Ya, the USA was definitely NOT growing that much food in 94, thanks.

What you bring up is super real and a big hurdle. Codes are there to create safety standards and they can be like a death grip. I'm sure it hasn't gotten ANY easier since you were building...

Ya, you nailed it here "Governments have to be receptive to these changes or get out of the way". Also there's the element of sneaking around the codes by doing different things like small out-building, composting toilets and interior earthen plasters. Still we have a lot way to go and in the event of any catastrophes (heaven forbid) we will be SOL without the grid to make all the material to rebuild....

It's time we remembered how to work with the elements again. Luckily theres a large culture growing around natural building and it's much easier to learn than it was before.