Strawjet

[Arrow]

http://www.greeninventor.org/photo_gallery.shtml#P_3

Interesting machine that builds straw/papercrete beams. Like to see what Christo and Jeanne-Claude could create with it. :)

[Merlion]

Interesting machine that builds straw/papercrete beams. Like to see what Christo and Jeanne-Claude could create with it. :)

It seems a good idea for making beams etc., as it makes use of waste materials.

But for Christo and Jeanne-Claude, I think as long as their new giant installations can attract publicity, why would they be interested in saving money from using waste materials?

[WeiMingKai]

I love these sorts of projects and ideas.

I am even tempted to believe in the power of STRAWJET to improve lives all over the world by providing a low cost alternative to modern construction materials thereby putting better housing within reach of more people who need it (artists who always want/need more studio space perhaps?).

These 'save the world' ideas always start out so hopeful and earnest but ultimately fail when there isn't a large ammount of financial backing behind it. For example I tried to find a link to the various low cost water purification for the developing world ideas I have seen over the years - some of which were brilliantly cheap and easy to do (you just needed to know how) but still most people live in danger of getting waterbourne diseases from the dirty water they use because they never got the word about how to protect themselves. (I did find this kooky website with descriptions of lots of DIY water purification tricks http://jmooneyham.com/watp.html). I expect Strawjet to follow a similar trajectory of great idea-->could really help the world-->competes with established more expensive industry-->gets strangled in its crib due to lack of funding/encouragement (noone gets helped but those whose profits were threatened sigh with relief).

Artists are often suckers for a heroic world saving cause, it's so desperately romantic to fight on the side of compassion over greed - maybe if someone prominent did latch on to Strawjet and start building big showy attention getting projects with it they could really do what Artists want most of all (even if they'd feel silly admitting it) - to change the World for the better with thier Art.

[Arrow]

Interview with David Ward About the Strawjet Harvester:
http://www.strawjet.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfqxbihJInY
00:56