
time. Into this environment came the Kabbalah, brought in part by fleeing Spanish Jews,
and it was seized upon as another lost tradition, the inner, initiated key to the Bible.
Two figures stand out. One was Giovanni Pico, Count of Mirandola, who commissioned
several translations of Kabbalistic works, and did much to publicise Kabbalah among the
intellectuals of the day. The other was Johannes Reuchlin, who learned to read Hebrew
and became deeply immersed in Kabbalistic literature. It must be said that Jews were sus-
picious of this activity, finding that Christian scholars were using the Kabbalah as a
bludgeon to persuade them to convert to Christianity.

It was out of this eclectic mixture of Christianity, Hermeticism, Neoplatonism, Kabbalah


and Renaissance humanism that Hermetic Kabbalah was born. Over the centuries it has
developed in many directions, with strong influences from Freemasonry and Rosicrucian-
ism, but continued input from Jewish Kabbalah has meant that many variants are not so
different in spirit from the original. Its greatest strength continues to be a strong element
of religious humanism - it does not attempt to define God and does not define what an in-
dividual should believe, but it does assume that some level of direct experience of God is
possible and there are practical methods for achieving this. In a modern world of com-
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partmentalised knowledge, scientific materialism, and widespread cultural and historical


illiteracy, it provides a bridge between the spirit of enquiry of the Renaissance (the homo
universalis or - in Hebrew - hakham kolel) and the emergence of a similar spirit of en-
quiry in our own time.

8.2.2 How old is Kabbalah?


No-one knows. The earliest documents which are generally acknowledged as being Kab-
balistic come from the 1st. Century C.E., but there is a suspicion that the Biblical phe-
nomenon of prophecy may have been grounded in a much older oral tradition which was
a precursor to the earliest recognisable forms of Kabbalah. Some believe the tradition
goes back as far as Melchizedek. There are moderately plausible arguments that Py-
thagoras received his learning from Hebrew sources. There is a substantial literature of
Jewish mysticism dating from the period 100AD - 1000AD which is not strictly Kabbal-
istic in the modern sense, but which was available as source material to medieval Kabbal-
ists.

On the basis of a detailed examination of texts, and a study of the development of a spe-
cialist vocabulary and a distinct body of ideas, Scholem has concluded that the origins of
Kabbalah can be traced to 12th. century Provence. The origin of the word "Kabbalah" as
a label for a tradition which is definitely recognisable as Kabbalah is attributed to Isaac
the Blind (c. 1160-1236 C.E.), who is also credited with being the originator of the idea
of sephirothic emanation.

Prior to this (and after) a wide variety of terms were used for those who studied the tradi-
tion: "masters of mystery", "men of belief", "masters of knowledge", "those who know",
"those who know grace", "children of faith", "children of the king's palace", "those who
know wisdom", "those who reap the field", "those who have entered and left".

8.3 Appendix C: Wind Turbine Technology


Again, Green Technology must be approached. This particular technology will allow us
financial independence and sustainable energy.

Reprinted from American Wind Energy Association (http://www.awea.org/) and the


Department of Energy (http://www.eere.energy.gov/)

MR. SCHLEEDE AND THE WIND


January 28, 2003
Recently, Mr. Glenn Schleede, who states that he is a "self-financed" consultant acting in
the public interest, circulated one of a series of "fact sheets" he has written over the past
several years attacking wind energy.

The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) has reviewed Mr. Schleede's publica-
tions, and while we do not wish to spend scarce resources of time and effort getting
bogged down in lengthy point-by-point responses, we would like to address a number of
issues raised by Mr. Schleede's writings:
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1. Mr. Schleede's Background and Funding Sources


It is highly commendable, if true, that Mr. Schleede is willing to take the time and spend
the money to develop informational materials on energy policy for the general public.
Unfortunately, public-spiritedness is no guarantee of fairness or accuracy. The materials
that he has authored and we have reviewed over the past several years are basically anti-
wind mudslinging rather than useful information sources. The public policy debate is
hindered by such distortion, regardless of the funding source.

In this connection, it seems relevant to note that Mr. Schleede has also been an active
campaigner against the Kyoto Agreement on global warming and that he is a former Seni-
or Vice President of the National Coal Association.

2. Compared to What?
Mr. Schleede's fact sheets typically talk about wind energy in isolation. This is mislead-
ing, because it gives the impression that the choice is between a wind farm and nothing.
Of course, nothing looks very attractive—by definition, it has no environmental impacts
or other drawbacks. However, when you flip a light switch, you will probably be very
disappointed if nothing comes out of the wall. In the real world, the choice is always
between wind and something else—a wind plant that is not built in location X means
more coal that is mined, shipped, and burned in location Y, or some other type of genera-
tion—and the environmental impacts of other energy sources are almost always greater
than those of an equivalent amount of wind generation.

If Mr. Schleede does make a comparison, it is typically between wind and a natural gas
plant. This in itself is somewhat misleading, since America obtains more than three times
as much electricity from coal as it does from gas. But beyond that question, his comparis-
on omits the impact of EXTRACTING the gas, which can be quite severe, in terms of
noise and air and water pollution. Energy production is always about choices. For an au-
thoritative study of our energy choices and their environmental impacts, see "The Envir-
onmental Imperative for Renewable Energy: An Update," available from the Renewable
Energy Policy Project on the Web at http://www.repp.org/repp_pubs/repp_publication-
s.html

3. "Huge machines" that produce "little electricity"


The contrast between "huge machines" and "very little electricity" is one that appears re-
peatedly in Mr. Schleede's documents. Unfortunately, it makes little sense. Wind plants
are "modular" (composed of many individual generators), which combined can generate
large amounts of electricity. One good way to understand what they can do: A single one-
megawatt (MW) wind turbine generator will produce approximately 2.6 million
kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity each year. Over a 25-year lifetime, the turbine
will generate about 66 million kWh. To generate that same amount of electricity, it
would be necessary to burn 33,000 tons of coal (3,300 10-ton truckloads, or 2.5
truckloads every week for all 25 years) or 110,000 barrels of oil (12 barrels a day,
every day, for all 25 years). To say it another way, the turbine is over 200 feet tall,
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which is indeed large. However, it is in effect replacing a 13-mile-long line of 10-ton


dump trucks filled with coal.

4. Is wind energy costly?


Mr. Schleede claims that wind energy is too costly, and points out that it is subsidized
by the federal government. The cost of electricity from new wind plants is competitive
with the cost of new conventional (coal, gas, nuclear) power plants, with the federal wind
energy production tax credit taken into account. It is true that few wind plants would be
built without this incentive/subsidy. However, it is also true that the traditional energy in-
dustries are generously subsidized in a variety of ways, ranging from the federal govern-
ment pledging its financial backing to the nuclear industry in case of an accident like
Chernobyl to payments of about $350 million annually to coal miners suffering from
black lung disease.

