Ever wondered how barley stacks up nutritionally against brown rice? Here’s a side-by-side comparison plus some ideas for how to cook barley.
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Minimize Food Waste By Storing Food In Your Refrigerator The Right Way
I tossed out a bag of mushy strawberries this evening, damn! Did you know that the average American wastes 40% of the food they purchase?ย Iย haven’t measured my own waste, but 40% doesn’t seem unrealistic. And that’s sad. What’s worse? Much of that wasted food ends up in landfills where it breaks down and forms methane, a greenhouse gas far more powerful than carbon dioxide.ย
Offshore Wind Energy Development Picking Up Pace
Wind power is the worldโs leading source of renewable electricity, excluding hydropower, with 238,000 megawatts of capacity installed at the start of 2012. Thus far, almost all of this wind power has been tapped on land; worldwide just 4,600 megawatts of offshore wind farms were operating as of mid-2012. Offshore wind capacity is growing quickly, however, expanding nearly six-fold since 2006. Twelve countries now have wind turbines spinning offshore, and more will be joining them to take advantage of the powerful winds blowing over the oceans.
10 Killer Quinoa Salad Recipes
There’s nothing like a good quinoa salad… it’s filling, refreshing, and makes you feel awesome knowing the goodness you just put in your body.
Soy — Devil-fruit, or Bean? (Hint: Bean)
Detractors frequently demonize the humble soybean. It stands alone in that regard, among its less maligned cousins: no one accuses pinto beans of causing cancer, black beans of causing man-boobs, or chickpeas of causing infertility and birth defects. The soybean has been exploited on a larger scale, but it’s just a bean. Processed foods — with or without soy — can cause problems. GMO foods — soy or otherwise — can cause problems. But soy contains no magic disease demons, no secret toxins, no evil plan to take over the world. It is simply a legume. So relax, good friends, and rejoice: for soy is no devil! ‘Tis but a bean.
Easy Lemon Cucumber Refrigerator Pickles
Iโm new to pickling, but my lemon cucumbers are at their peak so I used them for this pickle experiment, with surprisingly tasty results.
The Real Costs of Bottled Water
Bottled water is sold to us as a fresh, healthy, and pure product. Yet in reality, when you buy a bottle of water you’re may just be buying back your local tap water at a mark-up of up to 1000 times the actual cost. Not only is bottled water no better for you than plain old tap water, but the environmental cost of the packaging used to beautify it is a serious issue.
How to Make Your Own Concrete Tamper
Our Earthbag Building Workshop is about to kick off tomorrow, and I spent the day doing some last minute preparations with our instructor, Scott Howard of Earthen Hand Natural Building. A big portion of the earthbag construction process is tamping the dirt into bags to make sure they’re packed tightly, and then tamping them again […]
Instead of What?
I’ve been contemplating the name of this blog and what it means to me personally. I don’t know the thought behind the name, as I was not involved in its development. What does insteading mean? According to the Urban Dictionary, the definition of insteading is: When you’re doing anything but the assignment that you’re supposed […]
5 Sustainable Eco Bath Mats
Your bathroom may be the least appealing room in your house by definition of purpose but that doesn’t mean that it can’t serve as an oasis of peace and solitude! While many aspects of your water closet determine exactly how appealing it is, there is no denying the power of the bath mat in setting a tone of design and usefulness as your bathroom’s centerpiece.
Concerns With Urban Animal Slaughter
Photo Credit by VeryGeeky. This article is a response to a Slate.com piece published by James McWilliams on June 6th, 2012. The article, titled “The Butcher Next Door: Why the rise of DIY urban animal slaughter is bad for people and animals,” tries to make the point that animal slaughter by untrained people in an […]
New Garden Resolutions: Mulch, Mulch, Mulch
I’ve never been a big fan of New Year’s Resolutions. I understand the intention to start a new year with healthy goals, yet they rarely last longer than a couple of months for most individuals. Instead, I am personally more successful with season resolutions. This year, as I toil away in the garden, my new […]
LEGO Upcycling Ideas: What to Do with those Extra LEGO Bricks
Got hundreds or thousands of LEGO bricks lying around, and thinking about trashing them? Don’t – you can make useful items with those “toys.” Here are ten ways that others have upcycled LEGO bricks.
