Curriculum Vitae
Contact Information
Phone: 902-774-4102
Email:
Work: meadow@forestmeadow.ca
Personal: sunstarangel@gmail.com
West Pubnico, NS B0W 3S0
Website: forestmeadow.ca
Solar books by Sharon Buydens
BACKGROUND
– Applied Anthropologist/Social Scientist with experience in Project Management, social mapping, sustainable development, and research
– Landlord and Real Estate Investor, former REAPS Member (Seattle), rehab-flips and buy-and-hold SFRs / multifamily / residential-commercial properties, project management/construction/rehabs
– Writer & Author, plus editing, proofreading, public speaking, workshops, teaching
– 20+ years experience in office management/administration, VA/EA work
SUMMARY EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
Jan 2013 – Present
Real Estate Investor, Landlord
I currently landlord for 3 units in NS, and sometimes a room for rent/occasional projects for residential-commercial real estate properties in the US and Canada. All properties (except 2) in the US, Ontario and NS have been sold. I have a duplex +bachelor in NS, and homestead (11 acres) where we plan to build an ecovillage.
Jan 2001 – Present
Self-Employment, Editing/Writing/Proofreading, Teaching, Project Management
Writing, editing, and proofreading is passive income, which includes editing papers, website content writing, and other contract work. See website at sunstar-solutions.com for more information In the past I was a writer/managing editor for National Nutraceuticals in Vancouver, BC for these news web portals: medicinalmushroomsinfo.com, aminoacidinformation.com, vancouverhealthnews.ca, and todayswordofwisdom.com (Nov 2012-Oct 2014). Author at Village Surrey Transition Initiative at villagesurrey.ca/author/sharon-buydens/ plus have had numerous other clients. Besides teaching through writing on websites I have authored books on numerous topics including solar ovens, solar water distillers, passive solar home design, and so on. (MY BOOKS LISTED AT THE BOTTOM)
May 2008 – May 2010
Social Justice Committee Chair, UUCEP
UUCEP (Unitarian Universalist Community of El Paso): http://www.uuelpaso.org/socialjustice.html. Projects included electrification efforts for rural colonia residents, electrification updates for low-income residents, community survey design and needs assessment. (volunteer)
May 2008 – Jan 2009
Organizing Assistant and Grant Writer, Border Interfaith
Assisted BI Organizer in organizing Steering Committee meetings for interfaith religious organizations, churches, and temples, including meetings with Public Officials, organizing and speaking at Public Life Institute events and Non-Partisan Forums. Also worked on Canutillo Water Project Committee, which included attending meetings combining political influences of city, county, state, and federal employees along with local El Paso Water Utilities employees for collaborative efforts on bringing clean water to rural Canutillo, Texas. Focus was on the people and water issues so I attended and helped run community meetings toward obtaining clean (city) water to this poverty-stricken area with contaminated wells (average 100’ deep). Problems included leaky septic tanks/cesspools, chemical runoff, and other problems. For my project I implemented techniques I had learned from applied anthropology, including ethnographic methods in residential interviews, neighborhood surveys, RRA/PRA training, social mapping, collaborative meetings with political figures (city, county, and state officials/employees), and more. My report (with graphs) follows here: http://www.sunstar-solutions.com/Canutillowaterproject.htm Geographic, and geology/hydrology information follows…
Volunteer with BI (Aug 2007-May 2008) worked on various Committees.
Internship with BI (June-August 2007) worked to bring clean water to the Canutillo, Texas colonia. Administered community Surveys, taught social mapping techniques to community leaders, combined RRA (Rapid Rural Appraisal) and PRA (Participatory Rural Appraisal) and Focus Group techniques at community meetings as part of community needs assessment.
Jan 2002 – April 2008
Office Manager, KBS
Management of general office and warehouse requirements.
March 2000-Dec 2001
Secretary, KBS
Had similar duties as Office Manager position above, however it was less management of the office and more mail processing, from letter writing and typing, editing, filling orders and shipping materials, stocking and purchasing.
