Stuart is suffering from MCS which affects an estimated 15% of the
population. I do not believe 15% is that small a percentage of the
population, and unfortunately more and more people are becoming
sensitized to chemicals every day and developing MCS. As Stuart stated
his house is too toxic for him to live in anymore and this "cabin" is to
be built next to his house so he has someplace to live. That means 365
days a year.
I also have MCS so I have personal experience in what Stuart is going
through. Along with chemicals some people with MCS develop severe
reactions to molds which can sometimes be life threatening causing
severe respiratory problems. I bought a cottage built in 1944 in order
to get away from the chemicals modern houses are filled with.
Unfortunately, since it was not maintained well it is basicly falling
apart. It has a raised sub-floor with no insulation and the mold grows
like crazy on the wood floor in the winter with the humidity caused by
the temperature difference and I live in a zone 5 area where it does not
get that cold. The fiberglass insulation that is in the house is filled
with mold. I have been spending the last two years exploring methods of
building a safe house with non-toxic materials.
Many people with MCS can not even tolerate plain pine wood, the natural
chemicals in it cause them to react. Much discussion goes on among those
of us on the MCS list looking for a wood sealer that is safe and none of
us will react to, not to mention a wall paint that is non-toxic. Mold
control is a problem since we can not tolerate chlorine. Many can not
tolerate being near their computers because of the off-gassing chemicals
but do it anyway because we are so isolated and it is our only real
contact with the world. We suffer immensely.
The styrofoam is not very earth-friendly, but what about the computers
we are using to communicate with? What are the eco-ethics concerning
computers? I believe a hell of alot more pollution is caused in their
manufacture and use than in the production of styrofoam. And consider
that in ten years your computer will be outdated and you will be
replacing it with another. Meanwhile, Stuart will still be living in his
"cabin" with the styrofoam insulation keeping him warm.
People with MCS do not have the money or stamina to move. What Stuart
needs is a completely new house that is completely non-toxic but all he
can afford is to build one room that he can survive in. And survive is
what we try to do . We need organic food because regular food is
permeated with chemicals (pesticides, fertilizers, etc.) people with MCS
are made ill by. Even clothes are difficult because everything is
treated with chemicals, they treat cotton clothes with formaldehyde to
make them wrinkle-free and it never comes out. Most of us can not work
because something as simple as the soap you used to wash with will make
us deathly ill.
Let's talk about the eco-ethics of computers.
*Computers are made with a witches brew of petrochemicals, solvants,
etc.
*Computers are made in large factories requiring large amounts of energy
to manufacture.
*Computers require transportation, most likely trucks, to gather raw
materials and to move them around during and after manufacture,
therefore even more energy.
*Accepting it's use reinforces large scale (global) economies, from the
computer manufacturer to the electric company to the telephone company
to the Internet Provider.
*Computers are made with chemicals which are made by Dow, DuPont, etc.
*Birth defects among women working in the area of computer manufacture
are quite high compared to women working in other manufacturing fields.
*Computers will not decompose in any reasonable amount of time,therefore
a questionable device to add to the Earth.
*Computers are partially recycleable if their chips are in demand,
otherwise they are trashed into landfills.
To what degree is it okay to harm the environment for the personal
convenience of owning a computer? Could we not communicate via pen and
paper just as well?
People with MCS live an ecologically low-impact life because we can not
tolerate modern society's pollution. Our bodies have been damaged by
chemicals beyond any repair at this time.
