Healing Appalachia: Sustainable Living through Appropriate Technology

452 Pages·2007·3.99 MB·English

by  Al Fritsch

Healing Appalachia
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Healing Appalachia
S L
USTAINABLE IVING THROUGH
A T
PPROPRIATE ECHNOLOGY
A F P G
L RITSCH AND AUL ALLIMORE
THE UNIVERSITY PRESS OF KENTUCKY
Publication of this volume was made possible in part by a grant from the
National Endowment for the Humanities.
Copyright © 2007 by The University Press of Kentucky
Scholarly publisher for the Commonwealth,
serving Bellarmine University, Berea College, Centre College of
Kentucky, Eastern Kentucky University, The Filson Historical Society,
Georgetown College, Kentucky Historical Society, Kentucky State
University, Morehead State University, Murray State University,
Northern Kentucky University, Transylvania University,
University of Kentucky, University of Louisville,
and Western Kentucky University.
All rights reserved.
Editorial and Sales Offices:The University Press of Kentucky
663 South Limestone Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40508-4008
www.kentuckypress.com
11 10 09 08 07 5 4 3 2 1
Diagramsby Mark Spencer.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Fritsch, Albert J.
Healing Appalachia : sustainable living through appropriate technology
/ Al Fritsch and Paul Gallimore.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-13: 978-0-8131-2431-5 (hardcover : alk. paper)
ISBN-10: 0-8131-2431-X (hardcover : alk. paper)
ISBN-13: 978-0-8131-9177-5 (pbk. : alk. paper)
ISBN-10: 0-8131-9177-7 (pbk. : alk. paper)
1. Appropriate technology—Appalachian Region. 2. Sustainable
living—Appalachian Region 3. Bioregionalism—Appalachian Region. 4.
Environmental protection—Appalachian Region. 5. Green products. I.
Gallimore, Paul, 1947– II. Title.
T21.5.A67F75 2007
728'.047—dc22
2007001530
This book is printed on acid-free recycled paper meeting
the requirements of the American National Standard
for Permanence in Paper for Printed Library Materials.
Manufactured in the United States of America.
Member of the Association of
American University Presses
Contents
List of Illustrations xi0
Acknowledgments xv0
Introduction 10
The Global Situation 5
Challenges Ahead 7
Criteria for Selecting Appropriate Technologies 10
Examples 17
Structure of This Book 26
01 Solar Photovoltaics 270
Domestic Electricity 29
Energy Conservation through Lighting 31
PV Appliances 33
Net Metering 35
2 Microhydropower 380
Microhydropower Potential 40
System Descriptions 41
Civil Works 43
Advantages and Concerns 45
3 Wind Power 480
U.S. Wind Power 50
Appalachia and Wind Power 51
Residential Wind Power Decisions 57
vi (cid:2) Contents
4 Wood Heating 590
Types of Wood Heaters 59
Government Efficiency Standards 65
Fuel and Heater Use and Maintenance 66
Limitations of Wood 68
5 Solar Heating Applications 700
Solar Water Heating 71
Solar Cookers and Ovens 75
“Solar” Clothes Drying 77
6 Shade Trees and Windbreaks 790
Siting 80
Shade Trees 81
Wind Barriers 85
Multipurpose Landscaping 87
7 Food Preservation 890
Root Cellars 90
Canning, Pickling, and Smoking 92
Solar Food Drying 94
Freezing the Surplus 95
Protecting with Mulch
and Temporary Cold Frames 97
8 Edible Landscaping 100
Landscape as Decoration 100
Edible Landscape Options 101
Domestic Wildscape 107
Beekeeping 109
Green Lawn Mowing 110
9 Intensive and Organic Gardening and Orcharding 113
Intensive Gardening and Orcharding 114
Organic Produce 118
10 Regional Heritage Plants 124
American Chestnuts 126
Heirloom Apples 128
Contents (cid:2) vii
Heritage Herbs 129
Seed-Saving Techniques 131
11 Solar Greenhouses and Season Extenders 134
Siting and Placement 138
Construction 140
Proper Maintenance 142
Produce Choice 145
12 Wildlife Habitat Restoration 148
Sharing a Limited Habitat 149
Minimizing Habitat Disturbances 152
Creating Habitats 155
13 Nontimber Forest Products 160
Tourism 160
Native Foods 161
Fuel 162
Medicinals 162
Handcraft and Home Products 163
Seeds and Plants 163
Chips and Other Nontimber Tree Products 164
A Nontimber Forest Product Ethic 164
A Pledge to Sustain Forest Ecosystems 168
14 Silvicultural Practices 170
Tree Selection for Planting and Harvesting 172
Replacement Planting 174
Thinning and Management 175
Harvesting 177
15 Wildcrafting 180
Wildcrafting for Food 181
Ginseng and Other Medicinals 191
Ornamental and Other Uses of Wild Plants 194
16 Constructed or Artificial Wetlands 196
Highlights of Construction 201
Wetland Plants 203
viii (cid:2) Contents
17 Land Reclamation with Native Species 207
Exotic Species 209
Past and Current Reclamation Practices 212
Future Reclamation 214
18 Retreat Cabin Sites 217
Appalachia: An Ideal Retreat 218
Selection of Place 219
Construction Suggestions 223
Using Sacred Space 226
19 Energy-Efficient Passive Solar Design 228
Solar Siting 229
Solar Construction 230
Solar Glazing 232
Thermal Mass: Heat Retention Systems 233
Ventilation 233
Insulation and Energy Conservation 234
20 Natural Cooling 238
Cooling by Blocking the Sun 242
Ventilation 246
Reducing Heat Sources 248
Heat Pumps and Geothermal Energy 249
21 Native Building Materials 252
Wood 252
Stone 257
Earth Materials 261
Pressed Earth 267
22 Cordwood Structures 276
Advantages of Cordwood Buildings 277
Construction 279
Maintenance 283
Spreading the Word 284
Contents (cid:2) ix
23 Yurts in Appalachia 286
Advantages and Disadvantages 288
Variety and Utility of Yurts 292
Construction Tips 293
24 Simple Modes of Transportation 296
General Travel Modes 297
Guidelines for Appropriate Automobile Use 298
The ASPI Solar Electric Car 303
25 Composting and Vermicomposting 308
Advantages of Composting 309
The Art of Composting 310
Vermicomposting 315
26 Composting Toilets 319
How the Composting Toilet Works 321
Maintenance 322
Types of Composters 323
Road to Acceptance 327
27 Recycled, Salvaged, and Deconstructed Materials 331
Recycling Materials 332
Salvaged and Deconstructed Materials 334
Domestic Source Reduction 337
28 Ponds and Aquaculture 340
Rural Farm Ponds 341
Aquaculture 343
Planning for Ponds and Aquaculture 347
29 Cisterns and Water Catchments 350
Cistern Siting and Size 352
Construction Methods and Materials 354
Cistern Maintenance 357
Popularity of Cisterns 359