Jan 2000 – March 2002
Project Manager, El Paso Solar Energy Association
Worked with local community leaders to identify needy families, to coordinate, implement, and manage grant projects in Colonias (poor and unincorporated communities lacking infrastructure) in US-Mexico border areas. Grants received by EPSEA to ensure water quality safety (collaborated with Chemist/Hydrologist) and use by locals with border health issues and water problems (removal of unsafe levels of toxins), micro-organisms, bacteria, chlorine, sediments, heavy metals, etc., through the use of solar water distillers. Solar water purification project covered the public outreach, organizing meetings, database and document creations, information and applications, teaching, consulting, installation, inspection, follow-ups of stills use including reporting to funders (reports included expense reports, tables, comparisons, still recipient information, and so on). Expertise includes direct field experience of over 100 stills installed in the colonias and areas of west TX, southern NM, and Juarez, Mexico on these bi-national collaborative efforts. Training and supervising of Assistants in and out of the field, and worked with Treasurer on payroll and maintenance of bank account. Additional volunteer positions include Board Member (1989, 1999, 2002), Secretary (1990-1993), Satellite Newsletter Article Author (1993-1995), Vice-President (2000), President (2001, first female President), Newsletter Mailing List Coordinator (2000-2001), Newsletter Editor (2000-2001), and Project Manager (2000-2002).
Jan 2001-2018
Owner/Manager of SunStar Solutions
All jobs above were done on a contract basis over the years, under the auspices of my business, here at www.sunstar-solutions.com This business name is no longer used; however, the website is still available.
OTHER AREAS OF INTEREST / EXPERIENCE:
Various R&D of alternative energy, alternative construction techniques, and alternative living styles (independent indigenous communities). Some of the topics include solar water distiller construction, solar room heaters, trombe walls, solar rock storage heat units, solar ovens, solar food dryers, passive solar house design, straw bale construction, adobe blocks, fibrous cement blocks (papercrete /fibercrete), fidobe, hempcrete, geodesic domes, monolithic dome ceilings, ecovillages, permaculture, no-till methods, swales & gabions, edible landscaping, local resources, hydroponics/raised-bed/organic gardening, composting, composting toilets/drying toilets, gray-water systems, Living Machines, rain-catching systems, shallow well issues, homesteading, raising small animal livestock, urban-sprawl & poverty, Colonia issues, water purification and health, desalination of sea water, etc.
Long term, part-time, hands-on construction of passive solar straw bale house shell (load-bearing compression-tension walls) with green-treated lumber/gravel alternative foundation and recycled materials/doors/windows. Assisted Dave Carter (Instructor at Southeast Community College in Lincoln, NE) teach/host a straw bale construction workshop for hands-on experience by students/attendees (taught through University of Nebraska at Lincoln). Newspaper article on this work posted in the Banner-Press Newspaper, David City, NE, Oct 16, 1997. Was a Resource Library/List Committee Member for the Straw Bale Association of Nebraska (SBAN) 1998-1999 and assisted with straw bale workshops/tours.
Hands-on projects including designing and construction of composting toilets (CT’s) with published CT picture/testimony titled “A homemade self-contained composting toilet in Nebraska” in “The Composting Toilet System Book” (© 2000, revised version, by David Del Porto & Carol Steinfeld, pg. 134) covering non-urine diversion CT. CT construction mini-workshop taught with urine-diversion CT constructed & donated by students. Consulted independently (volunteer) on research for solar CT’s for Jay Graham at the Center for Environmental Research Management (CERM) at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) with support from the TX Secretary of State’s office in 2001 in the promotion of CT’s (no project funding).
