Many of the best eco trends are less about new technologies and more about reviving the innovative technologies that existed when civilizations thrived without depending on copious amounts of fuel. Did you know that there were actually ancient refrigerators that sufficed quite well in preserving food? Naturally, the still work … Read more
Sustainable building is a growing movement. Its goals are to design and construct buildings that are resource-efficient throughout the lifespan of the building, from planning to construction and, eventually, to demolition. Green buildings must also account for utility, comfort and other normal aspects of building design. Sustainable building may also … Read more
In contrast to the monoculture of fast food quickly overtaking the globe, the Slow Food Movement is a grassroots organization started in Italy that strives to preserve traditional and regional cuisine and encourages the farming of plants and raising livestock that are characteristic to the local ecosystem. It is a … Read more
Rain barrels are a fantastic and sustainable way to conserve water and to store and use rain water for gardening and landscaping. Most commercially available rain barrel systems integrate into a building’s existing rain gutter system and effectively collect the rainwater from the roof of the structure and funnel the … Read more
Green lawns have long been a staple of residential neighborhoods; they are favored by homeowners associations for their uniformity and by home builders for their ease of installation. However, lawns are just not suited for many geographic areas and arid areas require irrigation and extensive watering. In most cases, chemicals … Read more
When planning a garden for self-sufficiency it’s important to pick the best fruits and vegetables to help sustain a healthy and balanced diet. Watermelons are one of the best thirst-quenching summer fruits available. Although it may be hard to imagine now, watermelons originated in Africa, where they were first cultivated … Read more
At first glance, a wind turbine on your roof or in your garden seems like a great idea. Wind is free; you can lower your carbon footprint; and you can reduce you electricity costs. Domestic wind turbines come in two flavours. Mast mounted sit on a mast or tower and … Read more
We all like to escape from the city once in a while; head out to the hills or forest and get some peace and quiet. Then some guy turns up in an RV, hauls out his fridge and TV and starts up a portable diesel generator. So much for peace … Read more
If you have a backyard covered in grass, it may look a little boring. While large, grassy yards were once a sign of opulence and wealth, they’ve become something of a suburban paradigm. While large, grassy areas are fun to run around in, or entertain on, adding some biodiversity and … Read more
A haybox cooker is a box full of insulating material that keeps a meal hot enough so that it cooks without having to keep it in the oven or on the stove for hours [1]. It’s a bit like an insulated thermos flask, except rather than coffee or soup it … Read more
Many articles exist out there about “going green” at home. Stressing, small, easy-to-follow steps concerning conservation, such as installing a low-flow toilet, or switching to compact fluorescent lightbulbs, these tips only scratch the surface of a very large problem. They also assiduously ignore a major cause of global climate change: … Read more
Over 400 million tonnes of metal are recycled each year[1]. Almost all metals can be turned back into metals of equivalent quality, but steel, aluminum and copper take the lion’s share of metal recycling. Recycling metal has benefits for everyone; it saves energy; uses fewer natural resources (why dig more … Read more
Fireplaces have been used to heat homes and dwellings for thousands of years. As our understanding of technology expands, so do the ways which we use existing resources to help keep our environment clean and sustainable. More recently, the wood burning fireplace has expanding into using clean burning ethanol fuel. … Read more
In many ways sustainable living is a return to the old ways of doing things. Unlike other construction materials such as concrete, wood, and steel, mud house construction is not environmentally destructive and it is relatively inexpensive. Mud House Construction: Learning from the Old Ways Just because a construction process, … Read more
The concept of food forestry can be overwhelming to a typical household. A food forest is an edible landscape modeled after the ideas of layers of a forest including a canopy formed by tall trees, shrubs, vines, low groundcover, and all of the associated wildlife. Planning a food forest in … Read more