Dedicated to

Peter Lehman
r Years f
Excellence

FALL 2000
Master Plan
Thermal Curtains
Peter Lehman and
John Meyer
Habitait for
Humanity
Power for the Peop
Cuba
Biodiesel
Bioneer Conference

CCAT Future Plan

 The Mission

Co-directors: Sean Dockery, Emilia Patrick, Johnny Gary.

Not shown: Sean Armstrong, Brandon Hayden, April Rand, Kara Zertuche, Micah Gustafson,
Leith Carstarphen.

A Word From The Lawyer:

The AT Transferis the newsletter for the Campus Center for Appropriate Technology which is funded primarily by the Associated Students
of Humboldt State University. The views and content of The AT Transferare not censored or reviewed by the Associated Students, All
correspondences may be addressed to: The AT Transfer, CCAT, HSU, Arcata, CA, 95521. Please also send copies of correspondence to:
Associated Students, Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA, 95521.

Appropriate Technology Transfer

 Reviews
Book Review pg. 4 "Creating a Sustainable Future: ,

in Harmony With the Earth"

BioneersConference pg. 5 Revolurion From the Heart ofN

CCAT News
Master Plan pg. 6 "A Bombshell Was Dropped..."
Future Happenings pg. 20 What's Happening at CCAT in tI
-- "4
Goo~byesand Welcomes pg. 14
Future?
@ fi
Peter Lehman Resigns and John ~
ij
Jumps Aboard
II
i
TeehTalk "
Power{or the People pg. 7 Grid Intertie vs. Off Grid
Fuel fo}\MyFire"""""';r ,.; ;;pg,.~ Grease-mobile
Why Biodesi,(:l ,.~«: pg. 1'0 VeggieOil
Th~rmal Curtains pg. 11 ,Warm IdeasFor Winter

Garden
H
, Gardener's Notes pg. 12/J Activities From the Garden
"
..
toeal New~ ,.
ijabitat ForHuman~ty,,; pg. 17 A Local Chapter Works for the
" I I Community
Editorial -.
"I i. .
" !

'\
Eclleonal r,
"
--""
,"..".
~
..:
pg.
.,
1' 5
,t..
Environmentalism... Radical?

'"

Internati~~al News
Cuba pg. 18 Real Achievements in Cuba

Special Thanks to the CCAT Co-directors,

Emilia Patrick (right), Sean Dockery
(below), and Johnny Gary (bottom right).
Your hard work and commitment to CCAT
is greatly appreciated.
 Providing inspiration from poetry, guidance from environmental ethics, and knowl-
edge from science and technology, Creating a Sustainable FUture: Living in Harmony with
the Earth explores problems and solUtions to today's impending
environmental crises. Forthcoming this spring, Creating a Sus-
tainable FutUre paints the picture of the trouble we find our-
selves in now - then envisions and prescribes a harmonious
and sustainable futUre. It is a broad and basic introduction
to the "field" of sustainability - one which emphasizes the personal, communal, and societal
responsibility for implementing change. The book is readable, entertaining, and educational.
It is intended tobe comprehensible and accessible to various audiences across the world.
Creating a Sustainable Future will feature CCAT as an example of an ecologically
sustainable living system. Beginning with an introduction to the concepts of appropriate
technology, and a short history of CCAT, this inclusion goes on to survey the breadth of
CCAT's sustainable systems.
"How do the systems at CCAT provide for the basic needs of the residents, while
maintaining environmental integrity? Primarily by using renewable resources, reducing con-
sumption, recycling waste, and closing the loops of nutrients and energy."
In the book, the following CCAT systems are briefly summarized and simplified: The
solar electric system, wind tUrbine, pedal-power, biodiesel, greywater, rainwater catchment,
organic gardens, herbalism, cold box, passive solar design, insulation, solar hot water system,
solar shower, solar ovens, parabolic cookers, compo sting, composting toilet, strawbale shed,
and more!
Many photographs and diagrams of the systems will accompany the text. Addition-
ally, an extensive reference list for additional reading is included. From information about
CCAT, the book flows into exploring other concepts and models of sustainable home and
landscape design.
A great read, and very educational, Creating a Sustainable Future promises to inform
and inspire. Check it out in spring 2001 or ask me for a preview of the manuscript.

Creating a Sustainable Future:

Living in Harmony with the Earth
by Peter B. Kaufman, Christopher W Coon,
James E. Hoyt, Casey R. Lu, Barbara J.
Madsen, and Sara L. Warber
(and other people - like yours truly)

4 Appropriate Technology Transfer

 Somewhere in the Pacific Northwest there is a mycologist working with fungi
ro breakdown plastic chairs. In the hallowed halls of Congress there is a medical doctor
fighting corruption and the cover up of cancer-
causing agents in cow's milk. In rural Montana a
scientist is marveling at what nature could teach
us about solving problems. And in England the
CEO of a multinational corporation is saying, "Up
your bum!» to other executives who don't like her
political activism. There is a revolution taking place
around the world. The Bioneers conference is the
premier West Coast forum for bringing together
these revolutionaries in order to inspire, invigorate, and provide a means for connecting people
and taking action.
The Bioneers conference is an annual gathering held in the San Francisco Bay Area
over three days in October. It is sponsored by the Collective Heritage Institute (CHI), a non-
profit organization based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The conference is structured into two
parts. The first part, held in the morning, consists of a series of plenaries, or keynote addresses,
which all conference attendees listen to. Some of this years keynote speakers included Alice
Walker, William McDonough, David Korten, Anita Roddick, Julia Butterfly-Hill and Dave
Foreman.
The second part of the conference, in the afternoon, is made up of a
series of workshops based on a host of topics. Conference goers choose
which workshop they'd like ro attend based on their interest area. The
afternoon workshops are lengthier than the plenaries and allow the
speakers to cover more detail, as well as dialogue with the audience.
This year 60 workshops were offered and included such titles
as, "Fair Trade and Financial Activism,» "Covering the Land:
Environmental Journalism,» "The Gaia Hypothesis Revisited,»
"Women Organic Food Entrepreneurs,» and "Latin American
Permaculture.»
The Bioneers conference is about inspiration, connecting
people, and supporting each other's work. As a student, it provides
a means to meet like-minded people from around the country, foster
relationships, and develop opportunities for "life after college.» I have
attended the conference for the last two years and would strongly recom-
mend it as a healthy dose of what those of us who want to save the world
need -- information, inspiration, and invigoration.
Getting to the conference can be expensive for folks on a student budget, however.
The regular conference registration rate is about $100 per day. But don't despair, because
where there's a will, there's a way! A student and activist rate is offered which reduces the
conference fee to $48 per day. In addition, CHI offers work-exchange opportunities, which
allow a person to work at the conference one day and attend the other two days of the
conference for free. At our university, the Environmental Politics Club was able to secure a
$400 matching travel grant from the Club's office to help offset the cost for club members
to attend the conference.
If you're interested in learning more about the Collective Heritage Institute or
the Bioneers Conference, their updated web site (hup://www.bioneers.org) provides detailed
information as well as links to other useful resources.

