located in the budding town of traveler’s rest, south carolina, this unique, sustainable cob bike rack was created by the natural builders of the upstate. this bike rack can be found along the greenville hospital system swamp rabbit trail, a 17.5 mile rails-to-trails trail system connecting the town of traveler’s rest, furman university, and the city of greenville. 

this bike rack is a great example of the future of natural building on our planet. cob is made from a combination of straw, sand, water, clay, and earth. it can withstand rainwater, seismic activity, and fires; in any environment, it will be durable. cob homes can be uniquely designed, naturally keeping the home cool in the summer and warm in the winter. natural builders of the upstate has created cob pizza ovens, green homes, and green playgrounds across the upstate, showing that this natural, abundant, and inexpensive building material can indeed be used to lead a comfortable life while simultaneously reducing carbon footprint. 

elisa edmondson is a senior communications studies major and poverty studies minor at furman university in greenville, south carolina. elisa is an avd videographer/storytelling fellow at the david e. shi center for sustainability, an interdisciplinary hub for sustainability at furman.