More importantly, coal, our largest electricity source, receives an enormous hidden
subsidy due to the fact that its environmental costs are not included in its market
price. A recent article in the scientific journal "Science" placed the cost of electricity
from a new coal plant at 3.5 to 4 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh), but added that its
true cost to the public is 5.5 to 8.3 cents/kWh when environmental costs such as air
pollution and acid rain are added in. This amounts to a subsidy ranging from 60%
to more than 100%(!). As long as the economic system does not reflect such costs, it
is good public policy to provide offsetting subsidies to clean energy sources such as
wind.

5. Are wind generators noisy?


Objective measurements with sound meters show that a wind turbine, at a distance of 500
to 750 meters, is no noisier than a kitchen refrigerator or a moderately quiet room. For
further information, see http://www.awea.org/faq/noisefaq.html. If you doubt this state-
ment, we invite you to visit a wind farm and see for yourself.

6. Do wind farms take up too much space?


"With today's wind turbine technology, wind power could supply 20% of this nation's
electricity, according to a recent study by Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL). Today's
technology exploits high-wind locations--those in wind power class 5 or greater--with av-
erage annual wind speeds of approximately 16 mph and higher at a height of 30m. To
provide 20% of America's electricity, 560,000 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year,
0.6% of the land of the lower 48 states would have to be developed with wind power
plants. This area, about 18,000 square miles, is about the size of four counties in
Montana. Furthermore, less than 5% of this land would be occupied by wind turbines,
electrical equipment, and access roads. Most existing land use, such as farming and
ranching, would remain as it is now.

Source: "America Takes Stock of a Vast Energy Resource," Utility Wind Interest Group,
February 1992--part of a series of informational brochures produced under
the auspices of the Utility Wind Interest Group by the Technical Information Program
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located at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and published by the
Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI).

7. Is wind unreliable?
Mr. Schleede claims that wind energy is unreliable, and is not always clear as to whether
he is talking about the wind itself or about wind generators. Let's be clear--the wind does
not always blow, but wind turbines are highly reliable, and ready to generate electricity
when it does. Average wind turbine "availability" (readiness to generate) is actually
higher than the average availability of conventional power plants (98% for wind,
approximately 95% for conventional power plants). Furthermore, wind projects con-
sist of many relatively small turbines rather than one or two large generators like conven-
tional power plants. Therefore, the likelihood of a sudden, unanticipated loss of all power
from a wind plant is significantly less than that for a conventional power plant of equival-
ent size.

The wind is definitely variable, but utility system operators are always dealing with a
changing situation, as consumer demand fluctuates and power plants (conventional as
well as wind) start up or shut down. Adding 10-15% percent of wind generation to a util-
ity system has very little effect on a system already designed to handle this level of vari-
ability. If wind were the ONLY power source, then major changes to the system would be
needed--but no one envisions that.

8. Does wind provide tax income to local communities and counties?


Mr. Schleede claims that wind farms are often exempt from state and local taxes. This is
not true. Property taxes on wind can be a significant income source for rural counties.
A final word: wind energy is not perfect. It IS more variable than other energy sources,
and to be used on a very large scale in the U.S., it will require additional transmission
lines. But on the positive side:
- It is very clean.
- It cannot be depleted.
- It will allow us to diversify our energy sources.
- It can help to save family farms.
- It is quiet and easy on the environment.
On balance, it is one of the most promising new energy sources available to America and
the world.

8.4 Appendix D: House of Straw

The three little pigs don’t live here, and you cannot blow it down! Actually, according to
the department of energy, this is the leading energy efficient and structurally sound form
of sustainable housing to be developed in recent years.

Straw Bale Construction Comes of Age


The following is reprinted from House of Straw:
(http://www.eere.energy.gov)
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A demonstration project using affordable, energy-efficient construction techniques with


an emphasis on materials produced near the building site and erected by local labor re-
sources.

8.4.1 Introduction
Americans want comfortable, attractive, functional, and durable housing. Yet, many in-
creasingly find high quality housing beyond their means. Conventional building methods
rely on plentiful resources. With some of these resources dwindling, housing costs are
skyrocketing. The cost of a home includes materials, construction, financing, taxes, en-
ergy consumption, and insurance. This booklet explores recent attempts to reduce those
costs. Construction techniques discussed in this booklet focus on building resource-effi-
cient and energy-conserving homes, without sacrificing affordability or quality.

In a cooperative demonstration project between the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE),


the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the Navajo Nation,
current home designs on the Navajo reservation were evaluated and recommendations
were made to improve quality and lower the costs. The resulting design utilized straw-
bale wall construction.

Straw-bale building is a practical and perhaps under utilized construction method. Initi-
ated in the United States at the turn of the century, straw-bale building is showing new
merit in today's marketplace. Walls of straw, easily constructed and structurally sound,
promise to take some of the pressure off of limited forest resources.
Straw is a viable building alternative, plentiful and inexpensive. Straw-bale buildings
boast super insulated walls (R-50), simple construction, low costs, and the conversion of
an agricultural byproduct into a valued building material. Properly constructed and main-
tained, the straw-bale walls, stucco exterior and plaster interior remain waterproof, fire
resistant, and pest free. Because only limited skill is required, a community house-raising
effort can build most of a straw-bale house in a single day. This effort yields a low-cost,
elegant, and energy-efficient living space for the owners, a graceful addition to the com-
munity, and a desirable boost to local farm income. This booklet offers an in-depth look

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at one such community house-raising, in addition to a general overview of straw-bale


construction.

8.4.2 Straw-Bale Construction


History of Straw Bale Construction
People have built homes using straw, grass, or reed throughout history. These materials
were used because they were reliable and easy to obtain. European houses built of straw
or reed are now over two hundred years old. In the United States, too, people turned to
straw houses, particularly after the hay/straw baler entered common usage in the 1890s.
Homesteaders in the northwestern Nebraska "Sandhills" area, for example, turned to
baled-hay construction, in response to a shortage of trees for lumber. Bale construction
was used for homes, farm buildings, churches, schools, offices, and grocery stores.
Nebraska historian Roger L. Welsch writes,
"It was inevitable that some settler, desperate for a cheap, available building ma-
terial, would eventually see the big, solid, hay blocks as a possibility. Soon, baled
hay was indeed a significant construction material. The bales, about three to four
feet long and one and one-half to two feet square, were stacked like bricks, one
bale deep, with the joints staggered. About half used mortar between the bales; the
others simply rested one bale directly on the other. Four to five wooden rods (in a
few cases iron rods) were driven down through the bales to hold them firmly to-
gether. The roof plate and roof were also fastened to the top bales of the wall with
rods or stakes. The most common roof configuration was some sort of hipped
roof. . . .Window and door frames were set as the walls rose around them. . .
.Walls were left to settle a few months before they were plastered and the win-
dows installed."

Matts Myhrman and Judy Knox, straw-bale construction consultants, have visited many
of these "Nebraska-type" bale structures, built between 1900 and 1940. Myhrman redis-
covered the area's oldest existing bale building, the Burke homestead, constructed in
1903 outside Alliance, Nebraska. Although abandoned in 1956, the Burke homestead
continues to successfully withstand Nebraska's wide temperature swings and blizzard
force winds. Long-time Nebraskan Lucille Cross recalls the hay-bale house of her child-
hood was so quiet that her family, not hearing a tornado outside, just sat there playing
cards, while the tornado wrought havoc all around them.