Fall2000 5
 CCAT entered a new era last May. In a packed, standing room only Goodwin Forum,
the Space and Facilities Subcommittee voted unanimously to approve a Master Plan that
reserved the Buck House site for CCAT alone. In one vote twenty
years of struggle to keep our house and site ended with success.
It happened so fast it was almost anti-climatic. Ken Combs,
Director of Physical Services and principal author of HSU's Master
Plan, unveiled the "new" Master Plan on an overhead projector.
It was his best attempt to reflect a consensus of campus opinion
for consideration by the Committee. The Committee faced front like the audience, so it was
difficult to tell who they were or how they were responding to the changes they saw.
. What we were looking for was the Buck House site. Did Ken give in to pressure from
James Crawford, the Chair of the Art Department, and put the proposed Visual Arts building
back on top of the Buck House site? And if the VA building was back on top of the Buck
House, did CCAT have enough votes on the Committee to force its relocation?
By some magical combination of forces, and our meetings with every level of the
Administration from President McCrone to newspaper articles, tabling at events in the quad,
collecting letters of support from professors, departments, local politicians, and perhaps even
Ken Combs quiet advocacy, the final plan was in our favor. It showed the Art Building's
footprint redesigned to fit into the parking lot. The battle was half won.
Then Ken did something unusual: without opening the plan for discussion he asked the
Committee to vote yea or nay. John Meyer, Government and Politics professor, stood up
and expressed his confusion as to whether there was going to be an opportunity for people to
express their opinions. Ken responded yes, but they would be heard after the vote, and if a
Committee member later wanted to change the plan they could offer a motion. It appeared
that Ken was playing with procedure to make it harder to change the proposed plan. Ken
called for the vote, the Committee voted unanimously in favor of the plan, and then things
got truly surreal.
Art Chair James Crawford stood up and walked to the front of the room and began
talking about how he didn't want the Buck House site. It was a bombshell. He had refused
to even discuss that point for an entire year with the co-directors or our advisor Peter Lehman.
He wrote an official letter to Ken Combs about how the Buck House site was better suited to
the needs of the Art Department than the parking lot, and he was recanting that position in
front of our eyes. He talked about how he sympathized with CCAT's needs for space, and now
that he was looking at a brand new Master Plan proposal he felt that the best site for the Art
Department was probably down by LK Wood.
He sat down. We were thrown for a loop. Everything was going too easily.We had
packed the room in preparation for a tense showdown over the value system of the University,
and here we were winning before we had begun! We sent up some of our strongest advocates
just in case. Green architect (and former HSU Art professor) Sylvia Plathe made the case that
CCAT was inseparably linked to the Buck House site, and offered a rough design of how the
Visual Arts Building could use the parking lot site. Sustainable Economics Professor Steve
Hackett formally stated the support of CCAT's steering Committee for the Buck House site.
Renewable energy systems installer Vince McClellan spoke to what a resource CCAT was for
the community. And we students scrapped most of our carefully scripted speeches to let others
speak on our behal£ There was little more to discuss. A few people argued against the proposed
Behavioral and Social Sciences building, but hearing no new motions from the Committee
Ken Combs adjourned the meeting. We stood up and grinned at each other wonderingly.
Could it be that easy? Was it really over? Had we WON?!
Master Plan continued on page 22.

6 Appropriate Technology Transfer

 The people of California have the ability to make and sell their own electrical
power. By choosing our energy distributors we can determine how our energy is produced,
and make sure that it comes from a source that is envi-
ronmentally safe. With the help of alternative energy
technology, our homes become the power plants.
In 1996, a complete restructuring of California's
electric utilities occurred. The California Public Utilities
Commission ended a state monopoly of investor owned
utilities, much to the delight of many green energy
activists and renewable energy homeowners. Commer-
cial advertisements boasted about choices, green energy, and a free market. Five years later
the deregulation of California's electric grid is under scrutiny. Southern California has
experienced numerous brown outs, black outs, and extremely high electric bills during
peak hours of the day. In response, many state agencies have called for the electric grid
to be put back into a regulated form to offset the high electric bills, brown outs, and
the general havoc associated with depending on the utilities. However, one of the finer
aspects of the deregulation policy is the utilities-interactive system, available to the people
of California as the sole source of electrical power. This option is available to homeowners,
small businesses, universities, and potentially...CCAT.
A utility interactive system allows the home or building to feed electrical energy
back into the grid. The available resources on site, and the owner of the property,
determine how the energy is produced. Electrical energy can come from any number of
possible sources, such as, solar panels, wind turbines, micro-hydro turbines, methane and
bio-diesel generators, etc...The utility-interactive systerm reduces the amount of electricity
pulled through the meter, which results in a reduced electric bill. Another option is for
the utilities to buy your excess electricity, which means the electric company would pay
you for the energy you produce. This type of system
is different from a typical alternative energy home or
building due to the lack of batteries. Instead of using
batteries the grid acts as a battery bank. It is still
possible to have a battery bank for emergency back
up in the event of brown outs or black outs.
Before California deregulated its electrical grid
the appropriate method of utilizing alternative ener-
gies was to be an off-the-grid house that relied
on batteries to store electrical energy. The Campus
Center for Appropriate Technology has always been
an educational organization. Deregulation has pro-
vided CCAT with an opportunity to demonstrate
the potential of a utility-interactive system. The benefit being the applicability of the
system to all homes and buildings that are connected to the grid. It would be unreasonable
to assume that even fifty percent of the homes in the westernized world could become
dependent on batteries. The environmental crisis resulting from their replacement would
be enormous. Utility-interactive systems are applicable to any building and provide a
source of green energy. Furthermore, such a system would reduce or replace monthly bills, pay
for itself in time, and help to reduce the peak demand.

