If youโre doing a home renovation or are in the market for some new flooring, youโre in luck. Right now, it appears that just about every type of flooring company has some exciting option youโre bound to love. Before choosing your flooring there are a few things to keep in mind. First, be sure that […]
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Upcycled Fashion
Reuse, Crafty and Ingenious Clothes
30 Gifts For Bakers
Baking helps make your house into a home and is a lovely way to show the people in your life that you care for them. And there is no better time than the holidays to start (or begin again) with baking traditions. But if your baking supplies could use a bit of an upgrade โ […]
Zero-Waste Grocery Shopping for Beginners
Iโm always ready to take on a new eco-challenge. Inspired by trash-free enthusiast Lauren Singer, this month I tried zero-waste grocery shopping, and it was awesome!
20 Fun Sewing Projects To Tackle This Weekend
Sewing, a skill that lasts a lifetime, is an integral part of the homestead lifestyle. The hands-on, learn-as-you-go experience of creating something useful and beautiful with your own hands, is simply irreplaceable. For decades, homesteaders excelled at mending and sewing to ensure their families were warm and properly clothed. For todayโs modern homesteader, sewing is
Eco-Friendly DIY Drain Cleaners
Why is it a slow or clogged drain always seems to occur at the worst possible moment? You’re busy preparing a dinner party, company is soon to arrive, and now you find the water in the guest bathroom sink doesnโt want to drain. What to do? You want something that will clear your plumbing problems
Six Creative Upcycling Projects
Editor’s note: Students — please feel free to use the information here. Just make sure to credit it appropriately (with a link if possible)… including credit to the owners of the images. Upcycling, a phrase coined by Cradle to Cradle authors William McDonough and Michael Braungart, is the act of creating useful products from waste
Earth-Sheltered Home: An Eco-Friendly, Passive Housing Alternative
Folks on the street may call them “hobbit houses” in reference to J.R.R. Tolkien’s work, but earth-sheltered homes have been around for far longer than 1937 when the novel was published. Though the practice of using a protective layer of earth to embrace your home exploded in popularity in the 1970s, it’s truly been around
Groundbreaking Bottled Water Tax Raises Dustup in Chicago
In 2007, the image of bottled water in the public consciousness underwent a huge shift.ย What had been largely seen as a healthy lifestyle choice had, in just a matter of months, become recognized by many consumers as an eco-sin. (Click here for a Green Options post detailing the ways bottled water is costly, wasteful,
Can I Compost Paper Plates?
Learn which paper plate types and sources are compostable. Correct preparation, and optimal composting conditions are crucial factors to produce the best compost quality from compostable paper plates!
Best Machete
As many sportsmen and wilderness trekkers already know, a machete can be an extremely handy tool. In dense brush, it can be used as a slashing tool. If necessary, wood can even be chopped by striking the spine with a heavy object to force a chopping action by the blade. It can also be used
Best Router Table
A router table is an extremely useful woodworking tool if you plan to apply a specific edge, slit, or groove to your building material. The table creates a stationary surface for your router to spin, and a stable plane to pass your material over. The bottom-line here is that a router table gives you better
The Story Of Our Waste
Each day we create an excess of waste that builds up in landfills, in our oceans, and in our bodies. Here is the story of our waste. We create a ton of waste everyday, there is no denying that fact. This is especially true if you live in the United Statesโ we would need FOUR
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.
23 DIY Chandelier Projects To Illuminate Your Space
Lighting is one of the best ways to create ambiance or set the mood in any room. Itโs also one of the ways that homeowners can showcase their own style. When you go to add new lighting to the rooms of your home, however, itโs easy to get sticker shock when shopping retail to find
Growing Cucumbers Using A Trellis
I love growing fresh cucumbers in my country garden and enjoy having plenty for salads and pickling. Most seasons, I have lots left over to share with friends and family or to sell at the market. Native to India, cucumbers are members of the cucurbit plant family, the same as gourds, squash, and pumpkin. They
Tips For Winter Emergency Preparedness
Winter blizzards can be life-threatening. Are you prepared to survive winterโs wrath? Millions of people in the United States live or recreate in isolated areas, away from the amenities of city services. If emergency services are not readily available, self-reliance is required. In an emergency scenario, your life and the life of loved ones may
5 Easy Ways To Embrace Collaborative Consumption
Collaborative consumption is disrupting outdated modes of business and reinventing not just what we consume but how we consume. If you’re ready to explore these sharing alternatives, here are five easy ways to get your feet wet.
