Vinegar: Making it is easier than you think. In its simplest form, vinegar is alcohol that has been diluted and fermented. You can use fruit juice, fruit scraps, wine, or beer. If given the chance to ferment, they will eventually turn into vinegar. https://www.instagram.com/p/BhnN5rCBjTR/?tagged=homemadevinegar Making vinegar that tastes great can be easy. Youโll want to […]
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23 Genius Epsom Salt Uses For Your Home, Garden, And Wellness
Epsom salt established its name 1600 years ago from the location where it was first discovered in Epsom Common, Surrey, England. It is most commonly marketed as bath products: powder, granules, crystal, flakes, and bath bombs. Although similar to common table salt in color and texture, Epsom salt and table salt are distinctly different. Epsom
Natural Insect Repellent
If backyard barbecues, camping trips, yard work, or sporting adventures have you reaching for cans and bottles of commercial bug spray to ward off irritating insects, pause and think twice before you douse your children and yourself with noxious chemicals concoctions that often contain poisonous ingredients such as DEET. Consider safe, chemical-free alternatives that do
Chia Seeds Vs. Flax Seeds: What’s the Difference?
We hear a lot about the benefits of eating seeds. But when it comes to the goodness of chia seeds vs. flax seeds, do you know the differences? I’m learning.
Can I Compost Meat?
Learn the best methods and safety precautions for composting meat with this comprehensive guide. Explore sustainable alternatives when composting at home is not readily available.
Perfluorinated Compounds
Perfluorinated Compounds
What a Red Dawg Taught Me about Stray Animals and Sustainability
If you’ve spent any time at my Facebook page, or are even a long-time sustainablog reader, you know I’m an animal lover. I’m also a supporter of animal adoption (both my dog, Zelda, and my wife’s horse, Trey, are adoptees), and even volunteer occasionally at the Longmeadow Rescue Ranch. I haven’t written much about issues
11 Healthy Grains You Should Add To Your Diet
As a chef and educator, I get asked all the time about healthy grains. Some of the healthiest grains are amaranth, barley, buckwheat, corn, kaniwa, millet, oats, quinoa, rice, teff, and wheat. Speaking very generally, there are two schools of thoughts about grains: one believes that grains can be a healthy part of a plant-based
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,
Is Milk a Whole Food?
Is Milk a Whole Food?
Earthbag Homes
Earthbag Construction, Sandbag Buildings
ProTip: You Need a Machete
I’ll leave out the part where I sometimes pretend to swordfight with it, because that’s super dangerous and not OK. Especially since the machete’s primary purpose is hacking, and you might think that you don’t have a lot of hacking that you need to do in your life, but you do. All that said, this
Another Green Living Option: Hand Wash Your Clothes
… and easily trade cost and environmental impact, for time! “Do laundry”… what does that mean to most of us?ย It means carting a large pile of clothes in a bin or basket to one’s home washer and dryer, or if you’re one of the many unfortunate bunch like me, you cart it to a
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
Foraging for Mulberries
The first time I met a mulberry, it was a confusing introduction. At the time, I considered my general plant knowledge to be better than average, but somehow, this unfamiliar tree didnโt make sense. It was a beautifully shaped, open grown tree with scalloped alternate leaves that I couldnโt identify offhand (because mulberry trees come
How To Start A Pick-Your-Own Business
While not for the faint of heart, a small PYO operation can be a good source of income and potential customers for any farm.
๐ณ Homestead Kitchen
On the homestead, sometimes it seems that aside from the garden, we spend most of our time in the kitchen. After all, those vegetables and fruits you spent all spring growing wonโt can, dehydrate, or cook themselves! To make the most of your gardening, you have to know what to do with all of those
Outdoor Earth Ovens: What Are They, How Do They Work, and Photos
Outdoor Earth Ovens
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
Modern Underground Homes
Modern Underground Homes
Silo Homes
Silos converted into houses.