Fal12000 7
 The first time I heard ofbiodiesel I was at the Health and Harmony Festival in North
California, the summer of 1998. On display was a van with sunflowers painted on it and
lettering explaining how many miles per acre the van got on
vegetable oil-based fuel. Intrigued, I went over to see what i
all about. A young couple near the van explainined how the
traveled from Florida to California and they did it all on thi
fuel called "biodiesel." They didn't have to modifY their veh
and said any unmodified diesel engine could run on the stu
They told the crowd that with biodiesel there is a 75% redu
in greenhouse gases and the exhaust smells like french-fries.
couple was Joshua and Kaia Tickell, and they were about to become my inspiration.
I bought their book, From the Fryer to the Fuel-tank, and that fall two friends of mi
Andy Cooper and Anna Lee, and I built a mini-refinery (a blender) for our Appropriate
Technology class at Humboldt State University. The folks up at the Campus Center for
Appropriate Technology (CCAT)-on campus but off the grid since 1991-approached us
replacing their dying natural gas generator with a diesel generator fueled by our biofuel.
added benefit, Andy and I both have diesel vehicles and wanted to free ourselves from th
greedy grasp of the Western Fuel Association. After a couple months of researching, pric
and planning we made the ungainly leap from our blender to the home scale refinery de
below.
The System
The thing that surprises most people about biodiesel is how easy it is to make. You d
need a Chemistry degree or access to a lab and the setup can be cheap or expensive, sma
large. We wanted a set up that would allow us to produce, settle and store multiple batc
the same time. We aquired three 35 gallon barrels, one was the reactor, and two would b
settling tanks. Starting with 30 gallons of reactants (oil, lye, and alcohol) we would be a
produce 24-gallon batches three times a day. We utilized oil recovered from local restaur
and our cafeteria, the "]" (Our slogan, "Now there's more than one way to get gas from
1 STAGE
"]""!). We looked at over 80 waste oil containers in the last y
Inltlol ~Ixlng
and my options of eating out in our area are very limited no
Tonk

STAGE2
to the knowledge I've gleaned from these excursions.
The Products

Mixer (O"t"ooro Motor)

The by product of making biodiesel is glycerin. Some pe
Power Sour,e (J"tery) make the glycerin into soap or any of the thousands of prod
with glycerin in them. Eventually we would like to recycle o
Aglbtor glycerin, but for now we are composting it. It is non-toxic a
completely biodegradable. Our biodiesel fuels a 1981 Volks
STAGE 3 ODrll! ""opter

Settling Tanks
Rabbit pickup and a 1982 Mercedes Stationwagon. CCAT j
bought a Hardy 2.4 kW AC diesel generator specifically to u
Glycerin Storage
T.nk biodiesel and to replace their gerry-rigged DC natural gas H
generator, which will be used strictly as a battery charger.
The fuel itself is also non-toxic, biodegradable (composts
Flgur., La D.slc ",odleset RePinery
Drown ~YI Ed.unci Koontz 28 days!), and is pretty safe to store due to its high flash poin
(325 degrees Fahrenheit). When all is said and done the cos
a gallon of our biodiesel, using recovered oil and not includi
labor and set up costs, is around a mere $.70 a gallon (depending on your local lye and
methanol costs).

8 Appropriate Technology Transfer

 How Does it Work in the Car
When 01' Rudolph created his diesel engine, it was able to run on pure vegetable oil. He
got the idea from Mrican fire-starters. He wanted to make an engine that a farmer could
use without ever leaving his/her farm for fuel. But the car companies who have co-opted
his creation designed fuel injection systems so that only a very thin, highly flammable waste
product of the petroleum industry could be used: our modern day diesel fuel. So what our
whole process is really doing is slimming down the oil by removing its free-fatty acids and
making it more flammable by adding the methanol. The engines love it. It gets the same
mileage, the same power and torque. Diesels can be hard to start some cold mornings as the
fuel will cloud or gel a bit, the same goes for biodiesel, and a winterizing agent can help
with that. The exhaust smell is greatly improved -I can even talk people into putting their
face right up to the tailpipe.
Lessons Learned
First, both vehicles had problems initially when the biodiesel (an amazing solvent)
knocked loose all the gunk (rust, algae) in the bottom of our twenty-year-old fuel tanks and
sent it up to our fuel filters. That's apparently a common problem when biodiesel is first put
in old tanks, and for us it simply meant replacing the filter. Not only will biodiesel dissolve
gunk in your tank, it will dissolve lastomir tank sealant. If you have already put that in your
tank, expect to spend an afternoon cleaning sticky goo from your screen inside your tank.
A similar warning goes for rubber fuel lines, which should be replaced after 10,000 miles of
biodiesel use, with silicon lines.
Second, we bought some unnecessary things when we were first planning our system,
but have since discovered that making biodiesel really isn't that complicated. We began with a
set-up where we filtered the oil before putting it in the mixing tank, which required expensive
metal shelving to support a barrel above the mixing barrel. We discovered we wanted to filter
it later to get out extra glycerin. Filtering it at the end saved a lot of time, space, and mess.
Something that we already had that was very useful was a flame box. For safety sake we keep
the methanol, lye, and other stuff we don't want little ones to play with in there.
Third, and last, we have learned the profound
satisfaction of taking responsibility for making our own
fuel for CCAT's generator and our own vehicles. We're
also proud to be reusing a "waste" material, as well
:~~..:.c'":."-
as producing no net increase of carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere. You can hold your head a little higher
when you're driving with last years soybeans and your
exhaust smells like donuts.

