The most compact part of a tiny house, square footage to function, is the bathroom. So much utility is squeezed out of this small area, it’s vital to make every unit of space as efficient as possible. This guide will help maximize your bathroom design for your tiny house, as well as offer some money-saving
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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
Outdoor Furniture Cushions
Our outdoor furniture takes a beating—sun, rain, wind, and more. Before long, the cushions on our favorite chairs and lounges start to look older than they really are. If you’ve tried cleaning them, and they still aren’t as inviting as you’d like them to be, it may be time to replace them. Related Post: Outdoor
Best Shop Vac
A wet/dry shop vacuum is one of the most useful items a homeowner can possess. It’s an essential tool for any home improvement project or plumbing emergency, and it’s a must on any construction site. A well-designed shop vacuum is powerful, portable, and able to access most spaces in order to clean out water, dust,
11 Steps to Minimize Indoor Pollutants and Live Greener
The Environmental Protection Agency states that, “The average adult breathes 13,000 liters of air per day; children breathe 50 percent more air per pound of body weight than adults.” And, because children’s respiratory systems are still developing, they are much more vulnerable to the health dangers of airborne and other pollutants or allergic particles in
Green Products
24 Truly Unique Bird Baths (Starting At Less Than $25!)
Enjoying the beauty and birdsong of avian visitors can be a delightful and relaxing way to spend time in your backyard. There’s something special about slowing time down to watch birds look for food or call to one another. Many bird enthusiasts look for ways to attract more feathered friends to their outdoor spaces, and
Diatomaceous Earth: 14 Surprising Everyday Uses
Diatomaceous earth (DE), also known as diatomite, is a soft sedimentary rock made up of the fossils of algae-like organisms called diatoms. It’s 80-90% silica and usually comes in the form of a fine, white powder, commonly used in things like water filtering, food manufacturing, skin products, and farming practices. You can buy two kinds
Marking The Way Naturally – Rustic Garden Edging
It really began with the secret garden. No, I’m not referring to Frances Hodgson Burnett’s novel by that name, though it is a favorite, and I’ve always wanted my own secret garden. Perhaps now I do. My secret garden really was a secret. At least initially. And hence its name which it holds to this
Natural Roach Killer
Unless you’re a roach-loving entomologist, chances are you can’t stand having little critters all over your kitchen. Not only are they unsightly, but they are also known to be allergy triggers, especially for those who have been diagnosed with asthma. According to Pest World, cockroaches are said to spread at least 33 kinds of bacteria,
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 doesn’t want to drain. What to do? You want something that will clear your plumbing problems
A Beginner’s Guide To Restoring Cast Iron
Let’s say you’re walking down the aisle of an antique store, mildly browsing the booths, hunting for treasure. All of a sudden, there! You see it. A cast iron skillet. Sure, there are rust spots, and it looks like it hasn’t seen service for a few decades, but you’re smart enough to know this thing
10 Ways to Upcycle Old Clothes
We can upcycle just about any type of clothing as long as we’ve got a vision, a bit of imagination, and some crafting skills. Clothing is one of the simplest things to upcycle. Old jeans can be transformed into shorts, household items, and tote bags. T-shirts can be made into reusable produce bags, hanging planters,
Can I Compost Paper?
Learn how to compost paper effectively using this comprehensive guide. Correctly prepare compostable paper types and aim for the optimal conditions to convert your paper scraps into a healthy compost.
Can I Compost Coffee Filters?
Learn how to properly compost coffee filters efficiently to enhance your compost pile’s microbial activity. Discover the types of coffee filters suitable for composting, the optimal composting conditions, and various methods like hot composting, vermicomposting, and more.
The Hosta Plant
“Oh my! That hosta is huge!” I was standing in my front drive, surveying what I called the circle garden. It was encased in a rock wall that outlined a circle around a gracious, old willow tree. And the hosta was huge. Not just the expanse of the plant itself, but the leaves rivaled those
Types of Cabbage
Cabbage is an annual vegetable crop known for its versatile culinary use. Get to know these dense-leaved heads that come in many varieties — each with distinct features and flavor.
Scientists Discover New Global Warming Threat: ‘Methane Time Bomb’ Under Arctic Seabed
Scientists have today warned that global warming could rapidly accelerate as millions of tons of methane escape from the arctic seabed. According to preliminary findings, as the Arctic region gets warmer massive deposits of the greenhouse gas – 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide – are rising to the surface. Orjan Gustafsson of Stockholm
Toxins in Leather Shoes
Toxins in Leather Shoes
Solar Roadways
The Solar Roadways project is working to pave roads with solar panels that you can drive on. Their long range goal is to cover all concrete and asphalt surfaces that are exposed to the sun with Solar Road Panels. They plan to start off small: driveways, bike paths, patios, sidewalks, parking lots, playgrounds, etc. This
Ten Ways to Change the World Through Social Media
Editor’s note: We’re pleased to welcome Max Gladwell, of MaxGladwell.com, as a regular guest writer on sustainablog. Max Gladwell covers the nexus of social media and green living. We feel that these two trends and technological developments hold tremendous promise for improving the quality of life for everyone on the planet. If you’re reading this
Insect Hotel
What Is An Insect Hotel? Insect hotels are winter lodgings for your backyard crawling and flying bugs. Usually made of found or upcycled materials around your yard, these hotels consist of different suites catered to each little bug’s preferred lodging taste. Most hotels are constructed with a strong protective frame of wood boards or pallets and
Getting Started With Off-Grid Water System For A More Self-Reliant Homestead
In my experience, it seems that discussions about off-grid water systems only take place in niche communities of homesteaders or preppers. If you were to bring it up in “normal” workplace conversation, I guarantee you’d get at least one set of raised “what a weirdo” eyebrows. But considering just how crucial water is to life
Scientific American’s Solar Grand Plan
Scientific American has a thought-provoking proposal in its January 2008 issue. The magazine proposes a massive, far-reaching plan to get solar power generating 69 percent of America’s electricity 35 percent of our total energy by 2050, thus replacing all of our foreign oil needs and slashing global warming emissions. Below are some of the highlights
“Grass-Fed” On The Label: What It Does (And Doesn’t) Tell You
What does the “grass-fed” label really mean? The USDA’s grass-fed labeling standard tells you a lot, but what it doesn’t tell you is just as important.
