“One of the biggest environmentally friendly trends we’re seeing is the use of local materials,” said Dale Mulfinger, an adjunct professor of architecture at the University of Minnesota and the author of “Cabinology: A Handbook to Your Private Hideaway.” “Once you start shipping things long distance, that’s not so friendly — there’s the cost of shipping as well as the fuel costs.”

A Cabin Is Not a Shack in the New Rustic Culture – NYTimes.com.