How To Grow Bamboo
Bamboo is an amazing plant! It has so many benefits to offer on so many levels. Not only does bamboo produce oxygen, which helps to clean the area where you grow your plants, but many varieties are edible! And above all, gardening is just great for your health in general. Unfortunately, growing bamboo is often
Why You Should Start Using A Clothesline
When I think of using a clothesline, I think of a conversation I had when I still lived in the city. While hanging my laundry, my neighborโs little boy poked his head through the fence. โWhatchoo doing?โ โHanging up my laundry.โ โAinโt you got a dryer?โ โWe got rid of it. The sun and the
How To Get Rid Of Mildew Smell To Freshen Your Space
Mildew is a type of fungus that produces a distinct, foul odor. The growth is often confused with mold which has a different texture and is usually darker. Mildew has been linked to health issues like respiratory problems, skin irritation, and chronic fatigue. Often, the terms mold and mildew are used interchangeably. Mildew growth occurs
Can I Compost Dryer Lint?
Composting dryer lint has its benefits and potential pitfalls, especially if you compost the wrong kind. We dig deep into this laundry waste and discuss how to prepare dryer lint for composting and alternative disposal methods.
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.
Sustainable Living
With the effects climate change growing more and more obviousโnow it’s actually shrinking the world’s reindeerโwe all want to do more to live sustainably. Here’s how you can start to take action right at home. Meat-Free Kitchen The agriculture and food production industry has grown into a major environmental threat as a growing source of
The Best Amazon Prime Day Deals For Homesteaders
Amazon’s massive Prime Day promotion started Monday, July 15th at 12 am PT. They’ll be announcing deals throughout the day. This year’s Prime Day will last for 48 hours. Each deal will be one of four types: Prime Day Deals: Deep discounts on top products that last until Amazon runs out of stock (in some cases,
Homestead Stories: Growing Vegetables Indoors
The growing season is too short and I long for fresh vegetables year-round. Whilst most supermarkets have fresh produce (at a price depending on where it came from), thereโs nothing quite like growing oneโs own food, indoors or out, and enjoying the benefits of the harvest. I have had considerable success growing lettuce and herbs
Unique Shoes Made From Upcycled Material
Reuse Shoes, recycled shoes, upcycled shoes…
Alternative Building Methods
When most people in the Western world think of building a new home, almost all of them imagine the same sort of construction process: Stud framing (as this most ubiquitous method is known) uses materials such as dimensional lumber (usually two- by-four and two-by-six) to form the skeleton of the house. The exterior of these
How To Build An Earthbag House For $6,164
In this post, guest author Jay Eisenberg details how he and his wife built their earthbag house for $6,164, completed on Oahu recently in 2017. For years I had dreamed of building my own home and not being enslaved with a mortgage. While living in New Zealand I was connected with Shaye Boddington of DIY
Can I Compost Dog Poop?
Learn how to compost dog poop safely and efficiently with this comprehensive guide. While composting dog waste is possible, it is important to follow guidelines to avoid health risks.
How to Save Brassica oleracea Seeds
Originally titled “How to Save Brassica oleracea Seeds (Cabbage, Kale, Collards, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Kohlrabi, Brussels Sprouts, Gai Lan).” I know it’s a mouthful, so you can see why the title was shortened, but I feel it would be repetitive to write an article on how to save seeds from every one of those vegetables independently.
