NEIGHBORHOOD PHENOMENA

 

 

FLORA

 

FAUNA

 

 

COMMUNITY

 

     I saved the best for last  ….  the environmental phenomenon that is the most complex, pervasive, and at times utterly exasperating of them all  ….  other People!!   What a fate we face, forced to coexist with close to 8 billion fellow human beings, each of whom wants a safe and secure home with all the amenities of a healthy lifestyle:   clean water, sunshine, fresh air, food, sanitation, energy, roads and public transportation, schools and hospitals, recreation, and the internet.  Not only do we each want it, we want it in our own style and would really rather not hear any crazy ideas about what anyone else thinks.  But life in the village has grown to the point where building a house and living in it means being part of a larger neighborhood group with shared goals and resources and an ability to express and resolve disagreements.  Coexisting is no easy task, but it is absolutely essential.  We are all in this together and need to be connected and mutually supportive if we hope to live peacefully and comfortably.  We need a Community.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     One of the great fantasies about building a house is the idea that in the process we can become independent and self-sustaining.  There is an illusion that our home, this machine we create, can somehow function without affecting our neighboring environment.  I often get the impression that the myth of living “off the grid” allows people to ignore our inter-connectedness and mutual responsibility – a myth that says a house can actually be “net zero”.   Mythology can sometimes embody good ideals, but the notion that a house doesn’t consume enormous amounts of precious resources and contribute to harming the environment is at best short-sighted and at worst deceptive and delusional.  The ethos of “green building” can  help guide us towards a more harmonious relationship with nature, but there is no way to avoid the cost of living, especially when we expect so many benefits.  It seems obvious to me that the more interconnected we are, the more flexibility we will have to be efficient and fair with our resources while improving the security of our neighborhood.

 

 

     The benefits of interconnectedness are widespread, affecting every aspect of our daily lives.  Roads make possible the movement of automobiles, trucks, bikes, and trailers from one location to another as well as provide access for emergency service vehicles.  The electrical grid links various sources of power to a multitude of consumers with a two-way transmission system, making it possible to maximize the value of our energy by monitoring and responding to the supply and demand of the community as a whole.   The power grid is also one of the mainstays for handling natural disasters by facilitating rapid redistribution of power where it’s needed most.  Widespread water storage and supply networks allow our aquifers and reservoirs to be managed in ways that optimize conservation while assuring everyone access to this essential resource.  Water must be shared.  Sewage treatment and trash disposal cannot be handled on an individual basis, so we rely on an interconnected system of collection, transport, and mass processing.  Reusable materials can be recycled and sanitation can be greatly enhanced.  And the epitome of networking within the community, of course, is the incredible communication system we have developed which makes it possible to share huge amounts of information almost instantaneously.  The homes we build need to be tied into all of these facilities in order to make their benefits available.  The costs associated with these connections can be very high, but this expense is a reflection of the importance and value of the resources being provided.

 

 

ROADWAYS

 

 

ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION GRID

 

 

SMART POWER GRID

 

 

WATER SUPPLY

 

 

SEWAGE TREATMENT

 

 

TRASH DISPOSAL and RECYCLING

 

 

     It’s true our houses consume incredible quantities of natural resources, degrading the environment in the process, but at the same time they add value to our lives.  This is the fundamental equation we must balance every day.  Over the years, as the costs associated with housing have steadily climbed, the imperative to maximize this value has led to the creation of numerous public agencies whose job it is to make sure we do.  From Federal regulators, down through State and Municipal governments, all the way to Homeowner’s groups and Condo associations, the interests of the community are embodied within the Codes enforced by these agencies.  As a homeowner and as a builder, dealing with these standards and restrictions can be quite difficult, and at times it seems like they make things more difficult for no discernible reason.  I have felt like this many times.  But to keep things in balance while fighting through the paper work and the review processes and on-site inspections, it’s best to keep in mind the value being created while we do it.  The benefits are realized by both the individual homeowner and by the community at large.

 

     The following is a list of some of the various Agencies involved with home building:

          Federal Housing Administration (FHA)  –  Financing

          Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)  –  Accessibility

          Public Works  –  Roads, bridges, culverts, etc.

          Flood Control District  –  Watershed, aquifers, creeks, storm drains

          Zoning and Planning  –  Neighborhood development, permit oversight

          Coastal Commission  –  Oceanfront conservation, public access

          Fire District  –  Fire protection, mitigation

          Geology and Grading  –  Site stability, drainage, excavation, erosion

          Fish and Game  –  Wildlife preservation

          Green Building Review  –  Resource allocation, energy conservation

          Sanitation District  –  Sewers, waste treatment

          Trash Disposal Services  –  Garbage collection, recycling

          Building Department  –  Public safety, health, structural design

          Public Utilities  –  Water, gas, electricity

          Carriers  –  Phone, cable, internet