An Invitation to Share

A welcome invitation

During the 2010 Annual Monolithic Dome Tour, we had more than 100 curious visitors to our dome home in Galax, Virginia. One of those visitors remembered the efficiency of our Monolithic Dome and invited us to a LandCare Grayson (County, Virginia) meeting.

During this meeting my wife and I were able to speak about Monolithic Domes, their efficiency, safety features, multiple uses and their practical aspects. Although we don’t consider ourselves to be overly green, Maddy and I embrace a healthy respect for the creation we live in, and the resources we have available to us. The LandCare attendees were quick to pick up on how eco-friendly a Monolithic Dome is to build and operate.

A second welcome invitation

After our impromptu presentation which was chock full of questions and answers, we were invited to erect an information exhibit for free at the 2nd Annual Save Green Expo. This Expo was sponsored by LandCare Grayson and held September 17th at the Crossroads Institute in Galax, Virginia. The one-day event was designed to educate citizens from Grayson and surrounding counties in Virginia and North Carolina about green practices and points of contact that can help save money on a practical level.

The gathering brought together more than 30 exhibitors and vendors who participate in eco-friendly housing, energy, communications and agricultural practices. Beyond attendees with a general interest in responsible eco-practices, there were local government representatives, private firms, farmers and college students.

Speakers addressed topics from alternative energy to forestry and composting. We even had coverage from our local classic country and bluegrass radio station, WBRF 98.1 FM that broadcasted the event into a five-state area.

Monolithic Domes and “Reduce!”

During our day at the Save Green Expo, we concentrated on one of LandCare’s annual themes “Reduce” and demonstrated how Monolithic Domes dovetail perfectly with this theme. With an eight-foot stretch of tables, some fantastic photographs, pamphlets and CD’s provided by Monolithic, we rolled up our sleeves and did our best to represent Monolithic.

We also shared our utility usage and cost comparison from our current 50-foot dome and our previous doublewide trailer. Even with so much other information at the expo we met with more than 75 visitors, distributed dozens of Monolithic pamphlets and handed out Monolithic CDs for more than six hours. Each visitor got an eyeful of Monolithic Domes big and small from the photographs Monolithic provided and from Monolithic calendars.

Expo attendees were also able to watch our dome slideshow progress from a grassy knoll to an erected dome. Most people are really taken aback when they see a Monolithic Dome Airform inflated!

Informing the uninformed

It is curious to note that despite all of the information, tours and news releases available, there are still many people who have never heard of Monolithic Domes, or who confuse the Monolithic Dome with a geodesic dome – even in this crowd of environmentally conscious people! We concluded that most people don’t actively pursue information outside of their paradigms and comfort zones. A body at rest tends to stay at rest; brains too. Regardless, we were just as happy to show any and all what they weren’t aware of!

It’s an odd sort of reward to see wheels turn when the realities of what a dome does, and the unlimited possibilities of what a dome can become sinks in to a person’s mind. During this expo there were so many disciplines represented that a certain synergy could be appreciated as folks began talking to each other and wonder aloud how alternative power, green rooftops and other eco-friendly practices can work hand-in-hand with a Monolithic Dome. Beyond sharing Monolithic’s information, other vendors dropped over to share info with us regarding their specialties too.

An invitation for all of us

We would encourage all Monolithic Dome owners (and builders, associates and future domers) to reach out to the resources you find available near you – especially free events that have local impact. There’s plenty to share about Monolithic Domes, but there’s also loads of info that can be considered or applied for your current or soon-to-be dome.

Maddy and I really enjoyed sharing our experience and passing along info at this, our first exposition. With Monolithic’s support and visual aids our tabletop exhibit went incredibly smooth. The bright pictures are really worth a thousand words – and Monolithic’s support was priceless as always.

Editor’s Note: Maddy and Chris are the proud owners of a Monolithic Dome home in Virginia and frequent contributors to this website.

Note from David South: We sincerely appreciate Chris and Maddy’s efforts in spreading the word about Monolithic Domes. Events such as the one they participated in are a lot of work. But they’re also a lot of fun and of great benefit. Thank you, Maddy and Chris!

If you would like to share Monolithic information at a public event, please contact us with the name, date, location and purpose of the event, and we will supply the give-away materials.