In Wyoming, straw-bale structures have consistently withstood severe weather and earth-
quakes. "The earthquake was in the 1970s and it was either 5.3 or 5.8," Chuck Bruner, a
resident of one of the houses told The Mother Earth News. "There wasn't a single crack in
the house. You can live in this house comfortably during the summer. It stays nice and
cool. We have never needed any air conditioning, and in summer we get days up in the
90s. Also, last winter, I only turned our small bedroom heater on twice. If I had to guess
how our utility bills compare to those of our neighbors, I'd have to say our bill is about
half.

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Straw: A Renewable Resource


Straw, the stalks remaining after the harvest of grain, is a renewable resource, grown an-
nually. Each year, 200 million tons of straw are under utilized or just wasted in this coun-
try alone. Wheat, oats, barley, rice, rye, and flax are all desirable straws for bale walls.
Even though the early bale homes used hay for the bales, hay is not recommended be-
cause it is leafy and easily eaten by creatures great and small. Straw, tough and fibrous,
lasts far longer. Straw-bale expert Matts Myhrman estimates that straw from the harvest
of the United States' major grains could be used to construct five million, 2,000 square-
foot houses every year! More conservative figures from the U.S. Department of Agricul-
ture indicate that America's farmers annually harvest enough straw to build about four
million, 2,000 square-foot homes each year, nearly four times the houses currently con-
structed.

Building a straw-bale house is relatively simple. A basic 2,000 square-foot house requires
about 300 standard three-wire bales of straw (costing approximately $1,000). Placed on a
foundation, the bales are skewered on rebar pins like giant shiskabobs. After wiring and
plumbing, the walls are sealed and finished. Because grains are grown in almost every re-
gion of the country, straw bales are readily available, with minimal transportation costs.
Lumber from trees, in addition to becoming more scarce and expensive, must be trans-
ported over longer distances.

TYPES OF STRAW BALES


Straw bales come in all shapes and sizes, from small two-string bales to larger three-
string bales and massive cubical or round bales. The medium sized rectangular three-
string bales are preferred for building construction. Three-string bales are better structur-
ally, have higher R-value, and are often more compact. A typical medium-sized, three-
wire bale may be 23" X 16" X 42" and may weigh from 75 to 85 pounds. The smaller
two-wire bales, which are easier to handle, are roughly 18" X14" X 36" and weigh 50 to
60 pounds. If the current trend continues, it may not be long before "construction-grade"
bales begin to appear.

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8.4.3 The Navajo Project


The Navajo Nation (located in parts of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah) is the largest
American Indian reservation in the United States. With a population of close to 200,000
people spread over 17 million rural acres, the Navajo community has a continuous need
for adequate housing. This need for housing is complicated by the lack of affordable elec-
tricity to remote homesites, dwindling supplies of firewood, and increasing cost of build-
ing materials and labor. Navajo community leaders wanted housing that boosted the local
economy, used local materials and labor, and maintained the integrity of their culture.

In 1991, the Navajo Nation asked the DOE for assistance in creating more energy-effi-
cient, affordable housing. Under the proposal, DOE and HUD provides funds for technic-
al assistance to review home designs and suggest alternatives, while the Navajo Nation
provide funds for construction of a demonstration house. A team was assembled in
December 1992 to discuss local housing construction, evaluate design options, identify
the needs of home occupants, and inventory community sentiment. In architectural
circles, this process is known as a "design charrette." Charrette participants were selected
for expertise in energy, finance, indigenous materials, passive solar design, and know-
ledge of the Navajo community and traditions. The design charrette was conducted in
Gallup, New Mexico and focused on the following design criteria for the prototype home:
• Energy efficiency.
• Affordability.
• Resource-efficient building technology.
• Use of local materials.
• Community involvement and use of local labor.
• Cultural compatibility.
• Design simplicity, adaptability, and comfort.

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The final design that was agreed upon was a unique combination of "Nebraska-style"
straw-bale walls and adobe walls with passive solar orientation. This combination has
several benefits. Straw-bale and adobe are inexpensive, locally available materials that
can be used for building by local unskilled labor after only minimal training. Straw-bale
walls are super-insulated (about R-50), and adobe and passive solar orientation have been
used for centuries by Native Americans in the southwest. Because of the two-foot thick
bale walls, the resulting structure has approximately 1,000 square feet of living space.

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Construction of the demonstration home began in July 1993 near Ganado, Arizona and
was completed in December 1994. The home successfully met the design criteria in the
following ways.

Energy Efficiency. The high elevation desert climate of the Navajo Nation, characterized
by wide daily temperature fluctuations, low humidity, plentiful sunshine, and cold win-
ters, dictated the design parameters for the prototype home. Well-insulated walls, good
air-leakage control, and taking advantage of the solar radiation were key to reducing the
use and cost of space heating. Unlike a wood frame wall that has many pieces assembled
at the site, bales provide an nearly monolithic layer of straw that is covered inside with
plaster and outside with stucco. Coupled with a simple geometric design, the monolithic
wall coverings result in very little air leakage.

Straw is a form of cellulose that has reasonably good insulating properties; and because a
bale can be up to two feet thick, a straw-bale wall has extremely high thermal resistance.
Recent tests following ASTM procedures resulted in bale R-values between R-2.4 and R-
3.0 per inch, depending on the direction of the straw, and showed that thermal resistance
is affected by moisture and density of the pack (Joseph McCabe, January 1993). Matts
Myhrman, another straw-bale expert, suggests that R-2.4 per inch is representative of
straw-bale thermal resistance in the field. Therefore, straw-bale homes should have lower
heating and cooling costs than conventional homes.

METHODS OF BUILDING WITH STRAW: Straw has been used for centuries by
builders who recognized its structural integrity. A piece of straw is simply a tube made of
cellulose. Tubes are recognized as one of the strongest structural shapes. Straw was first
used to reinforce mud against cracking. A lattice of straw criss-crossing a layer of mud
produced a surface that remained crack free for decades, or in many cases, centuries.
With the late 19th century invention of the baler, builders were given a convenient new
building block, the rectangular bundle of straw. Straw-bale building in the United States
has been mostly structural (Nebraska-style) and non-structural. Pliny Fisk III of the Cen-
ter for Maximum Building Potential in Austin, Texas, describes the following five meth-
ods of building with straw.

1. In-fill or non-structural bale - This building system, useful for construction of large
structures, depends on a pole or post-and-beam building design. Post-and-beam construc-
tion employs a skeleton of vertical posts and horizontal beams to support the roof. The
straw-bale walls have only themselves to support. The bales are attached to each other by
piercing the bales with rebar or bamboo and attaching the bales to the pole or column.
Fisk's Center has completed three buildings totaling 4,500 square-feet of space using this
method.