5 DIY Projects for Indoor Gardening
When you live in a somewhat unpredictable climate, it can be truly frustrating to try and deal with a gardening routine. Many plants might even die if you accidentally plant too soon. That is why it can really pay off to do an indoor garden or, at least, prepare for it indoors until you are really sure a garden is workable outside.
Tips For Growing Stevia In Your Garden
Want to grow your own Stevia? It’s not the easiest herb to grow, but these tips will help you cultivate your own source of this natural sweetener.
5 Upcycled Bird Feeders
Want to get the kids involved in environmentally-themed projects? These DIY upcycled bird feeder ideas are simple and educational.
3 Surprising Ways To Conserve And Recycle Water
Happy World Water Day! Learn about three surprising ways that people and companies are conserving, sourcing, and recycling water.
Seattle Solar Installation Q&A
Seattle Solar Electricity Q&A I sat down last week with Amy Beaudoin of West Seattle Natural Energy, a solar & wind energy installer based here in West Seattle. We talked about a bunch of questions that I had as well as questions submitted by readers on topics like: Things you can do to improve your […]
Simple Ways To Save Money By Simplifying Your Life
Read on for simple ways you can help the environment, while saving a few bucks and reconnecting with your community in the process.
“Doing More With Less” Shows Businesses A New Path To Success
Insteading interviews Dr. Bruce Piasecki, author “Doing More With Less: The New Way To Wealth,” which hits shelves this month.
Edible Bus Stop: The Community That Gardens Together, Stays Together
A simple yet creative gardening project called The Edible Bus Stop transforms a public transit area that used to be full of trash, and brings an entire community together.
As Technology Becomes Ever-Present, the “Tech Detox” Movement Gains Steam
As mobile and wifi proliferate, our constant connectivity comes at a cost. Is a movement to disconnect in the making?
Public Garden Plots Put Town On Path To Food Independence
Rarely have we seen an entire town support the idea of long-term food independence the way the small Victorian mill town of Todmorden, West Yorkshire has.
Four Collaborative Consumption Trends Poised To Explode In 2012
To help you explore the new and exciting sharing economy, we’ve collected four collaborative consumption trends poised to explode in the next year.
Why One Laptop Per Child Is The Most Important Thing At CES
One Laptop Per Child designs hardware, content and software for collaborative, joyful, and self-empowered learning. Find out why I think they’re the best thing you’ll see at CES this week.
10 Creative Upcycling Ideas Anyone – Even the Non-Crafty – Can Do
Not everyone is that crafty, and you might feel that you don’t have what it takes to upcycle anything worth keeping. But never fear – there are plenty of interesting and easy-to-make items that make upcycling a breeze.
Handmade Holiday Gift Idea: DIY Necktie Eyeglass Case
You better not cry! We’ve still got a few DIY gift ideas up our sleeve and they can be executed in just an hour or two.
Handmade Holiday Gift Idea: DIY Infused Vodkas
A bottle of vodka infused with your own creative blends of local fruit and organic spices also makes a great gift for those that imbibe.
Handmade Holiday Gift Idea: DIY Beeswax Candles (Two Ways)
Candles made from beeswax instead of paraffin is a great gift idea, especially for loved ones who are sensitive to perfumes and fragrances, or have allergies.
Handmade Holiday Gift Idea: Mason Jar Cookie Kits
Processed holiday cookie mixes are depressing and unhealthy. So why not give your friends the chance to try your favorite healthy cookie recipe with a few time-saving short-cuts?
DIY Biomass: Briquettes, Presses, Logs, and More
“Biomass” is one of those terms like “alternative energy”: it could be a sustainable approach to energy generation, but isn’t always. I once sat through a talk by an energy services company executive in which he argued that forest biomass (think trees, undergrowth, etc., cut for burning) was carbon-neutral because “the plants could grow back.” […]
Top 5 Ways To Reduce Food Waste During The Holidays (and every day!)
In the United States, we generate an extra 5 million tons of household waste each year between Thanksgiving and New Yearโs, including three times as much food waste as at other times of the year.
