Clarke Snell has a background in philosophy and a solid liberal arts education. His first construction job was at The Center for Maximum Potential in Austin, Texas, where he helped construct the Green Builder Demonstration Home, a state-funded showcase of alternative building techniques. In 1995, Clarke and his wife moved to the mountains of Western North Carolina. They have recently finished designing and building their own partially-bermed, passive-solar house in a small intentional community they helped create. With access to gravity-fed spring water, ample sunlight, and plenty of room for growing food, Snell is excited about his prospects for a lifelong experiment with self-sufficiency.