Resources:
~
JV$T 110.
Biodiesel is taking off right now and there is lots of info
on it allover the place:
The National Biodiesel Board www.biodisel.org
Great book, " From the Fryer to the Fuel-tank"
Beautiful site: www.veggievan.org
Pacific Biodiesel www.biodiesel.com
Panama Bartholomy(707) 826-0298 or send correspondenceto:
151 Hill Street
Arcata, CA, 95521

Fall 2000 9

-" ==-
 Biodiesel is recognized as a feasible supplement to
petroleum diesel across the world and is rapidly gaining
acceptance in the United States.
European Auto Manufacturers
"'--....
already offer factory warranties
for biodiesel in their newer
models. In the United States,
biodiesel is used by the military,
by Andy Cooper the u.S. Postal Service, U.S.
Department of Agriculture, and
in several city bus systems in the Midwest, amounting to a
700% increase in the last 6 months.
Currently there are at least seven companies marketing vegetable and soy based
biodiesel in the U.S.. However, their biodiesel costs over $2.501 gallon because the oil
is fully refined virgin oil and not waste fryer grease. At CCAT our oil is used, usually
destined for a landfill, or in small quantities, refined for livestock feed. We get our used oil
for free and our biodiesel costs us under $1.001 gallon (labor not included).
In 1992, Congress passed the Energy Policy Act to promote the use of alternative
fuels. Biodiesel is the only alternative that has been approved by the EPA's Health Effects
testing under the Clean Air Act. Biodiesel offers safer storage and handling than
petroleum diesel, it is 100% biodegradable and a non-toxic fuel. As a supplemental
fuel source, biodiesel can help reduce the amount of petroleum diesel burned, and in
doing so can reduce the net amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere by
78%. Biodiesel readily mixes with standard diesel
at any fuel ratio with no complications. Moreover,
biodiesel requires no engine modifications to
receive the fuel, and is equal to petroleum diesel in
terms of power and fuel economy.
Homebrew biodiesel made from waste
fryer grease is a viable way to reduce green house
gases while also freeing ourselves from the clutches
of oil companies. You can make it for yourself or
form a co-op that supplies your neighborhood.

Resources and Sources:

The National Soy Diesel Development Board
www.biodeisel.org
www.vegglevan.org
www.woodwind.com/dancing-rabbit/biodesiel/
index.html
The Environmental Protection Agency
www.epa.gov
Andrew Cooper at 707.826.2963 or
dad O@axe.humboldt.edu
You can also phone CCAT at 707.826.3551 to
organize demonstrations or tours.

18 Appropriate Technology Transfer

 So your house is drafty, your windows are single paned, and its cold in the winter!
What are you going to do? Insist your landlord install double paned windows at $300 a
pop and then raise your rent proportionately? Or if you own your own house, do you want
to spend the rest of your year going room to room replacing
windows and living in a perpetual construction project? Maybe
you do, and if so, more power to you, but here's a possibility for
those of you that need a third route.
Thermal curtains are neat. They look nice. They insulate
twice as well as double paned windows, and they cost about a
tenth as much. If you were to compare the amount of work you'd
have to do to (A) convince your landlord, (B) install windows
yourself, or (C) work to pay someone else to do the work, they are by far your best option.
So what are they? They can be a lot of things, everything from a blanket from your
basement (not always pretty, but it can work) to a very fancy and attractive curtain with a pull
cord. This article will be a brief overview of the different curtains, with special focus on the
most attractive option that is still relatively easy. First, some principles of making a thermal
curtain that apply no matter what kind of curtain you're making.
1) You'll want to be able to keep your curtain tight against the wall. If you can't seal the
curtain to the wall fairly well, cold air will flow out of the "cracks" in the seal like water. Below
we'll talk about different ways to seal the curtain.
2) You want to be able to easily raise your curtain, or push it to the side. Nothing is
more depressing than a dark room. If you don't expend a little extra energy up front making
an easy way of getting your curtain up in the morning, you'll get lazy and just start leaving
the curtain down during the day.
3) Make a pouch in the bottom of the curtain to
~~JIJIIOIiUt"" hold a heavy bar, wooden dowel, rod of metal, or something
that will pull the curtain straight and can rest on the window
frame to make a seal (or can push against the wall if there is
F:I~14
no window frame).
4) Wrap the top of the curtain around a lx2 board,
~':'.~:': staple, screw, or nail it to the board, and then mount the board
to the top of the frame. This will allow you to hide the mount
with pretty fabric wrapped over the board, and will make for
a secure mount.
5) Aesthetics make a difference. If you make an ugly
curtain, you'll live with it for years, or until you get sick of it
and take it down even though it could last many more years.
Try to resist the forces of convenience and spend the extra time
CLn!lnl finding materials you like and making the edges neat, ete.
6) Things fall apart. Curtains, normal and "thermal",
don't generally last beyond a decade. Plan to take a look at
"/ ,,,,-- WIDdCn\' your curtain every year or three and make sure it's holding
/-
/..-'"",-/ up. If you make a curtain with more moving parts (a pull
/,,---
cord, for example) it will suffer more wear and tear than a
ROT,L-UP DESIGN simpler curtain.

Thermal curtains continued on page 22.

