Silk Purses from Sow's Ears: Denim Pine
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 12.10.05
It is not quite as cold as it used to be in British Columbia, and the Mountain Pine Beetle has moved north to devastate the lodgepole pine forests, where a billion cubic metres of timber are at risk. As the trees die from the beetle infestation, the wood is stained blue by an associated fungus and deemed unmarketable- there is talk of chipping it for a new biofuel plant. Others are trying to make a virtue of necessity- they have labelled it "Denim Pine" and suggest that "It died from natural causes. In fact you'd be helping clear the way for new growth, Employing the local communities of those hardest hit by the beetle's wrath, and helping develop an even better rainforest for our children's children's to enjoy." We find the idea interesting- log homes have always seemed untreehugger to us but if it is already dead, that is another story. It worked for the Chinese Gooseberry (kiwifruit) worked too well for the Patagonian Toothfish (Chilean Sea Bass) why not rebrand beetle and fungus infested lumber? Low rent website at ::Denim Pine
goood points lloyd-- can't sit on our laurels if the trees have already been killed by the Beatles...
but why tell 'em to make inefficient log homes? Ive seen some AWESOME earth lodges made from standing dead trees (earth lodges can only withstand Ice Ages... hey why not?) or at the very least if you are goingto salvage these trees an dmake the best of it--- go for Cordwood there's good ways to use wood and bad ones... and if you choose an efficient way you'd actually be, like, paying homage to the trees... those Abraham Lincoln log homes are way inneficient
"worked well too for the Patagonian toothfish..."
I bet I know a few Patagonian toothfish who would disagree.
LA: please note that I wrote "worked too well"- completely different meaning.
Log houses may well not be the most efficient (in terms of energy used to heat the house). But If the timbers are used without too much processing they save a fantastic amount of energy in manufacturing of the house (Concrete & plastics etc). Most (and here I generalise terribly) 'Eco-friendly' houses take a decade or so to reclaim the additional energy expenditure used in their manufacture.
Nevertheless a well insulated Log house can equal many other building types in terms of efficiency
what?? you're not just generalizing, i'd say you're making that up! are you going to tell me that cob houses, regular straw bales, and earthships "take a decade or so to reclaim the additional energy expenditure" really? in what dimention?
at this point and time since there are still no real "designer" eco home manaufactureres cutting the corners to make more profit-- tales of plastic costs are ludicrous as people doing eco homes are not using virgin plastic (perhaps maybe using that recycled plastic for decking, but then too lifecycle versus treated wood? questionsable)
and dont get me started with Yurts and Earthlodges, but especially with homes that reuse materials, which in my experience is "most" eco homes, your talking about a greatly reduced lifecycle.
Any log cabin not made from salvaged wood is wasteful and innefficient by design.
and to say that "Nevertheless a well insulated Log house can equal many other building types in terms of efficiency" is the saying nothing..most log cabins are made to appareciate the interios being log cabin, the inslation is the logs and no, it is not as efficient. Especially when you want to foolishly lump it in with the effciicency fo a well designed green building-- say soimethning with a double-skin wall and passive solar.. you just can't say that.
and again, if you really want to use those (salvaged,i hope)logs- do circular cordwood you will have R75walls and can say its all natural. Log Cabins may be quaint and they were great for Lincoln 200 years ago, but times have changed.