alone, over 200 millions tons of waste straw are generated each year, much of which is burned, contributing to air quality problems. Plus, straw is actually a waste product, what’s left over when grains are harvested. The R-value of straw bales is a bit controversial, but recent tests put a straw bale wall at R-30 to 35, perfect for the cold winters and hot summers of Colorado. Straw bales are highly insulating, environmentally friendly, and can be locally sourced. While people who hear that always joke about the childhood fable of the big bad wolf, I was determined. I long knew I wanted to build with straw. The first decision we had to make was what to build with. How could we build our dream home and stay within our budget, all while contributing the least amount possible towards climate change? We learned that we had to make some tradeoffs, but that investing more up front was well worth it, as it ended up providing more comfort, reducing our carbon footprint, and saving us money in the long run. The average single family home in the United States generates more than 160,000 pounds of greenhouse gasses each year.
However, the hard work was just beginning. When my husband and I were finally fortunate enough to purchase a piece of land, I was ecstatic that my dream was going to come true. I wanted it to be beautiful, comfortable, healthy, and as environmentally friendly as possible.
I had long dreamed of building my own home.
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