Fall2000 11
 Diverse activities are happening in the garden
realm. Last week we were shoveling horse manure
with volunteers, and today we are
printing internship manuals and
working on a living fence pro-
posal. It is a great pleasure to
work with students on projects,
while facilitating the vision of
by Michael Padget more integrated garden systems at
CCAT. I would like to share with
you that vision and some of the exciting events taking
place. To truly understand the scope of our activities in the
organic vegetable gardens you will need to do two things.
First put on you thinking cap and second imagine you are on site at CCAT's organic gardens.
The first thing you might notice is flowing patches of tall buckwheat, newly emerging fava
beans from a blanket of straw, and the bustling activity of 15 or so gardeners. The last of the
summer flowers might also catch you attention, as they radiate beautifully amidst gardeners
who are planting the seeds of plants and ideas.
Community Gardening Internship
CCAT is beginning a new gardening internship this semester for 1 unit of academic
credit through Environmental Science 480. Our focus is a hands on approach working directly
with the garden projects while teaching along the way. Applied learning through projects,
reading assignments, attendance, and a final garden design project, will result in a certificate
of completion for each intern.
Some of our projects are building a strawbale compost terrace, stabilizing a hill
side, and distinguishing pathway borders. In addition we are planting cover crops, weeding
the infamous morning glory root, planting a fall garden, snacking on tomatoes from the
greenhouse, pruning raspberries, and preparing for the harvest sale.
Community Gardening Manual
The first edition of the community gardening manual was printed in Septem-
ber as a supplement to the Community Gardening Internship. The manual is a
90-page compilation of reading materials from organic gardening, farming, and
permaculture experts. The aim is to teach the basics of gardening and useful
things to know.
Organic Gardening Journal
Our journal will be used to track weather patterns, planting dates, observa-
tions, integrated pest management outcomes, soil analysis testing, crop rotation,
seed varieties, projects, and reflections on life. The journal will also provide
future gardeners with a historical reference of CCAT's garden activities.
Forest Gardening
The grounds department and organic vegetable gardens are teaming up this
fall to begin planting forest gardens at CCAT. A forest garden combines multi-
CCAT gardeners
Michael Padget and storied forest patterning with edible garden plants. Diverse varieties of fruit trees, legumes,
Sarah Wolf perennials, vines, annuals, root crops, vegetables, herbs, and animals, are assembled together
in harmonious configuration. The design of a forest garden mimics the patterns of natural
forest. At the same time it provides resources to people without energy loss (excesswork) or
pollution. Our plan this year is to incorporate forest gardening so that the garden does most of
the work (self mulching, low weed germination and minimum water loss) which would allow
each CCAT gardener to assume the role of garden stewardship.

12 Appropriate Technology Transfer

 Living Fence Design
A multi-purpoe fence design is in the workings to keep oUt deer and to
provide a barrier between the CCAT site and current construction, which will
be ongoing for the next few years. Gardeners and grounds keepers are drawing
up a proposal a integrated living fence. We will be designing a fence which
demonstrates different appropriate technology ideas. For example, we would
like to experiment with building composting fence, strawbale and stone walls,
bamboo fence and recycled wood fence. A five-year plan will be drawn up to
design interpretive signs, and an outdoor class room into the fencing system for
a radically new, creative, and artistic educational tool.

Jude Gavigan CCAT

groundskeeper.

Volunteer Beka Wilson

weeding CCAT
gardens.

Fall 2000 13
 After twenty-two years of hard work and dedication, Dr. Peter Lehman is retiring

from the faculty advisor position at CCAT. Peter has been working with students, university

administration, and other steering committee members since CCAT

began in order to develop the best possible program. He has seen

us through numerous "last stands" and has been there to celebrate

exciting developments and victories.

We would like to offer Peter a deep and heartfelt thank

you from all CCATers of the past, present, and future. However,

it would be impossible to extend enough thanks in order to express the

immense gratitude that we have for Peter and for all that he has done

for CCAT over the years. Peter is the director of the Schatz Energy

Laboratory and is a professor in the Environmental Resource Engineering

department, so he will not be far, but there is no question that he will still

be missed. I feel fortunate to have been able to work closely with Peter as a

co-director this past year. The insight, perspective, guidance, and support

that Peter has provided for us at CCAT and to the program and mission
in general is irreplaceable.Without him CCAT would not be what itis
today. We thank you Peter, and appreciate you very much.

CCAT is happy to welcome John Meyer aboard as our new faculty advisor.John is
an Assistant PoliticalScience Professor who has been active with the Environmental Science

Degree curriculum and has been on CCAT's steering committee. As our

new advisor,John has been working with us in our everyday (and not
so everyday) dealings! John's introduction to being faculty advisor was

somewhat of a trial by fire wherein he got to respond to some Master

r Plan aftershocks
10 minutes
his first day. Just
after he signed his

by Emilia Patrie initial paperwork, Dr. Meyer was

called into an emergency meeting

& Sean Dockery to discuss paving CCAT's back

yard for a handicap parking lot.

Thanks to Dr. Meyer and all

the folks working on the project,we were able to move
the lot out of the yard and provide better handicapped
access to both the new BSS building as well as to CCAT.
Since then, Dr. Meyer has activelybeen helping us
with the innumerable challenges found only at CCAT.
Thank you and welcome aboard.

14 Appropriate Technology Transfer

 Socialism, progressivism, the Civil Rights Movement. . .throughout history these ide-
ologies developed from the quest for justice- for what is right. Today a new ideology
emerges, born also from the desire for what is right- environmentalism. To
many, environmentalism brings images of "bleeding heart" liberals pleading with
big businesses and the government not to take advantage of the earth. And we
("bleeding heart" liberals) see big business generally as perpetrators of capitalism
without regard to the environment. It is these images of environmentalism
that we need to change. Environmentalism is not an antagonist to capitalism.
Environmentalism is just one aspect of appropriate technology, and appropriate technology
is any technology or idea that is sustainable, balanced, and efficient. Therefore, environmental-
ism is not only about pollution, logging, or saving the rainforest. But it is evidence of a
fundamental change in the way our political, economic, and social ideologies are developing.
Rather than these systems developing from conquering and exploiting, as they historically have
done, we are shifting these systems towards balance. This balance exposes itself in one aspect as
environmentalism, but the shift towards a more balanced environment will also bring balance
to our industries and economies. Balance will in turn bring efficiency and growth. As with the
environment, nothing, including our economy, can survive for very long out of balance. Our
industries have already felt the pressute of being out of balance, and the economic rewards
of appropriate technology.
Recognizing this shift in consciousness, it is vital that we understand why and where
the shift is going. The environment is not a place, a thing, which has finite boundaries that we
can fence in and separate from ourselves. Environmentalism transcends environmental issues
and effects every aspect of our lives. Our earth is an ecosystem and the environment, our
economy, our politics.. .are reactants and products within this system. One infinitely affects
another. So, rather than clean polluted reservoirs just so we have safe drinking water, we
need to clean them because they are polluted. Our bad drinking water is just one effect of
the upset of balance within the whole system. Much greater effects lie beyond our sight and
impose innumerable consequences. We must create equality for all people not because it is
politically and economically advantageous, but because our societies need to be in balance with
one another. As reactants in the system, what we do to one another will determine what we
produce. We have seen the effects of slavery, bigotry, intolerance... we have seen the effects on
our economies, our societies, and our environment.
Critics will ask who cares.. .what difference does it make? Look to yourself, your
children, to find out who should care. What we do now will affect what we deal with in
the future and what we leave our children to deal with. Exploitation of people and the
environment came about from ideas and they can come about again unless we change these
ideas. What can we do.. .What can you do?. .It's all about our ways ofliving and accepting
responsibility for actions of which the outcomes may not necessarily be evident. As individuals,
we cannot change the world and fight every cause, but our beliefs will shape our lives and
affect others (especially our children). We can focus on one or two things and do them.
We can talk about the rest. Listen to others. Educate and allow that education to spread.
So choose one cause and believe in it- ACT on it. Your belief will make a difference.
Not necessarily an immediate, glorifYingdifference, but a small shift. It is these small shifts
that will change the world.
Use your power.
Challenge your limits.
Strive for equilibrium.
Experience with an open heart.
Learn with an open mind.

