Discussion of Civil Relations and Winter Preparation at OWS

Yesterday afternoon I was at a meeting on civil relations and winter prep at the Occupy Wall Street encampment. Upshot of the beginning discussion (before I had to leave) was that negative race and class relationships did not have to be replicated in the community. A representative for the homeless asked that they not be "criminalized", making the very good point that "we were here long before all of you ". If any know how to survive a New York winter on the street-

Some notes on shelter elaborations seen in response to cold- casual use of rigid- foam insulation in the openings of some of the tents. Plastic pallets to elevate tents from ground (more of both, apparently, are on the way) and some double walled, used US Army tents seeming recently back from Iraq (some with remnants of sand still in their folds).

Occupy Wall Street-Winter Shelter Design Forum

Target/ Shelter, 2010

Rigid foam insulation and paint, dimensions variable.

copyright Tom McGlynn, 2010

http//www.tommcglynnart.com

Occupy Wall Street- Winter Shelter Design Forum ( for submissions of design proposals to solve issues of winter encampment)

This blog is conceived to initiate an open forum to address the need for winter shelter solutions for the OWS encampment. Please feel free to send your ideas and designs (factual or fanciful) to get some practical solutions underway. The designs should be light and portable and be able to retain the maximal amount of body heat.

Here's one possibility, inspired and based upon Henry David Thoreau's section from his "Economy" chapter in Walden quoted below:

"Formerly, when how to get my living honestly, with freedom left for my proper pursuits, was a question which vexed me even more than it does now, for unfortunately I am become somewhat callous, I used to see a large box by the railroad, six feet long by three wide, in which the laborers locked up their tools at night; and it suggested to me that every man who was hard pushed might get such a one for a dollar, and, having bored a few auger holes in it, to admit the air at least, get into it when it rained and at night, and hook down the lid, and so have freedom in his love, and in his soul be free. This did not appear the worst, nor by any means a despicable alternative. You could sit up as late as you pleased, and, whenever you got up, go abroad without any landlord or house-lord dogging you for rent.'

"HDT Box" , active- use social sculpture. Rigid insulation foam units would be lightweight and easily stored, and/ or dissembled after active use. A nylon vestibule could be added at entrance and a sterno can (the type caterers use for warming trays) used for local warming. "HDT Box" , copyright Tom McGlynn, 2011.

http//www.tommcglynnart.com

For more comments and suggestions:

http://occupywallst.org/forum/solutions-to-winter-encampment-shelter/#comment-272319