Raising Angora Goats for Soft and Sustainable Mohair Fiber
When we decided to leave the city behind and start homesteading, one of the first animals I wanted was goats. But the breed of goat became a big question. Fainting, Nigerian dwarf, Pygmy –? And then I learned about Angora goats, and I knew they would become our choice. By this point, we already had
Eco Friendly Tips To Redecorate Your Living Room
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 the landfills compared to only 2.2 million tons in 1960, that is an increase of 450%! If you compared the increase
Vegan Gift Guide: 25+ Items For Every Vegan On Your List
More and more people are turning to veganism as a compassionate and health-conscious lifestyle, so that means you probably have at least a few veg-heads in your life. And at some point, you’re going to have an occasion to give a gift to those vegan friends, family, or office mates. And to remove any anxiety
Tire Art
Over 1 billion tires are manufactured annually, made of synthetic rubber, natural rubber, carbon black, polyester fabric, and steel wire. Tires stay in the environment a long time. Green-thinking artists are doing something with them. The Best Tire Art Tire Frame by Chakaia Booker Pic: newcambridgeobserver.com chakaiabooker.com Male Torso that left his path by Chakaia
Smarten Up: Reduce Your Phantom Power Use
Did you know your TV uses electricity, even when turned off? So does your iHome, coffee maker, microwave oven, hair-dryer, clock radio, and other electronics. Yes, even chargers for cell phones and laptops suck energy when plugged inโeven if they are not charging anything! Surprised? Well I certainly was when I learned this and ever
25 Easy And Clever Kitchen Pantry Ideas
Your kitchen is spotless. Your counters are shiny, and your fridge is immaculate. Take a peek in your pantry, though, and you may find a different situation. It can be tough to keep things neat and tidy, especially when theyโre hidden behind closed doors. The kitchen pantry is an oft-accessed space where items are continually
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.”
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!!
Sustainability 101: Wash Your Car Without Wasting Water
If you wash your car at home once a month, it can use up to 6,000 gallons of water a year. Here are 4 ways to keep your ride clean without the waste.
Green Products
Eco Sports Cars
Porsche 918 Spyder Plug-in Hybrid prototype (all of Porsche’s concept cars have been brought to market) has emission levels of just 70 grams CO2 per kilometre on fuel consumption of three litres/100 kilometres (equal to 94 mpg imp). Acceleration from a standstill to 100 km/h in just under 3.2 seconds, top speed of 320 km/h
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
How To Grow Hops In Your Backyard
We live in the rugged mountains of Western North Carolina. Some question the suitability of growing hops here, or think that growing hops is a new idea. To some it may be new, but those of us who are native to this area know differently. You only have to look back into the Agricultural Census
80 Awesome Earth Day Tips
Happy Earth Day! What better way to celebrate than choosing to make some positive changes in your everyday life! Whether you want to reduce your carbon footprint, teach your kids about the importance of protecting the environment, or support a company that makes donations to earth-conscious charities, weโve found 80 things to do on Earth
How To Store Onions For Fresh Garden Flavor All Year Long
Onions are an essential ingredient in a great many main dishes, appetizers, salads, slaws, soups, stews, and sauces. In fact, onions are the third most consumed vegetable worldwide. And you can enjoy them long after their harvest when you learn how to store onions properly. With proper handling and storage, it’s easy to store onions
15 Fun DIY Cornhole Board Plans for Warmer Days
Cornhole is a pastime of summer. Itโs a fun game to break out when the family is outside or when friends get together to share a laugh. Tailgating parties, barbecues, and beach visits are better with this inexpensive game. For those of us that have a DIY streak, the fun can go even deeper. Making
Can I Compost Flour?
You can efficiently process flour into nutrient-rich compost, but doing so presents some composting challenges. Learn more about the best practices, potential issues, and alternative disposal options of flour waste.
Top 10 Alternative Building Books
For those of us who use alternative building methods in construction, it can be difficult to find a mentor. Trade schools generally teach stick framing, so you will be hard-pressed to find an official school in which to learn. And if you canโt find an architect who is a natural builder to apprentice under, your
Tiny House Transition: Downsizing
Downsizing is a difficult aspect of tiny house living. It’s often overlooked on social media platforms or in the press. Making the transition to a tiny house isn’t as simple as it seems, but If you downsize well, the transition will be much easier. What Is Downsizing? View this post on Instagram @tinyhousebasics remodel coming