5 Ideas for Recycled DIY Christmas Wreaths
If you are looking for some fun DIY projects, why not try to create your own wreaths? There are a ton of great ideas floating around the Internet from people who have recycled items by turning them into interesting-looking decorations for their homes. These are five of the best recycled wreaths I could find.
Town Blocks Wal-Mart With Community-Owned Department Store
Residents knew that if Walmart was allowed to build its 120,000 sq. foot store in Saranac Lake, local businesses would be forced to close their doors forever.
Sustainability 101: How To Build A Solar Oven
You know those hot summer days when you can see heat waves rising from the sidewalk, and people say things like “that sun’s hot enough to fry an egg”? Well, there’s more wisdom to that statement than you might think.
Blog Action Day: What Do Meat Labels Really Mean?
With different labels like “natural,” “organic,” “free-range,” and “grass-fed” competing for your attention, it can be hard to know which type of meat comes with the lowest health risk and carbon footprint.
Buying Local vs. Fair Trade [Infographic]
From organic to fair trade, we’ve got lots of options when we shop. Each requires a different amount of money, time and effort. Here’s a handy visual for keeping it all straight.
How to Build a Chicken Tractor: 4 Plans
Thinking about raising chickens for eggs or meat? A chicken tractor allows you to move the birds’ home around easily, so they’re getting a varied diet, and fertilizing your yard as you’d like.
Non-Toxic Beauty: Do You Know What’s In Your Lipstick?
Don’t sacrifice your health just to look pretty for a few hours! Here are tips for avoiding toxins in your cosmetic routine.
Creative Recycling: 5 Ways To Reuse Old Denim Jeans
It’s a shame when your favorite jeans are too old to be worn anymore. But that doesn’t mean you have to throw them away!!
How To Make Your Own Fruit Jam In 30 Minutes Or Less
This past weekend, I tried my hand at making freezer jam, the lazy-cook’s alternative to canning. It was awesome! Here’s how to do it.
6 DIY Rocket Stove Plans
The clean burning, super-efficient rocket stove is also pretty easy to build. Here are six plans showing you how to do so.
Building with Tires for Energy Efficiency and Disaster Resistance
Scrap tires have been a disposal menace for decades: the EPA notes that “There are at least 275 million scrap tires in stockpiles in the U.S.,” and in 2003 (the last year for which there are figures, I assume), approximately 290 million scrap tires were generated.” Yeah, that’s a lot of tires. State and local governments […]
Suburban Foraging 101: How To Find Free Food
Food is out there – just hanging on vines, dangling from trees, and lying on the ground. And it is going to waste. How can you gather some of this food? Forage.
The Urban Lumberjack – The Accidental Eco-Warrior of the City
Urban lumberjacking is a new term that has been coined to describe a growing core of people who seek lumber in urban situations. Typically the urban lumberjackโs activities include diving into skips (dumpsters) and rubbish bins in an attempt to find the precious wood stored within. The great thing about the army of urban lumberjacks […]
Sustainability 101: Learn How To Fix Your Own Clothes
Losing a button here and there and having a few small rips on your clothes is a small natural disaster that happens to everyone. The trick is to know how to make the fix before it’s no longer fixable!
Propane: The “Dirty Little Secret” of Living Off the Grid
Living off the grid sounds romantic…no more bills from dirty energy companies, self-sufficiency, green power, etc.; however, there is one “dirty little secret” found in most alternative energy homes. Without it, some off-gridders couldn’t cook, refrigerate, heat water, or dry clothes. That dirty little secret is propane. Propane is a “by-product of natural gas processing and petroleum refining,”. Due to […]
5 Bee-Friendly Plants for Your Garden
Insteading is celebrating National Honey Month, and this felt like a great opportunity to talk about bees! I know, bees can be a little bit scary. They can sting, and they sometimes make the hives in just the wrong part of your garden. But bees are having a tough time of it lately, and our food future depends on those little guys!
How To Make A Rain Chain
Rain chains aren’t just beautiful, but they can help manage water runoff around the home and help mitigate soil erosion from water pouring out of your gutters. In this video, green guru Michelle Kaufmann shows you how simple it is to build a beautiful rain chain.
Three Easy Ways To Preserve Blueberries
Enjoy the harvest as long as you can – berries are a delicious treat all year long and when you save them yourself, you know exactly what is, and isn’t, in the foods you eat