Supporting gallery page: http://sunstar-solutions.com/gallery.htm
Schooling/Courses/Classes/Assisted Learning/Volunteer Experience
Adobe Home Construction Course, by Mike Cormier at UTEP, El Paso, TX 1989
Solar Hot Water Heating Workshop, by Steve Cook at UTEP Energy Center, El Paso, TX 1990
Manual Drafting & Design Courses, Core-curriculum, (AutoCADD unfinished – no degree), 56 Credit Hours earned, GPA 3.66, at El Paso Community College, TX 1990-1992
Energy Analysis and Passive Solar Home Design Class, Passive Solar Industries Council, Las Cruces, NM 1990
Solar Water Distillation and Construction, Sharon Eby-Martin, Lane Fisher, El Paso, TX 1992
Straw Bale Construction Workshop, Matts Myhrman, Out On Bale, (Un) Ltd., and El Paso Solar Energy Association, El Paso, TX May 1993
Owner Built Homes Under $20,000 Course, Dave Carter, SE Comm. College, Lincoln, NE 1994
Straw Bale Construction Workshop, Dave Carter SCC/UNL, & Sharon Eby-Martin, Lincoln, NE 1997
Composting Toilet Design, Sharon Eby-Martin, Lincoln, NE 1998
Homesteading Project: Sustainable Living, Composting Toilet Design, Organic Gardening, Raising Small Small livestock, and Strawbale House Construction, Sharon Eby-Martin, Dwight, NE 1995-1998
Website development (beginning status), for Dr. Phil Duke (separately), and Deborah Rayas & Sharon Eby-Martin, 1998
Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP) week-long Seminar, Derrel Sims, CMHt, R.H.A., hosted & attended by Sharon Eby-Martin, El Paso, TX November, 1999
Website development (self-taught) and Graphic design, for Derrel Sims (alienhunter.org, firstevidence.org), 1999-2001
Workshop on Still Construction, Mike Cormier, assisted by Sharon Eby-Martin, Renewable Energy Roundup, Fredericksburg, TX 2000
Land & Community Development Volunteer work with the NAIIC (Native American Independent Indigenous Community), experience in planning, & getting heavy dozer equipment donated for road-work, as well as adobe blocks donated, learned & taught on indigenous construction techniques, etc., headed by Robert “Wolf” Blackwolf, El Paso, TX, 2000-2001
Project Management in solar water distillation installation/implementation projects, under Program Manager Robert Foster – NMSU, via BorderPACT/CONAHEC mini-grant projects for Juarez, Mexico Colonias, and EPA challenge grants in TX & NM 2000-2002
Soil and Waste Composting Seminar, (exact title unknown) hosted by TX Tech, El Paso, TX 2001
How to Build a Solar Water Distiller, Mike Cormier, Greg Vogel, Billy Amos, and Sharon Eby-Martin, Water Festival Workshop, Columbus, NM 2001
Papercrete Dome Construction Workshop, John Hall of Starship Enterprises, Gerard Blanchard of Native Earthling World, and Sharon Eby-Martin of SunStar Solutions, El Paso, TX Nov 2002
Webmaster/Webmistress (website development) using Frontpage and WSFTP, and Graphic Design using PSPro at sunstar-solutions.com (for self), kingdombiblestudies.org (for Preston Eby), & parascience.com (for Larry Arnold), 2003-Present
Anthropology/Sociology & Geology Courses, (Continuing Education), GPA 3.81/4.0, at El Paso Community College, TX, Honors Program, President’s List, 2004-2005 — AWARDED ASSOCIATE OF ARTS DEGREE (9 December 2005)
Anthropology Courses (Undergraduate), GPA 4.0/4.0, University of TX at El Paso (UTEP), El Paso, TX (Spring 2006-Present), Honors Society, National Deans List, Phi Kappa Phi, EARNED CERTIFICATE OF APPLIED ANTHROPOLOGY (2007)
Leadership Training Seminar, IAF (Industrial Areas Foundation) affiliate Border Interfaith, El Paso, TX Sept 6-8, 2007
Legal Investigation (Center for Legal Studies – online UTEP continuing education course), El Paso, TX Oct 15 – Nov 30, EARNED CERTIFICATE (2007)
Leadership 3-Day Training Seminar, IAF (Industrial Areas Foundation) via affiliate Border Interfaith, Phoenix, AZ July 24-26, 2008
Social Science Courses/Major with concentration in Anthropology, GPA 3.7/4.0, Ashford University, Clinton, IA (Aug 2008-March 2010), Honors with Distinction, Deans List, AWARDED BACHELOR OF ARTS DEGREE (2010) – SEE TRANSCRIPT (PDF file)
Rich Dad (2-day Real Estate Seminar), Seattle, WA, Spring 2013
REAPS (1-day Workshop), Dave Lindahl on apartment building acquisitions, Spring 2013
110: Introduction to the Passive House Building Standard, Passive House Canada (all day workshop), Vancouver BC, Feb 2017
Passive Solar Home Design Course, 18-hour course taught by Don Roscoe, Nova Scotia Institute of Technology, Halifax NS, Feb-Mar 2018
Passive Solar Construction Course, 1-day workshop taught by Don Roscoe, Nova Scotia Institute of Technology, Halifax NS, Feb 2018
Certificates/Awards/Achievements/Degrees
Certificate of Appreciation awarded by Insights El Paso Science Museum for commitment to the youth of the El Paso area at Scientific Career Day, Nov 9, 2001
Certificate of Appreciation awarded by El Paso Solar Energy Association (EPSEA) for recognition of 2001 BOARD PRESIDENT for work in promoting and leading the El Paso Solar Energy Association, given on the 25th EPSEA Anniversary, April 25, 2003
Turquoise Star Achievement Award, awarded by eBay for achieving a Feedback Profile of 100 respondents/customers (Positive Feedback rating of 100%), 2005
Associate of Arts Degree, Honors Society, President’s List, El Paso Community College, TX, December 9, 2005
The National Dean’s List, (certificate) 2005-2006 Edition
Phi Kappa Phi, (membership certificate) University of Texas at El Paso, TX, February 26, 2007
Certificate in Applied Anthropology, (certificate) University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), TX, 2007 – Note: Certificate earned, and letter received from the Chair of the Sociology and Anthropology Dept. at UTEP stating such (certificates are given at time of graduation with BA degree).