2. Structural bale - Automatic straw balers create tight building blocks that are stacked up
to one and one-half stories. The "Nebraska-style" buildings originated on the Great Plains
where structural wood was not available. Bales are stuccoed on the exterior and plastered

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on the interior to protect them and provide an attractive finish. The stucco and plaster add
to the structural integrity of the wall system.

3. Straw-clay building - A pancake like batter of clay and water stirred into the loose
straw produces a straw-reinforced clay mud. In the past, this mixture was packed into a
double-sided wood form between the posts and beams of a timber-frame building. Today,
a light weight wooden ladder like frame replaces the old heavy timber frame. European
heavy timber structures using this method are still standing after more than 200 years.
This method has passed the most stringent European fire codes.

4. Mortar bale - Structural mortar, made of portland cement and sand, is applied between
the straw bales. When dry, its lattice structure remains intact if the straw bales should
ever fail. This method, developed in Canada, passes Canadian building codes. Bales are
stuccoed on the exterior and plastered on the interior to protect them and provide an at-
tractive finish. The mortered joints, stucco, and plaster also add to the structural integrity
of the wall system.

5. Pressed straw panels - Straw is compacted under certain temperatures. The resulting
panels are 100 percent straw that can be used to build pre-fabricated structures, not only
walls, but also roofs and floors.
The Department of Energy, interested in the magnitude of potential energy savings of the
wall design options, asked building scientist Jim Hanford of Lawrence Berkeley Laborat-
ory (LBL) to analyze the thermal characteristics of the various wall materials and project
energy savings for the prototype home. The energy efficiency of various building design
options was analyzed during the design charrette at Navajo and continued to be evaluated
during the construction and testing phases of this project. Hanford's analysis, which fol-
lows, assumes R-2.4 per inch for a straw bale, with sensitivities conducted at R-1.8 and
R-3.0 per inch. Table one compares thermal characteristics of the straw-bale wall with the
other wall constructions considered at the Navajo design charrette.

Table One. Wall Section Thermal Characteristics


heat
R-value U-value weight
capacity
(hr-sqft-F/Btu) (Btu/hr-sqft-F) (lb/sqft)
(Btu/sqft-F)
Wall Type
Wood Frame
2x4 studs
10.2 0.098 9.2 2.2
w/R11 batts
2x6 studs
15.4 0.065 10.5 2.6
w/R19 batts
Compressed
Straw Panel
uninsulated 10.1 0.099 13.4 4.9

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4.8" panel
insulated 4.8"
18.4 0.054 13.7 4.9
panel

Fibrous
Concrete
Panel
insulated 3"
16.7 0.060 16.9 4.7
panel
insulated 4"
19.1 0.052 20.1 5.7
panel
Straw Bale
23" bale @
R-1.8/inch 42.7 0.023
(-25%)
23" bale @
56.5 0.018 21.4 6.4
R-2.4/inch
23" bale @
R-3.0/inch 70.3 0.014
(+25%)
Foam Blocks
6" form w/
concrete/ado 26.3 0.038 40.8 7.5
be fill
8" form w/
concrete/ado 28.0 0.036 54.2 9.8
be fill
Adobe
uninsulated
3.5 0.284 95.0 17.9
10"
insulated 10" 11.9 0.084 95.3 18.0
uninsulated
6.8 0.147 183.4 34.2
24"
exterior insu-
15.1 0.066 183.6 34.3
lated 24"
Notes:
• All walls have stucco exterior and drywall interior, except adobe and straw walls
have plaster.
• Wood frame walls have 25 percent (R-11) and 20 percent (R-19) stud areas. The
R-19 batt compresses to R-18.

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• Compressed straw panel, insulated case, has 2 inches polystyrene on exterior.

• Fibrous Concrete panel have 1 inch polystyrene inside and out.

• Straw bale wall R-value is calculated for 3 unit R-values for straw to cover poten-
tial variability.
• Average material thickness across foam block wall sections are as follows:

• 6 inch foam has 2.9 inches polystryene each side and 3.4 inches of fill.

• 8 inch foam has 3.1 inches polystryene each side and 4.8 inches of fill.

• Wall properties are based on 75 percent adobe and 23 percent concrete fill.

• Adobe walls , insulated case, have 2 inches of polystyrene on exterior.

• 24 inch wall is two 10 inch layers with 4 inch air gap.

The thermal performance for buildings using these wall constructions is compared in fig-
ures one and two. The data shown are simulation predictions of building heating and
cooling loads per unit of floor area, using the DOE-2 building energy simulation pro-
gram. The building size, shape, and other component characteristics are based on the
Navajo straw-bale demonstration house. In the final case, straw-bale construction is com-
bined with passive solar design. Weather data used in this analysis is from Cedar City,
Utah representing the colder, mountainous areas of the reservation, and Albuquerque,
New Mexico, representing the warmer climates.

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Notes for Figures 1 and 2:


• Prototype building is 1,050 square feet (42 ft. X 25 ft.) with 120 square feet of
windows.
• Base house has R-30 roof, R-19 wood frame walls, slab floor with 1 inch perimet-
er insulation, double glazed windows with aluminum frames, and medium infiltra-
tion levels (ELF=0.0005; ACH=0.52).
• Prototype has equal window area in four cardinal orientations (30 square feet
each).
• Prototype has concrete slab floor and wood-frame interior walls.

• Albuquerque, New Mexico represents Navajo Reservation climates (4186 heating


degree days (HDD) @ 65 degrees F base); Cedar City, Utah represents colder
climates (5918 HDD).
The straw-bale wall has the best energy performance because it has the highest R-value
by a wide margin, regardless of the assumed unit R-value for straw. For the entire build-
ing, changes in just the wall construction change the heating load by plus or minus twenty
percent from the R-19 wood frame base case.

The results assume that the building infiltration rate is the same for all wall systems. All
building components, including the roof, floors, windows, doors, and air infiltration need
to be considered in the analysis of an energy-efficient dwelling.

The design team chose plastered straw-bale walls for their high R-value (approximately
R-50) and adobe walls to absorb and radiate solar gain. The straw-bale walls face the
northwest and join the adobe walls on the north and east sides of the building, exposing
the adobe to the maximum solar radiation, yet shielding it from the prevailing winter
wind. Both the adobe and straw bale walls are coated with three layers of stucco inside
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and out for protection. The attic, windows, and doors of the demonstration home are also
well insulated and sealed to minimize drafts. The resulting building is super-insulated, re-
maining cool on hot summer days and requiring minimal heating in winter.

