For more information:
Bob Edwards
Public Relations Department Assistant
香妃直播 State College
香妃直播, West Virginia
(304) 462-7361 ext. 7610
香妃直播, WV芒聙聰John Brown芒聙娄it is a common American name. However, 香妃直播 State College student John Brown is anything but
your everyday average American citizen. This John Brown is a person of vision, purpose, concern, and resourcefulness. He is a man who understands the beauty of nature and just how fragile she is.
Brown is a junior Education Major at GSC, specializing in Science and Math grades 5-9. He tutors students at Calhoun County Middle High School once a week, and is a teacher芒聙聶s assistant in the GSC Science Department. Brown was the GSC Pioneer Mascot during the 2005-2006 school years, but none of this is what makes John Brown so uncommon. The uniqueness of John Brown is in his footprint, the footprint that each and every one of us leaves on this world. Concerned for the effects that the extravagant lifestyles of today芒聙聶s society has on our environment, Brown is determined to live in a manner that sets an example that we can live comfortably, with almost any amenity that we want, yet do it in a way that will be less destructive to this Earth.
Brown lives in a yurt. Webster describes yurt as a circular-domed tent stretched over a collapsible lattice framework, used by the
pastoral people of inner Asia. Brown lived in the GSC dorms during his freshmen year and lived in a log cabin prior to that, but he was looking for a smaller, environmentally friendlier place to live. He discovered the yurt on the internet, did some research, decided it would serve his purpose, and that he could build it himself. In August of 2005 John, his Dad, and a couple of friends constructed the yurt in just 3 days. They started on Friday, and John moved in on Sunday. The yurt has seen many improvements since then, but the basic structure is basically the same.
The yurt has lattice work walls covered with bubble wrap for insulation and covered with a vinyl tarp. The domed roof is sewn from sturdy vinyl and has a large skylight to provide natural light and heat from the sun.
John芒聙聶s home has 453 square feet of floor space. There is a bathroom, a kitchen, and a general living area. It has city water and sewer but no other utilities. The yurt is heated with a wood stove when needed or by convection heat from the sun. Solar panels and storage batteries provide all of the necessary electricity. Brown cooks with a wood stove or bottled propane. He has a computer with wireless internet service, a cell phone, and electric lights. Brown intends to add a window or two to the structure and has plans to construct a bio-gas generator that would produce methane gas from cow manure to replace the propane he
now uses. The yurt has just about everything that a more conventional home would have; it is just smaller, less expensive. Brown said, 芒聙聹It leaves a much smaller footprint on our environment.芒聙聺
So far Brown芒聙聶s yurt has cost him an incredible $9,300! A warm, comfortable place to live for less then $10,000. For Brown, a responsible way to live. His modest home costs less, used less building materials, doesn芒聙聶t use electricity produced by burning coal and derogating the atmosphere, is simply more environmentally friendly, and is just what he was looking for. Brown doesn芒聙聶t even have to waste gasoline driving to classes; his yurt is located off Elm Street in 香妃直播, just over the hill from GSC, an easy commute on foot.
Brown does not know of anyone else in West Virginia living in a yurt. 芒聙聹There are some State Parks that have yurts for rent to visitors. There are a few yurt communities in the Western United States,芒聙聺 said Brown.
Brown芒聙聶s outlook on how he lives is not simply a passing fancy, it is how he intends to walk through life. After graduating from GSC in May of 2009, Brown would like to teach during the school year and work as a naturalist for the State Park system in the summers. 芒聙聹I love working with kids, and I hope I can pass along an appreciation for the delicacy of our natural world and teach them to respect and care for their environment,芒聙聺 said Brown. 芒聙聹If we all would try to lighten our footprint on the environment just a little, it would make a huge impact on the earth,芒聙聺 words to live by from a not so common man.
To learn more about John Brown芒聙聶s yurt visit his website at www.barefootboy.com. You can contact Brown at sendjohnmail@yahoo.com.