Upcycled Chairs
eco chairs, reuse chairs
Green Roof Resources
Inspiration Green. Green roofs and green walls. Organizations,info,photos,products and research.
The Recycled, Post-Industrial Green Building Material: Urbanite
Urbanite is the perfect symbol for the new natural building movement, the new wave of building that incorporates natural, local, and recycled materials in place of high embodied energy, destructive, and ultimately unsustainable building practices. Urbanite is the name for reclaimed, recycled concrete from the demolition of roads, buildings, and sidewalks. It is typically broken
Shed of the Year
Shed of the Year Contest
Hedge Laying
Over two thousand years older than chain link. A living hedge not only keeps livestock fenced but also prevents soil erosion and water runoff. Living hedges are good wind blocks and snow collectors as well as habitat to birds, insects and small mammals. And they sequester carbon, rather than produce it, such as during the
Upcycled Maps
Tear em, decoupage them, fold them, paint on them. Many Rivers, 2009 Inlaid maps, acrylic, on panel, 48 x 78 inches. By Matthew Cusick, mattcusick.com Bonnie, 2004. Maps on wood panel. By Matthew Cusick, www.mattcusick.com Matthew Cusick Rachael’s Wave, 2011. Inlaid maps on wood panel. www.mattcusick.com Geronimo, 2007 Inlaid maps on panel, 30 x 24
Wedge Shaped Cars
The future looks wedge shaped… The 3 Wheeled Elio. Order yours now. More than 50,000 have already been pre-ordered… Made in America. Costs $6800. Designed for a 6โ1โ 220 lb person in the single front seat with one additional seat in the back. Elio projects that it will employ 1500 in Shreveport, LA, at an
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
Organic Mattress Guide
Many mattresses contain harsh fire-retardant chemicals and inexpensive synthetic fabrics. Are these mattresses safe for you to lie on for 8 hours every night? Only a few mattress companies sell 100% organic mattresses. Most mattress companies use a mix of natural and synthetic materials. An organic mattress doesn’t contain harsh chemicalsโit meets fire safety standards
Tiny House Designs & Styles
Tiny houses come in many shapes and sizes. Most people consider tiny houses to be anything less than 400 sq. ft., and some even describe ~500-800 sq ft homes to be tiny. They’re certainly below the average American single family home, so it’s not unreasonable to do so. When most people think of a tiny
Tiny House Interiors
Creativity is essential when planning and designing the interior of your tiny house. Trying to incorporate your kitchen, bedroom, living room and bathroom into an average of 200 sq. ft. is tricky. With the rise in people living tiny, there has been an increase in innovative designs that have come out to help incorporate all
Tiny House Cost
Tiny houses vary widely in cost. The factors that are going to impact the final price tag of your tiny house are: The type of materials you use (natural materials, salvaged or new) The systems and features you chose (off-grid or on-the-grid) Whether you are building it yourself or hiring a builder If youโll be
Eco-Friendly Kitchen Sinks
Seekers of eco-friendly sinks, I have some bad news and some good news. The bad news first: Affordable, new kitchen sinks arenโt 100% eco-friendly. When choosing a sink you’ll be balancing different aspects of sustainability. We’ve tried to give you a starting point for all the buying choices you’ll have to make. Kitchen Sink Materials/Colors
Tiny House Kitchens
The design of a tiny house kitchen is a personal matter. Your final design will depend on your own individual needs and the needs of those whoโll live with you. If you want to build or buy a tiny house but donโt know a lot about design, there are some things you should look out
Reverse Graffiti
Paul “Moose” Curtisย (the father of Green Graffiti) A 140 foot mural of plants indigenous to California. Commissioned by Green Works – Broadway tunnel entrance, San Francisco. Paul and team used brushes, a spray gun and green cleaners to remove the grime. Those painted patches are covering up painted graffiti. See video below. Dutch Inkย Durban,
Massachusetts Solar
Going solar? Good call. Itโs 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 yearโaccording to the EPAโs greenhouse gas calculator, thatโs the equivalent of planting a forest that would cover an area more
Maryland Solar