Fall2000 15
 {J (J
"

All- Purpose Household Cleaner

1 quart warm water
1 teaspoon liquid soap
1 teaspoon borax
squeeze of lemon or splash of vinegar
This solution can be used for a mul-
titued of cleaning jobs including countertops, floor, walls, rugs and upholstery.

Mildew Cleanser
Scrub with baking soda or borax. For extended mold inhibition, do not rinse off.

Oven Cleanser
Scrub with 2 tablespoons or more of baking soda and 1 teaspoon of borax in 1 gallon of water,
I using very fine steel wool (0000). Wear gloves.
For very baked-on spots, try scrubbing with pumice.

Spot Removers
All purpose: 1/4 cup borax in 2 cups cold water. Soak the stain prior to washing as usual.
For blood: Pour 3% hydrogen peroxide solution directly on the stain before rinsing with water
then wash as usual.
For Ink: Apply a paste of lemon juice and cream of tartar. Allow it to dry, then wash as usual.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner

Scrub with a 1/4 cup borax in 1/2 gallon water.

Laundry Detergents
Use soap flakes with 1/2 cup borax added as a water softener.
As a compromise, use a synthetic detergent that does not contain added fabric softeners
(cationic surfactants) or bleach (sodium perborate or percarbonate).

Glass Cleaner
1/4 cup vinegar in 1 quart warm water (do not use this as a windshield wiper solution, as it
may damage the pump; use plain water for this purpose).

Furniture Polish
1 pint mineral oil with a few drops of lemon juice.

Disinfectant
1/2 cup borax in 1 gallon hot water.

16 Appropriate Technology Transfer

 Housing is a basic need for every individual on earth. Approximately a quarter of the
world's population does not have adequate housing. Without adequate, affordable housing,
families cannot live productive lives and children suffer physical (asthma,
electrical fires, anemia, lead poisoning) and psychological damage. Many
of our housing problems are faced by poor families with children, seniors,
single parents, minorities, immigrants, and families who are renting and
therefore receive no government assistance.
Mfordable housing- the government defines it as "any type of hous-
ing that absorbs no more than 30 percent of a family's income. But more
by Michelle Ridlehoover than 14 million households in the United States pay over 50 percent of
their income for rent and utilities. (Builder magazine, July 1999)" What we
need to focus on is equity-building ownership. That is just what one international organization
is doing. Founded in 1976 out of the need for basic affordable housing, Habitat for Humanity
International has helped build over 100,000 homes around the world. Habitat houses give
families modest, decent, and affordable places to live. They are sold at no profit and with no
interest on the mortgage. Homeowners and volunteers build the houses with trained supervi-
sors. Financial support is from individuals, corporations, and other groups. There are 1,900
Habitat affiliates worldwide including our own local one- Humboldt Habitat for Humanity.
According to Michael Margenau, local volunteer coordinator, homeowners are chosen based
on need, ability to repay, and their willingness to work on the house... "sweat equity." "Sweat
equity" is one way that Habitat can keep the cost of the house down. A family's hands-on
contribution generally amounts to about 300 to 500 hours. This reduces the cost of the house,
increases the families stake in the house, and helps build community development. If you
put yourself into a house- physically help to build it- you will respect it as you do yourself
Your pride in yourself extends into your home and into the community. A sense of self fosters
a sense of place and a sense of hope. Local projects have included the Habitat Village in
Mckinleyville. Approximately two acres were donated and one Habitat house was built a few
years ago. A second house was finished in September of this year, and seven more will be built
along with a central parkway.
Habitat for Humanity also focuses on sustainable housing. The "Green Team" is a
group of individuals within the organization that place their emphasis on resource efficiency,
the conservation of construction materials, energy efficiency, and environmental sensitivity.
Also, Green Home, a non-profit group based in Washington, D.c., has partnered with Habitat
International to increase efficiency within the houses. One project, Operation Caulk, sends
volunteers to completed Habitat homes to make the sites more energy efficient and to educate
families on living efficiently. These organizations are heroes to the housing industry. Their
efforts are vital and support is needed to maintain these programs.