Legal Investigation Certificate Course (certificate) Center for Legal Studies – online UTEP continuing education course, El Paso, TX, November, 2007
Deans List, Fall 2008, Summer 2009, Ashford University
2012 Administrative Excellence Award (nominated by Everett Housing Authority, via OfficeTeam (Lynnwood, WA)), Everett, WA, March 14, 2012
Honor Societies
EPCC Honors Program
UTEP Honors Society
Phi Kappa Phi (top 7% students in U.S.)
Memberships & Volunteerism
Withlacoochie River Archaeology Council (WRAC), Volunteer/member, 1984-1985
El Paso Solar Energy Association Member (EPSEA), past President (also past Board Member, Secretary, Vice-President, Newsletter Editor), present general member, on and off from 1989-1993, 2000-2003
Straw Bale Association of Nebraska Member (SBAN), Library/Committee Member, 1998-1999
Native American Independent Indigenous Community (NAIIC), Volunteer/member, El Paso, TX, 2000-2001
Wolf Rescue, Volunteer, El Paso, TX 2000-2001
Save the Chimps, Alamogordo, NM, 2005, volunteered for a few months (just prior to them moving the first chimps to the sanctuary in Florida in Feb 2006).
The American Anthropological Research Foundation (AARF), Volunteer/member, Texas, 2005+
VAWA (Violence Against Women Act) at the Paso Del Norte Civil Rights Project, Volunteer (PRAXIS) practicum service-learning (included fundraising), El Paso, TX 2007
Unitarian Universalist Church, UU Community member, & Social Justice Committee Chair, El Paso, TX 2007-Present
Border Interfaith (affiliate of the Industrial Areas Foundation), Volunteer practicum service-learning, BI Leader, Grant Writing, El Paso, TX 2007-2009
INFJ Seattle Meetup, Founder, 8/2011-11/2014 (members continued on till 12/2018)
Village Surrey Transition Initiative, Volunteer, Surrey BC 2015-2016
Solar Nova Scotia, volunteer and board member, most of 2018
Publications
(note previous last names “Eby” or “Eby-Martin” on some publications below, ghost writing and publishing under pen names not included here)
Buydens, Sharon, 2019, Passive Solar Energy House Projects: DIY Solar Oven, Solar Water Distillation, Passive Solar Home Design, & No HVAC Air Conditioning Earth Tubes (v2)
Buydens, Sharon, 2018, Cheapskate’s Passive Solar Home Design for DIY Straw Bale or Green Building: Thrifty Ways to Barter and Find Cheap Used & Free Materials on a Frugal Budget
Buydens, Sharon, 2018, Tiny House CORE Design: Plan Big, Start Small – Build-As-You-Go Green Homes (BOOK available soon, check at: amazon.com)
Buydens, Sharon, 2018, DIY: Passive Solar House Design for Old Fashioned Frugal Living: Cheap Used, Barter, & Free Materials – Green Building & Straw Bale House
Buydens, Sharon, 2018, Simple Passive Solar House: Design for 90% Energy Efficiency to Save Money on Heating and Cooling (v2 of How to Design a Passive Solar House)
Buydens, Sharon, 2018, DIY: How to Design Your Own Energy Efficient Green Home: Construction Alternatives and Sample Passive Solar Straw Bale House (
Buydens, Sharon, 2016, DIY: How to Build Your Own Energy Efficient Green Home: Construction Alternatives and Sample Passive Solar Straw Bale House Design (BOOK RETIRED)
Buydens, Sharon, 2016, DIY: How to Make a Cheap Air Conditioning Earth Tubes (v2)
Buydens, Sharon, 2015, DIY: How to Make a Solar Oven (v2)
Buydens, Sharon, 2015, DIY: How to Build a Solar Water Distiller (v2)
Cornet, Sharon, 2012-2014, Online articles for www.medicinalmushroomsinfo.com / www.aminoacidinformation.com / www.todayswordofwisdom.com / www.vancouverhealthnews.com (NOTE: These sites are now defunct)
