3 day workshop on Sept 14-16 at Soul Food Farm in Vacaville, CA.

Come learn about Clay Plaster at this 3 day workshop where we will apply clay plasters on a small straw bale farm building under construction at Soul Food Farm.  In this workshop, we will be using the native clay soil as a base material for the plaster. Participants will get hands on experience through all stages of the plastering on the building. We will mix and apply the scratch coat, the brown coat and the finish coat. We will also have the opportunity to try relief plaster and ornamentation. Sign up here!

See 6 great examples of straw bale homes in Nevada & Placer counties! Details here

Registration is open! Join us April 13-15 at Camp Ocean Pines in Cambria (near San Luis Obispo and Hearst Castle) for our annual Spring Conference, with a particular focus on fire-safe construction. This year we also celebrate women in natural building and invite all who thrive on earth & straw to join us for CASBA's West Coast Natural Building Conference. Sleeping cabins are of strawbale construction!

While architects and builders have known for years that the strawbale walls of their buildings
have superior fire-resistance, several examples of homes surviving recent wildfires bear further evidence of this quality.

To read the rest of this article Click Here

The tour of straw homes in the Grass Valley and Nevada City area has been postponed until May of 2018. We'll post more information at the beginning of the new year. If you'd like to help with logistics, please let us know!

The Conference Committee is planning another great CASBA Conference!  Please send a note to info@strawbuilding.org if you have an interest in presenting or hosting a workshop.  

Registration for the conference will open by mid-February.  We hope to see you there!

See 2017 conference and presentation details here!

One Percent for the Planet business partner Three Twins Ice Cream sweetened up our conference by donating an array of scrumptious ice cream flavors for attendees to enjoy!   Through their Ice Cream for Acres program, every time your purchase their ice cream you are helping to conserve precious habitat! You can read about it here . 

We’re happy to introduce you to MyDomino, our new clean energy partner, and to extend their offer of a free one-year membership to their energy savings concierge service. (a $99 value)

MyDomino will also make a $50 donation to CASBA when you speak with a MyDomino concierge by phone the first time! (with no commitment)  

Why has CASBA partnered with MyDomino?

MyDomino has a similar mission. They share knowledge gathered from research & practical experience to help fight Climate Change, and they help you avoid sales hype and save money! Our members & supporters deserve to know about this resource, so we're glad to spread the word. 

Your free MyDomino membership includes:

• A quick and easy energy consult for your home by phone – whether you rent or own.
• A personalized clean energy plan with advice on actions such as using LEDs, smart thermostats, heat pumps, solar power, EVs, and more.
• A customized dashboard to track your progress and get unlimited clean energy guidance.

Feel free to share this offer with your clients and other straw balers! 

Details can be found here.

Not only does this open new doors to funding for us, it also offers new networking opportunities with other non-profits concerned about Climate Change and the way in which we occupy our planet.  

Excerpted from the 1% for the Planet press release...

CASBA is now eligible to receive donations from 1% for the Planet member companies, placing them among a diverse, global network of environmental organizations. 1% member businesses fuel this nonprofit network through their annual contributions. Partnership with 1% greatly expands the potential pool of funding to which CASBA can look to for support.

"1% for the Planet member businesses donate at least 1% of their annual sales to support environmental nonprofits," says Kate Williams, CEO of 1% for the Planet.  "We believe deeply that these nonprofits play a critical role in solving the many challenges facing our planet, and our core work is to grow the corporate support that enables these nonprofits to accomplish even more."

About 1% for the Planet

1% for the Planet is a global network of businesses that donate one percent of annual sales directly to approved environmental nonprofit organizations. More than 1,000 businesses give back to a network of approved nonprofits addressing critical environmental issues.  Started in 2002 by Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia, and Craig Mathews, former owner of Blue Ribbon Flies, 1% for the Planet helps people buy better products and protect the planet we play on. To date, our network has given more than $130 million back to the planet.

To learn more go to:  www.onepercentfortheplanet.org.