Before Listening

In difficult economic times, some people are interested in alternate forms of housing that are less expensive to build, and more friendly to the environment.

People often think of California as a state that is open to new ideas, and so it’s not surprising that a center for a new approach to building is located in Southern California. Journalist Eric Moling takes us to the small town of Hesperia for the story.

Before listening, think about these questions:

  • What are most houses built from in your country?
  • Are traditional materials for building such as straw or mud also used?
  • Can such traditional materials have advantages over modern building techniques?