Further computer simulations and other research summarized in Lawrence Berkeley


Laboratory's forty-page final report show that the program currently undertaken by the
Navajo Nation has the potential to improve the energy efficiency and thermal comfort of
new residences when compared to those currently being built on the reservation

LBL analyses show that (1) there are alternative construction technologies that provide
equal or better energy performance than current practice, (2) the demonstration building,
with a few modifications, could be substantially more energy efficient and comfortable
than current practice, while meeting other program goals of architectural interest and long
term environmental sustainability; and (3) straw-bale construction, along with appropriate
building conservation technologies and simple passive solar design, could provide up to a
60 percent reduction in building heating loads over current practice.
SUMMARY OF LBL'S FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
• Straw-bale building technology offers the best energy performance of any of the
new construction typologies currently being considered, with 15 percent improve-
ments in overall building energy-efficiency in heating for the climates on the
Navajo reservation.
• The wall panel technologies that were part of this analysis, either straw or fibrous
concrete, when insulated with an additional two inches of polystyrene insulation,
perform about the same as an R-19 wood frame wall. Similarly, adobe should be
insulated for better thermal performance.
• Small changes in the straw-bale/adobe prototype dwelling, specifically slab insu-
lation, higher insulation in the vaulted ceiling, and either insulating or replacing
the adobe walls with straw bales, would vastly improve the performance of this
building.
• Energy-related testing of straw-bale buildings in the field is warranted. Infiltra-
tion characteristics and the effects of moisture on energy performance need fur-
ther evaluation.
• Future design and building programs on the Navajo reservation should consider
using better technologies for all building components, including increased roof
insulation, advanced window features, and infiltration reduction details.
• Affordability. The Navajo project has demonstrated that straw-bale construction can be
inexpensive compared to other materials. Table two details the costs of the project.
The cost of the finished 988 square-foot home equates to $58 per square foot, not includ-
ing the cost of utility hookups (water, power, and sewage). A similar sized wood-frame
house constructed in the same area would probably have cost about the same as the
demonstration prototype. However, future straw-bale homes should cost considerably less
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than the prototype because of required changes and modifications during building of the
prototype. In addition, the labor-intensive double adobe walls of the "hearth" area added
more than $3,000 to the project. Had the exterior walls been entirely straw-bale, the over-
all costs would have been lower. Straw bales were supplied at a cost of $2.50 a bale, in-
cluding transportation. Normally, the cost of a bale wall is about one-fourth the cost of a
comparable, super-insulated wall built with conventional materials. Construction crews
and volunteers with no straw-bale building experience erected the walls in a single day.
Approximately 2,500 labor hours, a portion of which was donated, went into construction
of the prototype house.
Table Two. Construction and Labor Costs for the Straw-bale Demonstration Project at
Ganado
Labor Material Labor & Material
Footing $ 576 $1,022 $1,598
Foundation 2,500 2,938 5,438
Slab 20 3,435 4155
Strawbale 540 1,032 1,572
Adobe 1,920 1,575 3,495
Bond Beam 576 1,022 1,598
Cripple Wall (Fram-
720 3,990 4,710
ing)
Insulation 576 664 1,240
Roof Structure 4,032 5,233 9,265
Stuccoing 1,440 3,430 4,870
Interior Walls 864 1,998 2,862
Interior Finishes 1,152 1,615 2,767
Ceiling Finishes 1,440 1,009 2,449
Rough Plumbing 576 621 1,197
Rough Wiring 576 490 1,066
Plumbing Trimming 384 1,041 1,425
Electrical Trimming 384 1,252 1,636
Cabinets 384 1,195 1,579
Floor Finishes 440 1,188 1,628
Fixed
Equipment/Wood 1,200 1,296 2,496
Stove
Totals $21,000 $36,046 $57,046

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Resource-Efficient Building Technology. Resource efficiency was one of the important


elements considered during the four-day Navajo design charrette. For a house to be truly
efficient, the energy expended in the extraction, refinement, and transportation of build-
ing materials to the site, and the total resources used during construction, should also be
included in the calculation of the structure's efficiency. The integration of resource-effi-
ciency concepts into design, materials, and building practices can reduce the environ-
mental impacts associated with home construction. In the same way that the occupant's
habits and conservation consciousness affect the home's operating efficiency, the selec-
tion of building materials and techniques also reflects the resource-efficiency conscious-
ness of the architect, builder, and homeowner.

These considerations led to the selection of straw bale and adobe as building materials for
the demonstration house at Ganado. Straw bales were available not far from the building
site and adobe blocks were manufactured from soil taken from the site. Plastered straw-
bale building was just one component the resource-efficient strategy employed in the
Navajo demonstration project. Passive solar design and the use of adobe as the thermal
mass were also used to save energy and lower heating and cooling costs.

Solar Energy. In the Navajo area, the daytime average solar radiation is 1200 BTUs per
hour during the six winter months and 1800 during the six summer months. This ample
sunshine makes solar energy a good strategy for winter space heating. Solar heat,
however, needs to be controlled during the summer months to prevent overheating.
At the Navajo demonstration project, the home's design oriented the windows to use
passive solar heating and passive cooling. Due to the width of straw bales, the windows
are naturally shaded from the high, hot summer sun, while the lower, winter sun is al-
lowed to enter. Most of the passive solar heat is provided by the wood-frame and glass
sunspace on the south side. The concrete floor and adobe walls within the sunspace
provide heat storage of daytime heat for nighttime use. During winter, solar heat collected
in the sunspace is vented into the home. For back-up heating, the Navajo demonstration
home utilizes a wood pellet stove and two electric baseboard heaters. During summer, the
sunspace is shaded and vented to prevent overheating.

Adobe Walls and Thermal Mass. Adobe and rammed earth construction are two of the
oldest and most commonly used building materials. Adobe has been used to shelter the
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Navajo people for centuries and, consequently, was integrated into the demonstration pro-
ject. Exterior adobe walls are appropriate in a desert climate with wide day-to-night tem-
perature swings. Adobe walls stabilize the home's interior by moderating the indoor ef-
fects of high and low outdoor temperatures. Adobe walls absorb solar heat during the day,
and at night radiate their heat back into the cool night sky leaving the home at a comfort-
able temperature. Exterior and interior adobe walls provide excellent thermal mass. In the
Navajo demonstration project, adobe serves as thermal mass in the common wall between
the solar sunspace and main house, and also in interior house walls.

BUILDING MATERIALS FROM THE EARTH


Rocks and soil are the source of some of natures strongest, most weatherproof, and most
economical building materials. Buildings made of stucco, plaster, and mortar have sur-
vived centuries. Stucco, plaster, and mortar are very similar. Stucco is a rougher-surfaced
exterior wall siding.

Plaster, stucco's in-door cousin, is a smooth mixture of mostly lime. They are both mix-
tures of crushed rock and sand. The mixture's most adhesive component is portland ce-
ment, a blend of pulverized rock.

Lime, which is limestone crushed to a powder, adds pliability or spreadability to the mix.
And sand, called the aggregate, gives the mix substance. The best aggregates combine
different sizes of clean, sharp-edged sand.

Mortar, also a mixture of cement, lime, and sand, is used in masonry or plastering.
Adobe is compressed earth. The best adobes are high in clay, which is very fine soil with
good cohesion. The adobe is rammed into forms or pressed into blocks while damp, then
sun-dried to form a durable building material.

