I think we have found the yurt we want

[willovic]

I have no doubt that what you are saying is true. Awareness is good. It is the forerunner of change but change doesn't happen quickly. I think all plastics are harmful to the planet, the people who have to work in the production of it and the people who use it. We are trying to limit the amount of it we have in our lives. I l also know that there is another very real threat to our health and that is feeling fearful all the time about everything. So much of the time I only hear about what is bad what is wrong. I want to hear about what is a better way and how we can change what isn't working well . what has someone discovered that will make it better.

[Jafo]

I am not trying to be argumentative or provocative, but how much testing has been done on Penofin Verde non-toxic oil finishes or "non-toxic" polyester?

Just because something has not been tested to someone else's specifications does not automatically mean it is hazardous.

Don't get me wrong, I want more natural materials used when possible, but I am just not going to have an instantaneous negative reaction about an unknown.

I have also found that just because something is natural, does not always mean it is safe. I grew up in Central NY where there were many people who suffered from Farmer's lung, which was just from inhaling too much hay dust, but I am certainly not afraid of bales of hay.

[Yurting]

Fear vs respect is different. Farmers lung is from breathing in too many mold, fungi, and grass allergens. It can kill you. Hay can spontaneously combust, as well.

Is hay dangerous? Not if you treat/store/use it properly. But if you don't . . . .

[willovic]

my husband is a cabinet maker. Too many years of sawdust( a natural substance) and he can't be in the shop as long as he used to, even with a mask and a filtration system. I am an artist working with chalk pastels. The chalk dust can be very toxic to breathe and it its all natural substances so I know what you mean.

[Jafo]

Originally Posted by Yurting

Is hay dangerous? Not if you treat/store/use it properly. But if you don't . . . .

Totally agreed!

[Tree Bones]

Thought I might as well put in my two cents worth on the vinyl aspect of this thread.

Problems associated with toxicity in humans will require one of the following;ingestion, inhalation, absorption or injection of a toxin into the body. One of these must take place before there is a problem with human health risks.

So, if you work at a factory or manufacturer where you are exposed to heavy concentrations of toxins and they enter your body through one of the above methods you are at risk.

If you are exposed to toxic materials without toxins entering your body common sense would indicate no risk of negative health effects.

Consider closely the information above when determining the risk of building materials and how they may affect you or your family.

• Are you eating/ingesting it?
• Are you absorbing it through your skin?
• Are you breathing it (off gassing)?
• Are you injecting it into your body?

Chances are none of the above will be true. However if you have a small child who will be chewing on most everything then they will need proper supervision/protection no mater what type of home you live in.

GMO's in our daily diet are a far greater health and environmental risk than vinyl in our homes. Learn more about GMO's here. BPA is still found in many food and beverage products and unless you are fanatical about looking and avoiding them then chances are you consume this and it is far more of a health risk than vinyl in a yurt.

As for the overall environmental impacts we should avoid continued production of bad stuff. Going down this same line if we can reuse, recycle and make the most out of our natural and existing man made resources this is a step in the right direction.

I myself use recycled vinyl and feel good about it. I do not believe it is a health risk because under normal use it does not enter the human body very easily. I do not promote the continued manufacture of more bad stuff and consider what I do both politically and environmentally correct.

My goal as a yurt manufacture is to provide an affordable cost effective environmentally friendly alternative to traditional housing.

Change will be slow and we must take steps to move closer to doing the right thing. This might seem like a small step but non the less it is a move in the right direction.

Fear should not be part of the process of using good judgment.

Using recycled vinyl is one solution to the problem. Keep in mind if you are not part of the solution then you are part of the problem.

[baldy]

A very interesting and worthwhile subject to look into. I myself don't want my kids to be subject to extremely harmful chemicals. However as a whole, the entire world is surrounded by harmful products that we come into contact with everyday, such as this keyborad I am typing on. I am sure that the heat generated by this laptop will help release other known or unkown chemicals that could be harmful to my health. I am sure that the products used by respectful companies have been looked into and verified to be safe for the most part. However a complete organic or non-chemical application does hold it's merit. Thanks for posting some interesting information.

[Tucker]

We are debating between going with a 30ft pacific yurt or opting for more space with a
40ft big sky by

shelter designs

. Like of the idea of a more established company with a
great reputation, but having more footage for our permanent living space would be a huge asset. Would like feedback from anyone familiar with or owners of shelter design yurts. I understand they also have a new arctic

insulation

package-any thoughts on this
system?
We are putting up the yurt in the inland NW.
Thanks for any help with our decision making process.

[willovic]

We just picked up our yurt from shelter design.( we live on vancouver island Canada, 10 hour drive each way) We have been extremely happy with them. It was a pleasant experience all the way through. Friendly, honest, professional, willing to work with you. Great customer service. We felt we were part of the team. We loved the direct experience with the ones who actually make it. They have pride in what they are doing and it shows. I would highly recommend them. We haven't got our platform built yet, but when it is up I will post pictures.

[Jafo]

I don't know much about the new

insulation

. Here is a recent article about the company:

Yurt business thriving as people search for simplicity - Daily Inter Lake: Local/Montana

I have only heard good things myself. I have a Pacific Yurt and love it. I have only seen a handful of other yurts and honestly I liked them all lol. The differences are subtle in many of them. You might want to give

Shelter Designs

a call and see if there is a 40 footer you can visit close to you? There really is nothing like a first person view when it comes to picking out a yurt.