Wooden Jumbo Cable Car Exploration Kit Once assembled and set up, this cable car can travel across a room, between two trees, up a hill, down into a valley, etc, etc! Load up the cable car with favorite dolls or toys (not included) and then let the journey begin as the car is pulled as […]
Search Results for: health/eco-yoga-equipment/eco-yoga-mat
tentree Holiday Gift Guide
When you’re on the search for the perfect gift this holiday season, you may feel yourself completely overwhelmed and inundated by the number of newspaper advertisements and holiday sales there are to choose from. If you’re anything like us here at Insteading, you’re keeping your eye out for a high-quality gift that your family and friends […]
Groundbreaking Bottled Water Tax Raises Dustup in Chicago
In 2007, the image of bottled water in the public consciousness underwent a huge shift. 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,
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 in—even if they are not charging anything! Surprised? Well I certainly was when I learned this and ever
Arizona Solar
Going solar? Good call. It’s the right choice for your pocketbook and for the climate. If everyone in Arizona used solar power, it would take 117 billion pounds of carbon out of the atmosphere every year—according to the EPA’s greenhouse gas calculator, that’s the equivalent of planting a forest that would cover nearly two-thirds of
Canning
For several years after I started cooking and farming, I avoided canning. It intimidated me. I was afraid of making someone sick. I was overwhelmed by recipes. I didn’t have any of the special equipment or know-how. Canning seemed complicated, technical, and elite. Best to leave it to the experts, I figured. I couldn’t have been
How To Humanely Kill A Chicken
People learn to kill chickens for many reasons. As interest in local and ethical food increases, many meat-eaters have challenged themselves to raise and slaughter their own meat. People who keep backyard chickens for eggs often kill older chickens when they have passed their prime laying age. Even people who keep chickens as pets may
How To Make Sausage
Do you love sausage but get tired of the limited options your grocery store sells? Making your own sausages gives you control over the quality of the ingredients, the spice mix, the link size, and any allergens. The flavor of fresh, homemade sausages is completely unique, and the process of making it yourself gives you
Books
Inspiration Green Book Recommendations. Selected green, eco, sustainable books to read. Plus- sources of digital books.
10 Probiotic-Rich Foods That Are Even Better Than Yogurt
Move over, yogurt! These probiotic rich foods are even better.
Earthbag Homes
Earthbag Construction, Sandbag Buildings
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
Wood Stove Decathlon
Wood Stove Decathalon
9 Beneficial Uses For Grass Clippings
Many people around the world cut their grass, and either leave the clippings right where the lawnmower spits them out, or toss them into the yard waste bin. While those are perfectly fine ways to dispose of them, there are several beneficial uses for grass clippings around the homestead. Ever since I was a little
Basics of Metal Woodstoves
When heating with wood, there are many options in choosing a wood-burning appliance. Some will choose to build a masonry oven that functions not only as a heater, but also as a beautiful centerpiece in their home. Others, especially those living in a small space like a tiny home or cabin, will choose some form
15 Different Types of Alaskan Berries
The Last Frontier, the 49th state, land of the midnight sun, or in other words, Alaska. The state many dream to visit and few actually do. Alaska is home to some of the world’s most beautiful natural wonders: the arctic and associated tundra, North America’s tallest mountain (Denali), megafauna ranging from muskox to polar bears,
The Many Uses of Sweetgrass
Sweetgrass, regarded as a sacred purification plant by indigenous people around the world, is a hardy, perennial grass that deserves a special spot in your homestead landscape if you are serious about cultivating medicinal plants. Many consider tobacco, cedar, sweetgrass, and sage to be the four most powerful healing plants. Native to Eurasia and much
19 DIY Duck House Plans
Ducks differ in their needs from backyard chickens, and it can be straightforward to create a DIY duck house with some readily available, basic materials. When starting your flock, making your own duck house instead of purchasing an overpriced product from a retail store, can save you time and money. If you want to add
Homestead Stories: Pachysandra – Pretty Ground Cover or a Blight to Eliminate?
“Help!” I complained. “What is this plant? It’s taking over my garden!” My friend, always a great resource, had once again come to my aid. “I think that’s pachysandra. Very invasive. Pretty little flowers and a great, fast-growing ground cover, but it takes over quickly. Worse than periwinkle and lily of the valley.” “Okay. So
17 Delicious French Macaron Recipes
First baked in Italy during the Renaissance, the macaron, now known as the French macaron, was introduced in 1533 by a noblewoman from Florence, Catherine de Medici, who later married Henri II, the future king of France. King Louis XIV of France is said to have munched on macarons at his wedding in 1660. The
25 Front Porch Ideas To Spruce Up Your Entryway
Whether you’ve been blessed with a grand wrap-around porch or you’re looking to glam up a tiny front stoop, there are countless front porch ideas to add some style to your space. From seasonal decorations to simple enhancements that boost curb appeal, adding decor to the front of your home doesn’t have to break the
Powdery Mildew: What It Is, How To Identify It, And Treatment Methods
You walk into the garden, wiping sweat from your forehead in the summer’s boggy heat. The peppers are dangling like hidden jewels beneath their glossy leaves. The okra is dazzling with its tropical, hollyhock-like blooms. And the tomatoes are looking fine — even though you flicked a hornworm to your chickens as a treat. But
Homestead Stories: The Kudzu Monster Plant and Other Invasive Species
“What are those creepy figures?” my youngest asked. We were driving the back roads to Florida for a family vacation. “I believe that’s what they call kudzu,” I explained. “They look like monsters.” “Yes, they do.” I had read about kudzu years ago but had never seen the plant this close. It was downright eerie.