• Use of local materials. The Navajo demonstration project utilized straw bales from the
Navajo Agricultural Products Industry, a neighboring agricultural enterprise. Portland ce-
ment and gravel for the foundation were obtained from a cement batch plant in nearby
Chinle. A hydraulic adobe press formed adobe blocks directly from the building site's
soil. This compressed adobe was used immediately, without curing time. Blocks were

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dry-stacked, without mortar, by wetting the top of the previous course of adobe, before
setting the next layer. The walls were then stuccoed.

• Community involvement and use of local labor. Part of what makes straw-bale con-
struction so affordable is its ability to effectively utilize homeowner participation and un-
skilled labor. Material costs of straw-bale walls represent less than one-fifth of the cost of
a wall system; four-fifths of the cost of building a wall goes for labor. Owner-builders can
achieve great savings by providing their own labor. For the Navajo demonstration project,
the homeowner contributed ten hours a day assisting with construction. Many additional
hours were donated by friends, family, and other visitors to the site. Experienced labor
was necessary for foundation work, roof framing, and electrical wiring. The construction
manager was the only one at the site who had had straw-bale building experience; none
of the paid or volunteer labor crew had previous experience with straw-bale construction.

• Cultural compatibility. The home incorporated aspects of the traditional Navajo


hogan—a six-sided structure with a central hearth built of timbers and adobe, the main
entrance facing east, living or gathering areas to the south, cooking area on the north, and
sleeping area to the west. In the demonstration home, the main living area or hearth, sig-
nifying the traditional hogan, was surrounded by adobe walls. The straw-bale walls com-
prised the bedrooms, kitchen, and bathroom, extending the "hogan" into a more conven-
tional home design. The simplicity of design and the natural materials blended well into
the high southwestern desert landscape. Navajo visitors to the construction site commen-
ted on how much they liked the concept of using indigenous materials. Although some-
what leary of the new material (straw), they were amazed at how quickly the walls were
raised. Many visitors felt the need to "pitch-in" and were soon up to their elbows in ce-
ment, adobe, and/or straw.

• Design simplicity, adaptability, and comfort. The simplicity of the design of straw-
bale and adobe homes has comfort, energy, maintenance, and adaptability advantages
over conventional American homes. A rectangular design with smooth seamless walls and
ceilings minimizes air leakage, which could be both an energy and comfort problem. The
simplicity of design also allows for a super-insulated shell with few thermal flaws leading
to exceptionally stable indoor temperatures and effective noise exclusion from the out-
doors. The design of simple straw-bale and adobe homes can easily be expanded to in-
clude additional rooms.
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8.4.4 Other Contemporary Straw-Bale Homes


Although the straw-bale method has a long history, official recognition of straw-bale con-
struction is just beginning. In the last decade, modern straw-bale construction pioneers
have braved reluctant contractors and hesitant local building officials. The result has been
a slow, but continuous, growth in construction of straw-bale houses. Straw-bale dwellings
range from small owner-built units to large, contractor-built luxury homes. Costs vary
from $5 to more than $100 a square-foot depending on a number of variables, as dis-
cussed in the next section. Photos on the opposite page depict the variety of styles of con-
temporary straw-bale buildings.

The 1,400 square-foot home of Virginia Carabelli near Santa Fe, New Mexico was de-
signed by local architect, Ken Figuerado. The Carabelli house cost $60 a square-foot,
which included radiant floor heating, three fireplaces, and other custom features.
The home of Catherine Wells in Santa Fe, New Mexico, measuring 1,224 square-feet (ex-
terior measurement), was built by Ted Varney at $56 a square-foot. The width of the
straw-bale walls (ranging from 14 inches to to 24 inches) reduces the interior square foot-
age dimensions when compared with the exterior measurements. The cost includes interi-
or features such as radiant floor heating supplied by solar panels located on the roof and
flooring laid with tile pavers. The main interior wall was also constructed of straw bales
to increase sound insulation.

The pottery studio of Kate Brown (720 square-feet), in Mimbres, New Mexico, could be
used as a small home. It was owner-built for $12 a square-foot. In Corrales, New Mexico,
the private chapel of Dykeman Vermian, 215 square-feet, was built by Cadmun Whitty
for $18 a square-foot. The chapel is an example of straw bales used in a pueblo-style
building.

The straw-bale home of Mark Hawes is located in the Sangre De Cristo mountains of
northern New Mexico. The house is post-and-beam construction with straw bales used as
fill for the walls. Because it is in a remote location and off-the-grid, a photovoltaic system
provides the electricity. The 1,400 square-foot structure was engineered by DeLapp En-
gineering of Santa Fe and built to code in 1992 by Hawes, a building contractor. The in-
terior of the house contains custom southwestern features that added to the cost, which
was approximately $46 a square-foot.

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The first legal building in California constructed primarily of straw bales was completed
in 1992. The Noland project, a 2,500 square-foot ranch headquarters and residence, is
located in the Owens Valley in eastern California. Designed by architects Ken Haggard
and Polly Cooper with Pliny Fisk and built by contractor Greg McMillan, the passive sol-
ar structure used straw bales for the walls on the north and east sides of the building.
In Arizona, straw-bale construction is steadily increasing. Pima County and the City of
Tucson are expected to adopt straw-bale construction into their building codes in the near
future. The straw-bale demonstration home of Mary Diamond, approximately 1,200
square-feet (exterior measurement), is in southeast Arizona. The house is off-the-grid, us-
ing photovoltaic power. It has a wind cooling tower, a composting toilet, and a greywater
system. Built for approximately $50 per square-foot, the demonstration house is open to
the public for overnight visits.

8.4.5 Affordability
How Affordable is a Straw-Bale House? A straw-bale house may cost the same as a
conventional wood frame house. However, there are many factors that can make a straw-
bale house less expensive; and, there are additional benefits to building with straw. Ac-
cording to a 1982 Housing magazine cost guide, exterior and interior wall systems com-
prise approximately 30 percent of the cost of construction for a typical wood frame, slab
on grade house in Albuquerque, New Mexico. With the recent increases in the costs of
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materials, particularly lumber, this cost is presently estimated to be considerably higher.


For example, lumber prices rose 70 percent during the last six months of 1993. This hefty
increase added approximately $4,000 to the cost of a typical 2,000 square-foot house.

A 2,000 square-foot straw-bale house requires about 300 standard, three-wire bales at a
cost of approximately $1,000. The cost of a "Nebraska-style" (structural) bale wall is
about one-fourth that of a comparable super-insulated wall. Of course, there are many
other variables that go into building a house such as the cost of labor, choice of finishes
such as siding, roofing, flooring, and other amenities. Unique to straw-bale construction
is the broad range of costs associated with different levels of quality available to builders.
Table three compares the range of straw-bale construction costs based on a number of
variables.

The cost of a straw-bale house depends on the size of the building, the cost of materials
including bales, the design of the house, and the amount of "sweat-equity" donated by the
owner and friends. Straw-bale costs range from fifty cents each when purchased from the
fields of Montana to $3.50 to $5.00 for three-wire bales delivered to a site in Arizona.
Homes have been built for as little as $5,000 to well above $200,000. Construction costs
range from $5 to $120 per square-foot. ($53 per square-foot is the national average for
conventional construction.) Straw-bale houses come in a variety of shapes and sizes from
A-frames to tipis to two-story custom homes. Simple, owner-built structures tend to be
less expensive.

