Insteading
Homesteading & Sustainability
This article is reprinted with permission from our friends at Shareable Magazine. Sharing is a big deal these days. The sharing economy is a growth industry, a new field of study and of …
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Millions of people plant gardens to provide fresh food for their families at a fraction of grocery store prices. But recently, it seems that cities have launched a war against this simple act of …
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In 20 years, experts predict 60 percent of the world's population will live in cities. Here are a few reasons why urban living might be the greenest lifestyle of them all. When I picture my ideal …
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Is there such a thing as DIY internet? An amazing open-source project in Afghanistan proves you don't need millions to get connected. While visiting family last week, the topic of conversation …
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A thriving compost pile can provide plenty of nutrient rich soil for a healthy garden and you can compost anywhere. Building a beautiful compost pile is as much art as science. Rich compost …
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Catching rain water from your roof and using it in the garden is easy and green. This project will help reduce storm water run off and provide water in spots that your hose might not reach. Rain …
For moms having a baby sitter who is reliable and available is priceless. However paying a babysitter to stay with your kids, especially during the day can make going shopping alone or having privacy …
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According to the National Climatic Data Center, about 25 percent of the contiguous U.S. fell in the moderate to extreme drought categories (based on the Palmer Drought Index) at the end …
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Summer is the season of yard sales and bargain hunting. These tips will help you attract customers, get rid of excess stuff, and best of all, make some extra money! Before you donate all those …
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These eco-friendly redecorating tip for your living room will save you money and help the environment all at the same time. EPA reported in 2009 that 9.9 million tons of furniture were thrown in …
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Most seeds have very little nutritional value, but sprout them and it's a whole new game. Sprouted seeds contain vitamins and calories while bringing a garden to any space. You don't need …
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How can a community deal with food deserts, or urban areas without ready access to a variety of healthy, fresh foods? Convincing grocery chain to enter these often impoverished neighborhoods is one …
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Pick-your-own or PYO berries are a great way to add income to a small farm or homestead, and often do better in a challenging economy. Local extension offices can help you hoose the right berries …
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Geocachers – high tech treasure hunters – use billion-dollar satellites to find Tupperware containers in the woods! Geocaching is a growing outdoor hobby where the coordinates of certain locations …
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Last fall, a friend of mine traded a large empty tank that was designed for water storage. He was planning to complete a project with it that never got started and his wife said it had to go. He …
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All smurf jokes aside, a new fungi-based building material could revolutionize the construction industry. A lot of people talk about building "green homes," but what does that really mean? In …
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Want to ditch the bottled water but aren't sure where to find free sources of H20? Yeah, there's an app for that. Late last month it was announced that Google and the Pacific Institute are teaming …
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Finding a way to draw independent professionals with introverted tendencies out of their home offices and into a coworking space can be tricky. Whether you want to know if your community's ready …
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Spring planting is in full swing! Whether you're an experienced gardener, or just interested in eating local food, there are sharing communities that will reconnect you to your neighbors, farmers, and …
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Rain gardens attract birds and butterflies (and bees), while protecting local streams and ponds. These gardens are planted with flowers, shrubs and grasses that are easy to maintain and thrive …
Depending on how much time you spend researching alternative currencies and economies, you might not be aware that the sharing, swapping, and bartering of goods, services, and experiences are making a …
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Are you ready to ditch the corporate grind and the coffee shop office all in one fell swoop? Things are happening in the corporate world. Things that scare people with titles like CEO and Human …
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About five years ago commercial beekeepers across the US began reporting bee losses in record numbers - about 30% each year. This level of loss is unsustainable and many beekeepers are going out of …
The Freecycle movement, started in Tucson, has spread world-wide keeping thousands of items out of landfills and trash piles. Freecycle has taken the phrase, "One man's trash is another man's …
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Now that you have grown beautiful vegetables, lovely flowers or have gorgeous chicken eggs, how do you go about selling them at a farmer's market? What are some of the tricks of the trade and the …
If you have a deck, porch or even a window sill, you can have a garden. Container gardening can be a great way to start gardening, try something new, out wit predators, or bring kids into …
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The recent tragedy in Japan and the vast number of weather-related power outages across the US this winter have many people concerned about what to do in case something like this happens to them. If …
The Red Cross and the SPCA recommend that in addition to an Emergency Kit for you and your family, you create one for your pets. This is important step can help to save your pets live and your peace …
The Community Supported Agriculture, or CSA, movement is an important step in locally sourcing your food. With more and more food recalls being issued by the government and food producers on …
“Mummy! It smells just like sunshine!” said my 5-year-old son, Cameron, his face split wide open with a grin. He was standing knee-deep in the middle of our herb garden, the sun pouring down on him …
Did your children outgrow their clothes overnight? With growing kids, it is a fact that you will end up with clothes that still have some wear-ability after your kids not longer fit in them. You …
If there is economy in scale, an entrée exchange group embodies it. The idea is that if five families participate, each family makes five of the same meals, meet up and trade, and go …
It all begins with a simple premise: an hour is an hour. No matter who you are, what you do, or where you are, your time is valuable - just as valuable as everyone else's. Time banks are being …
All too often the only thing that stands in the way of a great idea is a lack of funding. Innovation is expensive, and most people don't have tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars lying around to …
If you do not think me a bit nutty already, then be warned: the following may have you calling the men in white coats. Nevertheless, intrepid lover of living creatures little and big that I am, I …
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There are many ways in which entrepreneurs and ecopreneurs are similar. Both embrace failure and are idea-driven, innovative, creative, risk tolerant, flexible, adaptable, freedom-minded and …
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