A New Home for the Shields Family

Protect the Environment Fund

Trees, Water & People

Trees, Water & People (TWP) is helping build an earth-friendly home using compressed earth blocks for Paul Shields, his wife and three children. Paul is the son of Oglala Lakota political prisoner, Leonard Peltier, and is carrying forward dreams of a better future. "My dad will be happy I finally have my own home and can pass it on to his grandkids after I'm gone."

The harsh climate on Pine Ridge Reservation can vary from -40 to 120 degrees. Typical homes are poorly maintained & insulated, with extremely high energy bills. The harsh climate on Pine Ridge Reservation can vary from -40 to 120 degrees. Typical homes are poorly maintained & insulated, with extremely high energy bills. In keeping with his Lakota values of caring for the Earth for future generations, Paul "wants something more sustainable and better for my children and a room of their own for the first time. I want to provide them with a solid home that stays warm in the winter."

Compressed earth block (CEB) construction is a very old and proven approach. The blocks have thick thermal mass that provides an energy efficient structure that keeps cool in summer and warm in winter. Paul learned CEB construction while creating an office building for Lakota Solar Enterprises, and now has first-hand experience in soil testing, pressing blocks, and applying natural finishes to the outside that protect it from the elements.

Paul Shields will finally be a proud homeowner. The value of a well-insulated home for someone living on the Great Plains cannot be underestimated. Like many Native people on reservations, basic infrastructure like running water and electricity is not a given. Building Paul's home from CEBs will serve as a model for other Native families to consider. TWP will promote this project as a demonstration of how a well-built, low-cost home can be constructed for families in need.

Construction on the Shields’ house has already begun and over the past month, we have started hanging drywall on the interior walls and ceiling. Soon we can begin insulating the attic with a particular cellulose insulation that is partially made from recycled newspaper from the reservation along with clean cellulose plant material.

Although the Shields’ house is nearly complete, we need to power it! This project will help us raise funds for a solar PV system to be installed on the Shields’ new home, providing free power from the sun for many years to come. On the Pine Ridge Reservation, many families have no access to the electrical grid. Those that do most often lack the resources to pay their high utility bills. Solar energy provides Native American families like the Shields with access to clean, renewable energy that is affordable and respectful towards Mother Earth. Solar energy provides a path forward towards energy sovereignty on tribal lands!

This project will not only provide the Shield's family with a sustainable source of renewable energy in the form of solar energy, it will also serve as a demonstration for tribal communities around the country. By showing community members the viability of solar energy we can begin to move this community (and others) away from a dependency on coal power and propane to a cleaner energy future, but it starts with installing this first system in the Oglala community on Pine Ridge.

As the home progresses this spring, we look forward to showing the people of Pine Ridge and beyond that Compressed Earth Block construction is not only functional but livable. We are putting the finishing touches on the Shields’ house but we need your help to truly give it that finished feel. The Shields family is anxiously waiting to move in so please consider contributing to this important project!

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