Resources:
www.habitar.org
www.greenhome.org or (202)686-0883
Habitat for Humanity International
121 Habitat Street
Americus, GA 31709-3498
(912)924-6935
Local affiliate:
Mike Margenau
Humboldt Habitat for Humanity
Eureka, CA 95502-6710
(707)441-1006

Fall2000 17
 Cuba's achievements in organic agriculture, reforestation, alternative transportation
and energy conservation have the attention of the world's environmental community. The
fall of the Soviet Union, while causing a severe economic crisis
during the 1990's, has spurred ingenious efforts in sustainability
which Cubans recognize as having made them a stronger, more
independent nation. They have taken the Chinese proverb to heart,
and have turned crisis into opportunity.
In September of this year the Cuban government announced
an ambitious 6 month plan to install PV systems on the remaining
300 schools in the country that currently are without power. In
order to achieve this Herculean task, layworkers and students are forming "microbrigades"
-much like the way Cubans cooperate to build their houses, that will help PV technicians
install the systems. Imagine the "Take your bedroom off the grid" workshops that our local
Redwood Alliance puts on in Arcata-but on a massive scale, and you start to get the idea of
the national calling that is taking place in Cuba at this time. Cuba is ripe for "demand-driven
development". As I have found through my several research trips there over the past year, they
have been demanding development for 41 years. This strange odyssey called my masters
degree began in January 2000 during my first visit to Cuba. On that trip I sought out and
met several people in the renewable energy field in Cuba and was graciously given copies of
"Energia yTu" (Energy and You), the Cuban popular magazine on renwable energy. I read
about the need to "democratize energy for development" through the use of solar power world-
wide, and the need to "create a new energy conscience" based on conservation and efficiency,
the promotion of renewable energies, and respect for the environment. Ten thousand copies
of the magazine are published quarterly in Cuba, and are distributed throughout the schools,
the professional energy sector, and to their congress (the National Assembly). It was then that
I began to think about CCAT and our own
efforts at public education and outreach.
In April of this year, thanks to HSU engi-
neering faculty and Graduate Council support,
I returned to Cuba to participate in an interna-
tional conference on renewable energies. The
conference was organized by CUBASOLAR,
Cuba's leading NGO entrusted with coordinat-
ing the country's renewable energy program. In
a poster session entitled "Culture and Energy
Conscience: General and Specialized Forma-
tion", I presented CCAT as a university model
of teaching consciousness about energy use and
sustainable living. Now Cubans, being both
smart and visionary, loved CCAT.
Ironically, the conference took place just at
the time when CCAT was in danger of being
stepped on by the footprint of the new Fine
Arts building. I was moved by the international show of solidarity with our humble center
as I got over 60 conference participants to sign a statement of support for CCAT as
Photovoltaic panels an "internationally significant model of energy and resource education." They admired
electrify a rural school the incorporation of CCAT projects into the engineering curriculum at HSU, out center's
in £1 Jigue, Granma
Province. multidisciplinary appeal, as well as the student-run activities and workshops.
During my research in Cuba this summer, I went to see a professor at the Eastern

18 Appropriate Technology Transfer

 University in the colonial coastal city of Santiago de Cuba. I found out that he and other
faculty had been interested in my poster of CCAT at the CUBASOLAR conference, and
had themselves begun plans for a CCAT-style
conversion of not one, but three unused houses
on their university's campus! Students, too,
have become actively involved in this home-
grown project. It will be fascinating to see how
their project develops, as it could hold lessons
for such centers in other universities, especially
in the developing world.
As the AT Transfer goes to press, part of a
national aid caravan, organized by Pastors for
Peace (www.ifconews.org) is passing through
Arcata on its way to Cuba. "Los Pastores,"
as the Cubans fondly call the caravanistas,
have been organizing these caravans for over
a decade in order to bring aid to Cuba and
to raise awareness in the American public
about the U.S. embargo against the island.
The theme of this next caravan is renewable energy and alternative transportation aid.
HSU engineering students are making an electric bicycle and a pedal-powered washing
machine/blender to put on the caravan. We will also spend the day that the caravan is
here painting renewable energy signs and mes-
sages of friendship on the bus, which will be
donated to Cuba and used in public transpor-
tation there. Viva international AT transfer!

Resources:
CUBASOLAR
www.nodo50.org/convocaticubasolar.htm
www.igc.apc.org/cubasoli/aawh.htmi
www.global exchange.org/
cam paigns/ cuba/

Top: Members of
CUBASOLAR at the
Appropriate Technology
Research Center (CITA) in
Camaguey. Bottom: Solar-
powered radio and lamp,
distributed to teachers in
rural unelectrined schools.

Fall2000 19
 As the 20th century comes to a close, the future holds fruitful opportunities and state
mandated challenges for the Campus Center for Appropriate Technology. Recently, CCAT has
been the center of HSU Physical Services attention, due to the
recent placement of CCAT on the Master Plan. The engineers
and inspectors of the Physical Services have cited a number of
improvements in the structUral integrity. The staff and volunteers
at CCAT view this as a perfect time to focus the creative energies
of the CCAT community on cleansing, healing, and regenerating
by Matthew Rhode CCAT programs and physical structUres. In the upcoming year,
Buck House will be retrofitted with a "beefed-up" foundation, as
well as a new electrical system that may be re-connected to the grid via a utility inter-active
system.
While many volunteers and staff are focusing on regenerating the Buck House, many
others are looking to the futUre of the CCAT program. When the Buck House was placed
on the Master Plan, the CCAT program also was given a site located just two blocks east of
the Buck House. The cite will be the future home of the CE.E.T building, a green building
that will act as classroom and research center for stUdents. While the CE.E.T building is
still years in the future, there are still plenty of creative opportunities available at CCAT in
the next semester.
On going projects include: finish up the straw-bale shed, perma-culture design
courses, pedal power technological innovations, solar cooking, alternative fuels (Biodiesel),
"interp" projects, and a variety of workshops, just to name a few. Join us on our many exciting
projects or offer your own workshops through CCAT.

' ,
~;:,_m gs C~-M~ki'r%\\
,::~m~m...' . 'i'\ .
\\~
" sma\f'Thrn !
\(,. a Big DiffereT\~& c'~
,~,:.,;,,"...",,:::;;,:,'}"'" "m.m_m.:.C=.-'--

~\:

20 Appropriate Technology Transfer

 s
Sometimes our light goes out but is blown into flame by
another human being. Each of owes deepest thanks to
those who have rekindled this light.
Albert Schweitzer

The CCAT Organic Gardeners give our thanks and greatest appreciation to George
Stevens at Confluence NatUre Farm for his generous donation of premium quality organic
heirloom seeds. Synergy Seed, George's seed company name, is an important step forward
for CCAT's own heirloom seed bank. A seed bank at CCAT will enable a more accurate
demonstration of sustainable farming. Plus, the storing of our own seeds can provide a
worthwhile financial retUrn in futUre years.