Going solar? Good call. Itโs the right choice for your pocketbook and for the climate. If everyone in Maryland used solar power, it would take 45 billion pounds of carbon out of the atmosphere every yearโaccording to the EPAโs greenhouse gas calculator, thatโs the equivalent of planting a forest that would cover an area more
Missouri Solar
Going solar? Good call. Itโs the right choice for your pocketbook and for the climate. If everyone in Missouri used solar power, it would take 158 billion pounds of carbon out of the atmosphere every yearโaccording to the EPAโs greenhouse gas calculator, thatโs the equivalent of planting a forest that would cover all of the
Montana Solar
Going solar? Good call. Itโs the right choice for your pocketbook and for the climate. If everyone in Montana used solar power, it would take 36 billion pounds of carbon out of the atmosphere every yearโaccording to the EPAโs greenhouse gas calculator, thatโs the equivalent of planting a forest that would cover 14% of the
New Hampshire Solar
Going solar? Good call. Itโs the right choice for your pocketbook and for the climate. If everyone in New Hampshire used solar power, it would take 10 billion pounds of carbon out of the atmosphere every yearโaccording to the EPAโs greenhouse gas calculator, thatโs the equivalent of planting a forest that would cover nearly two-thirds
New York Solar
Going solar? Good call. Itโs the right choice for your pocketbook and for the climate. If everyone in New York used solar power, it would take 76 billion pounds of carbon out of the atmosphere every yearโaccording to the EPAโs greenhouse gas calculator, thatโs the equivalent of planting a forest that would cover nearly all
Growing Asparagus
If you had told my 10-year-old self that I would one day be deeply emotionally invested in growing asparagus, I would have said โGross!โ Love it, or hate it, this early spring crop has a unique place in both the kitchen and the garden. But even after I developed a taste for asparagus, I hesitated
Araucana
Characteristics Everything about the Araucana is slightly unusual. From its tailless rump to its little pea comb hidden between humorously-curling ear-tufts on either side of its head, the Araucana is a conversation starter! Originally bred from native Chilean chickens, these are hardy birds that can tolerate both hot and cold environments well. They are active
Free Ranging: The Pros & Cons
When I brought my first animals home to the farm there was no question in my mind as to whether they would live the life of free range animals. I wanted my animals to be just as free as I was, free to explore, roam, hunt for food, and live their own life while coexisting
English Garden Inspiration For Your Yard
As homes become more condensed, an English garden may be the perfect solution to a homeowner’s planting needs. Twenty years ago, we moved into a small, two-story, three-bedroom house in the suburbs. The front yard consisted of a large driveway leading to the garage, a path to the front porch, and a small ground space
Plantain Weed
Learning about Mother Natureโs edible and healing plants is a critical component of living a sustainable, self-sufficient, and prepared lifestyle. Broadleaf Plantain, commonly pronounced plan-tin, is a โcommonโ weed that most folks recognize. You likely see it in your lawn, but chances are you donโt know its name. However, there is nothing common about Broadleaf
Best Miter Saws
No matter the project, a miter saw will make quick and accurate cuts to speed up your work progress. A miter saw is an essential power tool for any cutting job that requires repetitive and consistently accurate cuts. If youโre wanting clean miter and bevel joints, and also a saw to cut through a wide
Why Manure Is The Unsung Hero of the Homestead
When I lived in the city, I had the luxury of ignoring poop. If a neighborโs dog left it on my tiny lawn, it was a rude, unusual inconvenience. Aside from what I delicately flushed into oblivion with the touch of a lever, my experiences with poop were largely nonexistent. My suburban upbringing trained me
Portable Solar Power Systems
Did you know that the amount of energy produced by all of the world’s nations is still less than the amount of energy provided to Earth by the sun in a single hour? The sun is, without a doubt, the biggest power plant on the planet, and for that reason, everyone who leads a self-sufficient