10-Step Guide to Buying a Used Laptop That Works
Buying second-hand products is always green, but it’s easy to be discouraged by the stories of broken laptops from eBay or Craigslist. To quell these fears, here is a 10-step checklist on how to find a used laptop that isn’t just a high-tech lemon. Most wouldn’t flinch at the idea of buying a used car,
$5000 Budget Bug Out Ride: Honda CR-V
So you need a bug out vehicle, but you’re on a budget? Check out the first generation Honda CR-V for cheap, capable travel to safety!
Heirloom Seeds: What Are They?
Heirloom seeds are what our great-grandparents called “seeds.” My mother often complained during my childhood that you couldn’t buy tomatoes like her grandmother grew. The tomatoes in the grocery stores were hard, mealy, and tasteless. When a farmer’s market opened in our neighborhood, she would buy a bag of heirloom tomatoes every week and eat
Alaska Solar
Going solar? Good call. It’s the right choice for your pocketbook and for the climate. If everyone in Alaska used solar power, it would take 8 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 2.8 million acres
California Solar
Going solar? Good call. It’s the right choice for your pocketbook and for the climate. If everyone in California used solar power, it would take 114 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 half of
Connecticut Solar
Going solar? Good call. It’s the right choice for your pocketbook and for the climate. If everyone in Connecticut used solar power, it would take 19 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 an area more
Delaware Solar
Going solar? Good call. It’s the right choice for your pocketbook and for the climate. If everyone in Delaware used solar power, it would take 11 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 an area more
Hawai’i Solar
Going solar? Good call. It’s the right choice for your pocketbook and for the climate. If everyone in Hawai’i used solar power, it would take 15 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 all of the
Kentucky Solar
Going solar? Good call. It’s the right choice for your pocketbook and for the climate. If everyone in Kentucky used solar power, it would take 187 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 an area more
Massachusetts Solar
Going solar? Good call. It’s the right choice for your pocketbook and for the climate. If everyone in Massachusetts used solar power, it would take 33 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 an area more
New Jersey Solar
Going solar? Good call. It’s the right choice for your pocketbook and for the climate. If everyone in New Jersey used solar power, it would take 34 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 an area
New Mexico Solar
Going solar? Good call. It’s the right choice for your pocketbook and for the climate. If everyone in New Mexico used solar power, it would take 65 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 one-third
Rhode Island Solar
Going solar? Good call. It’s the right choice for your pocketbook and for the climate. If everyone in Rhode Island used solar power, it would take 8 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 an area
Utah Solar
Going solar? Good call. It’s the right choice for your pocketbook and for the climate. If everyone in Utah used solar power, it would take 71 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 more than half
Virginia Solar
Going solar? Good call. It’s the right choice for your pocketbook and for the climate. If everyone in Virginia used solar power, it would take 58 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 85% of the
Washington Solar
Going solar? Good call. It’s the right choice for your pocketbook and for the climate. If everyone in Washington used solar power, it would take 15 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 13% of the
Wisconsin Solar
Going solar? Good call. It’s the right choice for your pocketbook and for the climate. If everyone in Wisconsin used solar power, it would take 86 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 all of
West Virginia Solar
Going solar? Good call. It’s the right choice for your pocketbook and for the climate. If everyone in West Virginia used solar power, it would take 145 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 an area
Wyoming Solar
Going solar? Good call. It’s the right choice for your pocketbook and for the climate. If everyone in Wyoming used solar power, it would take 104 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
Know Your Vegetable Seeds: The Lowdown on Heirloom, Hybrid, and Organic Seeds
Now’s the time of year when prudent green thumbs curl up with their favorite seed catalogs and plan their springtime gardens, selecting from a huge variety of vegetable seeds for sale from an equally large number of seed companies. Many companies commonly offer heirloom and organic seeds, but what sets these varieties apart from the
The Basics of No-Dig Gardening
Wouldn’t gardening be far easier and infinitely more enjoyable if you didn’t have to turn the soil and break your back every spring? Each of us has been there and done that! After all, that ritual is what conventional gardeners have taught and passed down from generation to generation. In the search for a better
How to Get Started With Spinning Wool and Plant Fibers
One of the greatest acts of self-reliance outside of gardening and preserving your own food, is becoming crafty to the point you can knit, crochet, and weave all that you need not buy from the store. When the chores are done for the day and you have made yourself comfortable on the homestead, it is
What Is Homesteading?
The story I’m about to tell happened more than three years ago, so I feel comfortable finally airing it out, knowing that the places and persons involved have forgotten this conversation and completely moved on. It all started when I submitted a bio for an article (to a publication I’ll not name, as I don’t
Getting Rid of Squash Bugs
Am I the only one who had an all-out war with squash bugs this year? They annihilated most of my butternut and zucchini before the plants even had a chance to produce. I knew how to get rid of them, but the bugs had covered too much ground before I realized they were present. We’d
Types of Garlic
Garlic gives a breath of fresh air to many cuisines around the world, making it a kitchen staple. Its punchy flavors can grow from your home garden, but to do so, discover different garlic varieties and their characteristics.