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Table 3. Outline Range of Straw Bale Construction Costs Per Square Foot (sf)*
Very Low 120-1000 sf @ $5-$20
a) scavenging, salvaging materials
b) material costs only, owner-builder labor
throughout
c) initial start-up costs, ongoing improvements,
pay as-you-go
d) Nebraska-style, timber frame, and post and
beam:
Low 1000-1500 sf @ $30-$50
a) contractor-built, owner-build wall, finishes
b) subcontract foundations, plumbing, mechanical,
roof
c) experienced job-site supervisor
d) materials at market cost
e) typically post-and-beam or Nebraska-style
Moderate 1500-2500 sf @$50-$80
a) standard, contractor-built
b) production housing
c) speculative development
d) typically post-and-beam

High 2500-4000 sf @ $80-$120


a) luxury homes
b) custom design
c) site specific
d) marginally less than conventional construction
e) typically post-and-beam with custom features
*The Last Straw, Spring 1994. Prices do not include land costs, site development or utility interface.
Compiled with data from Hofmeister, Kemble, Macdonald, Perry, and Myhrman

Long-lasting, low maintenance building materials and protection from the elements are
key for a long-term, maintenance-free house. Providing proper site drainage is the most
important factor for the home's longevity. If the ground around the house remains dry and
the house is sufficiently maintained, the life-span could be hundreds of years. The roof is
another crucial component. Leaky roofs damage many homes each year. Steeper roofs
constructed of more permanent roofing materials are preferred. Properly built and main-
tained, straw-bale walls can last hundreds of years.
Table four compares the life-cycle costs of a conventional house with a straw-bale house.
The Plastered Straw Bale Working Group (September, 1993) estimated that the straw-
bale homes use half as much energy as conventional houses do for heating and cooling.
This could translate to a savings of several hundred dollars a year over the life of a home.

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Table 4. Life cycle cost estimate for conventional vs straw-bale houses


Construction Finance Energy Total Savings
Conventional $82,500 396,000 120,000 532,500 ------
Straw bale $78,375 376,000 60,000 451,675 83,875
Straw Bale* $40,000 192,000 60,000 260,000 272,500
*owner-built walls, finishing, roofing
Notes:
• Life cycle = 100 years.

• Finance cost = construction cost minus down payment of twenty percent at an an-
nual interest rate of six percent over the one hundred year life cycle (does not in-
clude closing costs when the house is sold).
• Energy = the average cost for heating and cooling a conventional home for this
analysis to be $100 per month.
• Total = Amount of down payment plus energy and finance.
Source: Working Group Reports, Plastered Straw Bale Conference, "Roots and Revival,"
Arthur Nebraska, September, 1993.

8.4.6 Frequently Asked Questions About Straw-Bale


This section answers some of the most commonly asked questions about straw-bale con-
struction.

Will the bales rot? Without adequate safeguards, rot can occur. The most important safe-
guard is to buy dry bales. Fungi and mites can live in wet straw, so it's best to buy the
straw when it's dry and keep it dry until it is safely sealed into the walls. Paint for interior
and exterior wall surfaces should be permeable to water vapor so that moisture doesn't
get trapped inside the wall. Construction design must prevent water from gathering where
the first course of bales meets the foundation. Even if straw bales are plastered, the
foundation upon which the bales rest should be elevated above outside ground level by at
least six inches or more. This protects bales from rain water splashing off the roof.

Will pests destroy the walls? Straw bales provide fewer havens for pests such as insects
and vermin than conventional wood framing. Once plastered, any chance of access is
eliminated.

Are straw-bale buildings a fire hazard? The National Research Council of Canada
tested plastered straw bales for fire safety and found them to perform better than conven-
tional building materials. In fact, the plaster surface withstood temperatures of about
1,850? F for two hours before any cracks developed. According to the Canada Mortgage
and Housing Corporation, "The straw-bales/mortar structure wall has proven to be excep-
tionally resistant to fire. The straw bales hold enough air to provide good insulation
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value, but because they are compacted firmly, they don't hold enough air to permit com-
bustion."

Are straw-bale buildings acceptable to my local building code? Most cities and
counties have adopted one of three or four model building codes. City, county, and state
building codes may be different. Straw bale is acceptable to some codes, and not accept-
able to other codes.

HINTS ON OBTAINING A PERMIT TO BUILD A STRAW-BALE HOUSE


If your community has adopted a building code, you will need a building permit before
beginning construction. The local government's building official is the community's des-
ignated expert and enforcer. He or she has the responsibility of interpreting the codes, in-
specting homes under construction, and making exceptions to the code, if requested. As a
first step, identify local building officials and code requirements. Out on Bale (un)Ltd. re-
commends the following steps to help you obtain a straw-bale house building permit.
1. Obtain and read a copy of the current building codes for your area.
2. Gather as much information as you can about straw bale construction.
3. Talk with straw-bale experts and others interested in straw bale building.
4. Before drawing up specific house plans, meet with local building code officials. If they
are not familiar with straw-bale construction, you may want to take along a knowledge-
able architect or builder. Give the building officials copies of supportive information; al-
low them to digest the information, then meet with them again. Develop a rapport with
them during the planning and building process.
5. Become familiar enough with the code and straw bale to be able to discuss and defend
your design decisions as they relate to the code. If necessary, you might suggest a small
straw-bale demonstration structure, perhaps a small storage shed. This will allow building
officials to become familiar with the materials and construction methods.

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8.4.7 Resources

For more information about straw-bale construction, contact the following resources:
STRAW BALE CONSTRUCTION
Development Center for Appropriate Technology. Consulting, education, testing and
research, networking. Straw Bale Construction and Building Codes, A Working Paper
and Draft Prescriptive Standard for Structural and Non-Structural Straw Bale Construc-
tion for Pima County and the City of Tucson, Arizona. P.O. Box 41144, Tucson, AZ
85717, (520) 326-1418.
Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory.
Energy-Efficient Building Technologies for the Navajo Reservation and Analysis of A
Straw-Bale/ Adobe Dwelling Prototype, November 1994, by Jim Hanford and Joe Huang.
(LBL-36320, UC 1600). Energy Analysis Program, Berkeley, CA 94720, (510) 486-7438.
Straw Bale Construction Association.
Association of architects, designers, engineers, general contractors, and subcontractors
interested in straw-bale, testing, and methods inclusion into code. Forum for sharing tech-
nical information. 31 Old Arroyo Chamiso, Santa Fe, NM 87505.
Sustainable Systems Support.
Consultation, design, workshops and informational materials. Videos: How To Build Your
Elegant Home with Straw Bales and Straw Bale Construction: The Elegant Solution, pro-
duced by Carol Escott & Steve Kemble. P.O. Box 318, Bisbee, AZ 85603.
Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems.
Alternative building and design center, normally works on large projects. Rewriting the
alternative building codes for Texas. 8604 FM 969, Austin, TX 78724, (512) 928-4786.
Center for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technology (CREST),
777 N. Capitol St., NW, Ste. 805, Washington, D.C. 20002 (202) 289-5365; email: in-
fo@crest.org www: http://solstice.crest.org/
Center for Resourceful Building Technology.
Information about resource-efficient building materials. GREBE: Guide to Resource Effi-
cient Building Elements and ReCraft 90: The Construction of a Resource-Efficient House
both by Steve Loken, P.O. Box 3866, Missoula, MT 59805, (406) 549-7678.
Environmental Building News. A bimonthly newsletter on environmentally sustainable
design and construction. RR 1 Box 161, Brattleboro, VT 05301, (802) 257-7300.
Home Energy. Bimonthly magazine of residential energy conservation. 2124 Kittridge
Street, No. 95, Berkeley, CA 94704, (510) 524-5405.