If you would like to purchase Synergy Seed from George

at Confluence Nature Farm please visit his web site or
send an email.
Email: synergyseeds.com
Web: synergy67@hotmail.com

Thank You George!

Michael & Sarah

As always, the AT Transfer would not happen

without the help of so many people. We would like to
thank all of the volunteers, interns, CCAT staff, and
Associated Students. A special thank you goes to Peter
Lehman and John Meyer who have (and will) tackle
many of the issues CCAT faces.
Last but certainly not least, Kristi and I would like to express our undying gratitUde
and appreciation to Carolyn Widner and the Resource Planning and Interpretation Depart-
ment, without whose help and understanding we would not have completed this issue in good
time- THANK YOU!
 Master Plan contunued from page 6.

We have won, at least until the next Master Plan review in ten years. Celebrations
took place at a local Den of Inebriation and Revelry, and we're still basking in the glow of
success. Donations are up now that people know they're not throwing their money away,
and we've begun a serious physical overhaul of the house, from the foundation on up through
all the systems. And to all of you former volunteers, employees, co-directors and community
advocates we, the current herd of students at CCAT, would like to extend our most heartfelt
thanks for the work you did to make CCAT strong enough to deserve a permanent place at
HSU. We all won last May.

Thermal Curtain continued from page 7.

Types of curtains: The Blanket Curtain

This curtain is especially popular among college students. You know, one of those
synthetic blankets that is pulled out of the closet when guests are visiting. You don't want a
wool blanket, because it will mold more readily than synthetic fabric. A blanket doesn't offer as
much insulation as the Warm Windows material discussed below, but it's cheap and fast. Take
the blanket, cut it to fit your window, nail, staple, or screw it to the lx2 board and mount that
above window. It can be that simple. If you want it a little fancier, sew a pretty piece of fabric
to the blanket so the side that faces in looks like a real curtain instead of an old blanket. If
you want to spend a little more money, you could buy an emergency blanket, one of those
space age looking things you bring on back packing trips, and sew to the first blanket as
additional insulation. Since it is reflective it will reflect infrared light, which is about 15%
of the heat in your home.
The Warm Windows Curtain
The blanket curtain is cheap but not as effective an insulator as buying a pre-made material
like the Warm Windows material. It's made by the Warm Company, and it is great stuff.
Warm Windows material is made of many layers of insulation and reflective material sewn
together into one "fabric." It comes by the yard and is 45 inches wide, so it fits most windows
and can be sewn together for bigger picture windows. If a single pane of glass has an "R" value
(resistance to heat flow) of .5-1, and a double paned window has an "R" value of3-4, Warm
Windows has an "R" value of 8! It costs between $10 and $20 a yard, depending on your
source. When you buy Warm Windows material it comes with instructions, which I did not
find very easy to follow when I made my first curtain. In particular, their design calls for a
pull cord, guide to be hand sewn in rows on the back of the curtain, and magnetic strips both
inside and ourside of the curtain to hold it against the wall. This makes for a very attractive
curtain, bur it is extremely labor intensive to sew the guide rings by hand, fairly complicated to
sew channels for the magnets to go inside of the curtain, and both the pull cord and the rings
tend to break over time. If you want a "conventional" looking curtain, this is the right one for
you, although I recommend buying the supplemental instructions if this is your first curtain.
But if you don't mind a few small alterations, read on.
The Modified Warm Wmdows Curtain
The first change I would recommend is to avoid installing the pull cord. This prevents all
the installation difficulty and maintenance problems mentioned above. The question is then,
"How do you raise the curtain?" A medium sized window curtain can easily be rolled up by
hand, and if there is a tie sewn behind the curtain you can pull it around and tie it to a screw
or loop it over a hook. This will hold the curtain up and require very little energy to install.

22 Appropriate Technology Transfer

 The second change is to ditch the magnets. Instead, install a piece of lx2 on either side of the
window on spring hinges. These hinges are available at any hardware store. Get large ones so
they have enough force to hold the curtain and wood together. Then paint the wood (or leave
it bare if the frames are bare wood) so it matches the window frame or the wall. If you have no
wooden window frame, you can still mount the lx2s with drywall screws. The advantages of
using lx2 on spring hinges are the ease of installation, their durability, and their attractiveness.
If you can't or don't want to use lx2s, I would still recommend finding another way besides
magnets to seal the curtain against the wall.
Magnets are just so difficult to sew into the curtain, even putting snaps or Velcro strips on the
window frame and curtain would be easier.
What if my window is a sliding door, or is too big for a hand rolled curtain? In either
of these cases I recommend making a sliding curtain. This requires installing a large wooden
dowel at the top of the window that can let the curtain slide back and forth. This allows you
to avoid hand sewing all the loops for the pull cord, but since the dowel will hold the curtain
farther away from the window it is even more important that you have a way of keeping a
tight seal around the frame.
Where can I get materials?
Fabron Window Covering has the cheapest Warm Windows material in the Humboldt Bay
area as of fall of 2000, and they're in the Yellow Pages. All other fabric can be bought at one
of our fine local sewing establishments.
Thermal curtains will make your home much warmer and more attractive. They will
also save you many times the cost of their installation over the years, and prevent the release
of greenhouse gasses created by heating your house with wood or fossil fuels. Good luck, and
happy home heating!

Resources:
www.humboldt.edu/ ~ccat/renew/curtain.html
-",:: www.kie.berkeley.edu/ned/data/EOI-981009-008.html
';if
p www.teplllc.com

Fall2000 23
Campus Center For NON-PROFIT
Appropriate Technology ORGANIZATION
CCAT,HSU u.S. POSTAGE
Arcata, CA 95521
(707) 826-3551 PAID
Fax(707) 826-3772 PERMIT #78
E-mail:ccat@axe.humboldt.edu ARCATA, CA
hup:/ /www.humboldt.edu/~ccat 95521

~" t;:;o

Treesare the earth~s endless effort to speak to the listening heaven.

-Rabindranath Tagor
Fire(lies7 1928

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