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
Kitchen Gardening: Sprout Your Own Seeds
Sprouted seeds contain vitamins and calories while bringing a garden to any space. You don’t need special tools or seeds to have a sprout garden either.
Rammed Earth: What Is It, How Is It Made, And Photos
When it comes to alternative building methods to construct a home, you have a host of different choices. Some rely on fairly modern materials like poly bags or used tires (considered new guys on the block). Others have been used for millennia and have proven themselves to stand the test of time. Of this second
Masonry Heaters: Benefits, How They Work, And Photos
When you think of heating with fire, the first image that might leap to your mind is a crackling wood stove, the mainstay of cozy homesteading living rooms everywhere. But despite it’s current ubiquity in back-to-the-land imagery, the wood stove is a relatively recent invention, having been invented by Benjamin Franklin in 1742. If you
Unique Purses From Upcycled Material
Eco Pocketbooks
Cork Art
Most cork on the market is the renewable outer bark tissue peeled off the Cork Oak tree (Quercus suber) which is native to SW Europe and NW Africa. Once the trees are about 25 years old, the cork tissue is debarked every nine years. The process does not injure the tree—cork oaks live for about
Growing Leeks: From Starting Seeds to Blanching Bulbs
If you’ve never had the experience of growing leeks, you don’t know what you’re missing! This straight-laced member of the allium family has a milder flavor than onions, and it’s extremely cold hardy, making it a great choice for Northern gardeners looking for fresh vegetables in the dead of winter. To reap the fancier flavor
Companion Planting For Strawberries
The sweetest, juiciest strawberries you’ll ever enjoy will come from a home garden. By growing strawberries at home, you’ll enjoy fully ripened, chemical-free berries. Like other homegrown produce, the strawberries you grow at home will be more flavorful than whatever you could buy at a supermarket. One of the ways you can grow the best strawberries
Indigenous Microorganisms (IMO)
It can be difficult to have a symbiotic relationship with microorganisms when you live in a world where Purell hand sanitizer dispensers line the wall of every doctor’s office and the words “bacteria” or “fungus” cause fear. It wasn’t until I took a soil science class at the Evergreen State College, where I was exposed
5 Easy Egg Substitutes For When The Chickens Have Stopped Laying
As happens on many homesteads, our chickens have stopped laying with the shorter winter days. We decided to let them follow their natural rhythms with the seasons and haven’t put a light in their coop to keep the eggs coming. We figure, if they naturally take a break for the season, we’ll let them follow
10 Steps To Attract Birds In The Winter
Do you want to attract birds in the winter to your homestead landscape? Do you enjoy their sweet sounds and would like to have more feathered friends come to visit? Birds make the garden magically come alive with beauty, color, music, and motion. Read on to learn more about foods that will attract specific birds
Watch and Share: Genetic Scientist’s TED Talk Indicts GMO Agriculture
Dr. Thierry Vrain spent most of his working life advocating for biotechnology companies, as a soil biologist and genetic engineering enthusiast. In his recent TED talk Vrain systematically unravels the biotech spin, from the perspective of a scientist who can no longer ignore a growing body of evidence that GMOs cause problems. No matter how desperately chemical companies seek to paint critics as anti-science, reality rears its evidence-based head: considering everything we’ve learned since 1996, genetically engineered food crops deserve our best and most enthusiastic skepticism.
Homestead Applications for Bamboo
For centuries, bamboo has been considered one of the most useful plants on the planet. Without bamboo, life would be radically different for people who rely on it as a food source, medicine, fuel, and building material; over half of Earth’s human population! The Versatility of Bamboo Throughout Asia, bamboo has long been prized for
About Us
Insteading helps people on their journey to live a more positive life—positive for themselves, for their neighbors, and for the world around them. As the world awakens to the need to transition away from fossil fuels, people are making alternative choices with the clothes they wear, the products they buy, and the transportation choices they
Tree Houses! From The Past Into The Future
future tree houses, modern tree houses, treehouse inspiration
Avoiding Mid-Life Crises With a Life Course Correction: Burning Man
Men approaching 40 often hit what is termed a “mid-life crisis”. They dump their old car and buy something they can’t afford with lots of horsepower and a sexy exterior. They start jumping out of planes. And often, they divorce their wives in the pursuit of younger women. The underlying cause is a feeling of
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
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?
Forest Therapy
Shinrin-yoku. Forest bathing. Forest Therapy. No matter what you call the practice, the goal is the same: for humans to use the forest as medicine. History of Forest Bathing Shinrin-yoku is a term that means “taking in the forest atmosphere” or, more simply, forest bathing. The practice was developed in Japan in the early 1990s
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
Noise Pollution Alters Bird Behavior
It takes no observational feat to notice that people enjoy birds. As human developments dominate the landscape and evict so many of our wild neighbors, we spend a disproportionate amount of our energies coaxing the birds, specifically, back. Why else the feeders and birdhouses and baths so common to neighborhood backyards? Perhaps the exact reasoning
🏡 Homestead Living
Homesteading is the foundation on which Insteading was built. The core values of homesteading are ones that we at Insteading like to promote to our readers and ones that we like to establish in our own lives Self-sufficiency, living off the land, and choosing eco-friendly alternatives are all things we encourage. Our Homestead Living content
Modern Underground Homes
Modern Underground Homes
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!
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