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U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. OUR HOME: Buildings of the
Land, March 1994, HUD-1410-CPD. Energy-efficiency design guide for Indian housing.
HUD Office of Native American Programs, 451 - 7th Street, SW, Room B133, Washing-
ton, DC 20410- 7000, (202) 755-0032.

8.5 Appendix E: Reasearch & Development : Spirulina Platensis

Spirulina is a powerhouse of nutrients, including proteins, glyco-nutrients, and caroton-


oids. It is generally used as a nutritional supplement. Our plan is to take this amazing
substance, grow it on the farm, utilizing fresh spring water to avoid contamination and to
produce a food substitute similar to soy proteins. Spirulina unlike soy is not listed as a
typical allergen in humans and animals (soy is listed in the top four classifications of food
allergens for humans and animals). This type of supplement is only available currently as
a powder or pill form and not as a true food substitute.

What is Spirulina?
Spirulina is a blue-green algae. It is a simple, one-celled form of algae that thrives in
warm, alkaline fresh-water bodies. The name "spirulina" is derived from the Latin word
for "helix" or "spiral"; denoting the physical configuration of the organism when it forms
swirling, microscopic strands.
Spirulina is being developed as the "food of the future" because of its amazing ability to
synthesize high-quality concentrated food more efficiently than any other algae. Most
notably, Spirulina is 65 to 71 percent complete protein, with all essential amino acids in
perfect balance. In comparison, beef is only 22 percent protein.
Spirulina has a photosynthetic conversion rate of 8 to 10 percent, compared to only 3 per-
cent in such land-growing plants as soybeans.
In addition, Spirulina is one of the few plant sources of vitamin B12, usually found only
in animal tissues. A teaspoon of Spirulina supplies 21/2 times the Recommended Daily
Allowance of vitamin B12 and contains over twice the amount of this vitamin found in an
equivalent serving of liver.
Spirulina also provides high concentrations of many other nutrients - amino acids, che-
lated minerals, pigmentations, rhamnose sugars (complex natural plant sugars), trace ele-
ments, enzymes - that are in an easily assimilable form.
Even though it is single-celled, Spirulina is relatively large, attaining sizes of 0.5 milli-
meters in length. This is about 100 times the size of most other algae, which makes some
individual Spirulina cells visible to the naked eye. Furthermore, the prolific reproductive
capacity of the cells and their proclivity to adhere in colonies makes Spirulina a large and
easily gathered plant mass.
The algae are differentiated according to predominating colorations, and are divided into
blue-green, green, red and brown. Spirulina is one of the blue-green algae due to the pres-
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ence of both chlorophyll (green) and phycocyanin (blue) pigments in its cellular struc-
ture.
Even though Spirulina is distantly related to the kelp algae, it is not a sea plant. However,
the fresh-water ponds and lakes it favors are notably more saline - in the range of 8 to 11
pH than ordinary lakes and cannot sustain any other forms of microorganisms. In addi-
tion, Spirulina thrives in very warm waters of 32 to 45 degrees C (approximately 85 to
112 degrees F), and has even survived in temperatures of 60 degrees C (140 degrees F)
Certain desert-adapted species will survive when their pond habitats evaporate in the in-
tense sun, drying to a dormant state on rocks as hot as 70 degrees Centigrade (160 de-
grees F). In this dormant condition, the naturally blue-green algae turns a frosted white
and develops a sweet flavor as its 71 percent protein structure is transformed into poly-
saccharide sugars by the heat.
Some scientists speculate that the "manna" of the wandering Israelites, which appeared
miraculously on rocks following a devastating dry spell and was described as tasting "like
wafers made with hone " may have been a form of dried, dormant Spirulina.
This ability of Spirulina to grow in hot and alkaline environments ensures its hygienic
status, as no other organisms can survive to pollute the waters in which this algae thrives.
Unlike the stereotypical association of microorganisms with "germs" and "scum",
Spirulina is in fact one of the cleanest, most naturally sterile foods found in nature.
Its adaptation to heat also assures that Spirulina retains its nutritional value when subject
to high temperatures during processing and shelf storage, unlike many plant foods that
rapidly deteriorate at high temperatures.
Spirulina is also unusual among algae because it is a "nuclear plant" meaning it is on the
developmental cusp between plants and animals. It is considered somewhat above plants
because it does not have the hard cellulose membranes characteristic of plant cells, nor
does it have a well-defined nucleus. Yet its metabolic system is based on photosynthesis,
a process of direct food energy production utilizing sunlight and chlorophyll, which is
typical of plant life forms.
In essence, Spirulina straddles that fork in evolutionary development when the plant and
animal kingdoms differentiated. Thus it embodies the simplest form of life. In contrast,
other algae such as Chlorella have developed the hard indigestible walls characteristic of
plants.

World Production and Consumption


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Estimated World Spirulina Production 1975-1999 (in metric tons)


These estimates are based on a world survey of researchers and producers conducted 1993-
1997.

8.5.1 Nucleic Acid Safety Research


Spirulina has about 4% nucleic acids (DNA and RNA), lower than chlorella and other mi-
croalgae, yeast and fungi (6-11%). Although there was once some concern that eating mi-
croalgae might increase uric acid levels because of the nucleic acids, there is little evid-
ence to support this. In fact, one study found that uric acid levels did not increase in hu-
mans taking up to 30 grams a day of chlorella protein (50 grams of chlorella).10 Since
spirulina is lower in nucleic acid content, eating up to 50 grams a day is safe as well, and
means it can be safely used as major protein source. Since its re-introduction as a human
food in 1979, its success has confirmed the work of the earlier animal studies. Spirulina
has been safely consumed by millions of people in North and South America, Asia,
Europe and Africa.

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9 Conclusion:

Our ultimate goal is to eliminate fin-


ancial risks and allow this self-sus-
taining template to be used again and
again with future centers in other loc-
ations across the country. This may
seem like a tremendous undertaking,
however as this will be done in an
empirical manner we hope to elimin-
ate any variant pitfalls that could pos-
sibly arise.

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