Cornet, Sharon personal Blog: Online publications at http://sunstarangel.blogspot.com (2009-2018 – REMOVED)
Cornet, Sharon, 2012, Chloe-isms: Age 1-2
Cornet, Sharon L., 2012, 1st Edition, Passive Solar House Design Projects: A How-To Guide
Cornet, S., 2011. 2nd Edition, A “How-To” e-booklet: How to Make a Solar Oven, PDF version
Cornet, S., 2010. 2nd Edition, A “How-To” e-booklet: How to Design a Passive Solar House, PDF version
Cornet, S., 2008. 2nd Edition, A “How-To” e-booklet: How to Make Cooling and Heat Tempering EARTHTUBES, PDF version
Cornet, S., 2008. 2nd Edition, A “How-To” e-booklet: How to Make a Solar Water Distiller, PDF version
Cornet, S., 2007. 2nd Edition, A “How-To” e-booklet: How to Discover if Solar or Wind Power is Best for You, PDF version
Cornet, S., 2007. 2nd Edition, A “How-To” e-booklet: How to Make a Tornado and Hurricane Resistant Home, PDF version
Foster, R., SWTDI New Mexico State University, Amos, W., SolAqua, Inc. and Eby, S., El Paso Solar Energy Association, 2005. Ten Years of Solar Distillation Application Along the U.S.-Mexico Border
Gupta, B., Vogel, G., Amos, W., and Cormier, M., SolAqua, Inc. and Eby-Martin, S., and Foster, R., El Paso Solar Energy Association, 2003. Solar Distillation Applied in Texas
Eby-Martin, S., and Tirres, A., El Paso Solar Energy Association, and Foster, R., SWTDI New Mexico State University, 2002. Solar Water Purification for the Border: EPA Grant for Solar Distillation, PDF version http://www.sunstar-solutions.com/EPA final pres.ppt
Eby, S., 2002. A “How-To” Booklet: How To Make a Solar Water Distiller
Eby, S., 2002. A “How-To” Booklet: How to Design a Passive Solar Home
Eby, S., 2002. A “How-To” Booklet: How to Discover if Solar or Wind Power is Best for You
Eby, S., 2002. A “How-To” Booklet: How to Make a Solar Oven
Eby, S., 2002. A “How-To” Booklet: How to Make Cooling and Heat Tempering Earthtubes
Eby, S., 2002. A “How-To” Booklet: How to Make a Tornado and Hurricane Resistant Home
Eby-Martin, S., El Paso Solar Energy Association, and Foster, R., SWTDI New Mexico State University, 2001. Solar Water Purification for the Border: Solar Distillation, PDF version http://epsea.org/pdf/borderpact.pdf
Eby-Martin, S., El Paso Solar Energy Association, and Foster, R., SWTDI New Mexico State University, March, 2001. Targeting Drinking Water in Border Colonias: A Solar Still Development Resource url:http://conahec.org/conahec/borderpact/grants/1999/Region%203/Region%203B%20(English).htm
Eby-Martin, S., 1998. GreenBuilding Listserver (online article, republished by SunStar Solutions 2002) Classic Blunders in Solar Layout/Design
Eby-Martin, S., 1998. Straw Bale Association of Nebraska (SBAN) Newsletter Article, Fall Issue, What is a Passive Solar House?
Eby, S., Jan. 1994. El Paso Solar Energy Association, SEASUN, SunShine Abroad: Solar Design of Information Technologies Building
Eby, S., Aug. 1994. El Paso Solar Energy Association, SEASUN, SunShine Abroad: Owner Built Homes Tour
Eby, S., Sept. 1994. El Paso Solar Energy Association, SEASUN, SunShine Abroad: Dancing Leaf Earth Lodge
(Eby), S., 1990-1993. El Paso Solar Energy Association Monthly Newsletter, SEASUN Encore Articles (numerous/various)
(Eby), S., Oct 1991. El Paso Solar Energy Association, SEASUN, Warm Thoughts on Woodstoves
(Eby), S., Aug 1991. El Paso Solar Energy Association, SEASUN, Oil, Renewable Energies, and the Environment