Frequently Asked Questions


Why do you call it Recycled Rice? Is the rice recycled?

Rice hulls are mostly treated as an agricultural waste. The ones we are using now come from a landfill.


Where can I get rice hulls? Can I use them in my area?

If rice grows near you, probably. If not, the cost and environmental impact of shipping them might not make sense.


Do your building methods meet building codes?

Building codes are sold to the public as a way to protect them. They also lock in old building methods from competition. Does it make sense that, in many places, you can get a permit to build a house that makes huge impact on the environment, is vulnerable to fire, earthquakes, winds, pests, rodents, rot, mold, mildew, and fungus, and will not even last 100 years, but you cannot get a permit to build a house that will make little ecological impact, will resist fire, earthquakes, winds, pests, rodents, rot, mold, mildew, and fungus, and will last thousands of years? Part of our mission is to demonstrate the worthiness of rice hull building so that building codes will change.


Do you use organic rice hulls? What happens to the chemicals in rice hulls that are not organically grown?

The rice hulls most commonly available are grown with chemical farming. However, compared to other crops, rice is grown with very little pesticides, and most of that is used to protect the young plants. Once the hull grows, the hull protects the grain, and very little pesticides are used. There is very little pesticide residue on the rice hulls, not enough be a problem inside the building or on the land.


Your website describes many wonders of rice hulls. Do they have any problems?

The biggest problem with new rice hulls are flour beetles, sometimes called pantry moths. They are attracted to the little particles of rice dust that are on the hulls from the milling. With rice hulls from a landfill, this is not a problem, because anything the flour beetles would eat is either already eaten or broken down.

The other problem is shipping. If you are building relatively close to a rice mill, then it makes to use rice hulls. Even though they would work wonderful in a place like Alaska, it probably does not make sense to ship them that far.


I want to come help, but you are at the HeartLand Aramaic Mission, and I am: (a) in another church, or (b) not religious. Wouldn't this be a problem?

Unless you are the kind of literal fundamentalist who believes that when Jesus said to forgive seventy times seven that he wanted us to stop forgiving after we do it four hundred ninety times, or an absolute atheist, you will probably find that the HeartLand message aligns with the teachings of your own religion.

Our pastor and director, dr. michael ryce, travels all over the world giving workshops on the HearLand Aramaic work, mostly at churches of many different faiths, including some that are not Christian. He also gives these same workshops to secular groups. If you believe in a loving God, the Golden Rule, and forgiveness, you should fit right in.


There are plenty of rice hulls in our country. Can you come teach us to build with them?

We would love to do this all over the world. This is one of the reasons we formed this organization.

Come Build with Recycled Rice

Get hands on experience building with rice hulls.

Come do an internship at the HeartLand Aramaic Mission in Missouri.


Come Build an Earthbag Tipi with us on the Pine Ridge Reservation

Get hands on experience building with earthbags while helping those in need.

In conjunction with Nature's Compassion, we are planning on building an earthbag tipi and an Eco-dome on the Pine Ridge Reservation beginning June 14, 2009. Come join us.