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.
Search Results for: renewable-energy/solar-products/solar-panels
Food Companies Fighting GMO Labeling
Washington State’s GMO Labeling Ballot Initiative (I-522) I-522 would have mandated clear labeling of genetically engineered (GE) ingredients on food packages. The initiative was voted on in 2013. It lost, 51% to 49%. Among the companies who fought the labeling requirements, and money they spent on the ‘No on 522’ campaign were: Monsanto: $5,374,411 DuPont: $3,880,159 […]
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 aren’t 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
Eco-Toys for Ages 6-10
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
Local Solar Discounts
We’ve partnered with the team at Understand Solar to help connect Insteading readers with local solar installers. To get your free quote, fill out your zip code below to start the request for information process. Your information will then be passed along to their team to get you connected with a company in your area.
Solar Calculator
Purchase (cash): Customer owns the PV system from day one, pays upfront with cash Purchase (loan): Customer owns the PV sysytem starting Day 1. It is purchased with a loan, sometimes with a down-payment and paid back at a fixed interest rate Lease, 15-year buyout: Install company or developer owns the PV System. Customer pays a fixed monthly
Living Off-Grid: Our Micro Hydro Alternative Energy System
As a follow up to Sean’s post on Micro Hydro Essentials, I thought I would share an overview of my system, which has powered my home for over 13 years. We are fortunate to live on rural mountain property in Northern California with a creek that is not seasonal, although the volume of water does
Eco-Friendly Homemade Ice Melt Solutions
If you reside in a region where the temperature drops below freezing, you know firsthand the dangers of ice accumulation. When the winter winds blow, temperatures drop, and the rain turns to sleet or snow; driveways, sidewalks, and steps become hazardous. Homemade ice melt solutions and anti-icing products help prevent snow and ice from bonding
The Watercone: A Simple, Effective Solar Still
In many parts of the world, lack of access to clean, potable water is a major issue. Water may be found nearby, but only in a brackish or polluted state. Areas close to the ocean may see miles of water, but not a drop to drink. UNICEF estimates that every day 5000 children die as
Top 10 Reasons to Live in an Electricity-Free Home (PPB #27)
When I designed my cob house here at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage two years ago, I decided that I was going to live without electricity. I had no plans to buy a solar power system or a wind turbine. I was going to make the leap to live electricity-free in my home, in order to live
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
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
Greenhouses from Old Windows and Doors
Calling all used awning windows, bay windows, storm doors, and clerestories back to service. 1) Recycled Window Greenhouse, Minnesota Greenhouse made from recycled windows by Jan and Ed Vitse of New Look Floral (a garden and floral business) in Rochester, MN. This little gem, made from recycled windows was built in 2003. The structure is 12
25 DIY Nightstand Ideas to Upgrade Your Bedroom
When it comes to bedroom décor, it seems the only choices are to buy a nightstand or accept the one that comes with a larger bedroom set. But what about DIY-ing your own unique piece? After all, nothing spruces up the décor of a space like a nightstand of your own design. So before you
Recycled Glass Bottles
Much of the glass we throw out is not recycled because different glass has different melting points and recyclers only melt the most common containers. Artists use old and new glass to create unique pieces of home decor. Glass Bottle Windows Hanging window composed of serving plates, wine bottle bottoms, stemware bottoms and faceted stained glass
Acronyms
Green Acronyms & Abbreviations A A Ampere AAAS American Association for the Advancement of Science AABW Antarctic Bottom Water AAC Antarctic Convergence AAIW Antarctic Intermediate Water A AMS Arctic Air Mass AAMW Australasian Mediterranean Water ABL Atmospheric Boundary Layer ABW Arctic Bottom Water or Antarctic Bottom Water AC Alternating Current ACC Antarctic Circumpolar Current ACIA
Is Coca-Cola Vegan? Yes and No.
The Coca-Cola Company claims that the “vast majority” of their drinks are vegan. Is it true? Is Coca-Cola Vegan?
Safe Cosmetics
Safe Cosmetics
Types of Carrots
From salads to stews, carrots have plenty of culinary uses, all of which improves its crisp and sweet flavor. Before growing your own, discover these notable carrot varieties and their special characteristics.
Vertical Farming
Vertical farms, urban agriculture, hydroponic vertical farms, urban hydroponics, urban skyscraper farms, urban vertical agriculture, skyscraper farming…
15 DIY Carport Plans
Anyone living in an area dominated by harsh elements understands the importance of carports. Apart from protecting the car from the harshest weather, carports also provide additional and versatile space. They ensure your asset enjoys enhanced protection. The good news is you don’t have to hire professional contractors to build a carport for you. You
Green Products
Organic Shampoo
In the spirit of real talk, I will admit that I had never been an organic shampoo user until I tested products and conducted research for this article. In hindsight, I feel ashamed of myself for the years I spent buying into experiential “oh-oh-ohhhh” shampoo marketing tactics the big brands use to lure us in.
Can I Compost Paper Towels?
Discover the types of paper towels suitable for composting, how to prepare them, and the optimal composting conditions. Find alternative disposal options and understand what paper towels should not be composted.
14 Inexpensive DIY Hot Tub Plans
A hot tub has been a long-held sign of status for homeowners. Being able to afford one meant you were probably doing pretty well financially, and having a hot tub adds value to your home. It might seem like a better deal to simply purchase a premade hot tub, but there are certain benefits to
How To Add Nitrogen To Soil & 5 Natural Methods To Try in Your Garden
When you just start gardening, your knowledge of how to do it may be deceptively simple. Take a seed, put it in some soil, add water, and voila! Couldn’t be easier, right? And while this approach is a wonderful way to start, the beginner may notice that some sprouts do better than others. Surely there’s
Flame Retardants
Flame Retardants are everywhere
Seattle Resources
Here’s a never-quite-complete list of the local businesses & organizations we support. Almost all of the businesses on this list support sustainability, organic practices, or other environmental issues we’re concerned about. There’s also a few listed that are just good local businesses that we like. Please email or tweet or leave a facebook comment if
How The Average American Uses Energy
Inspiration Green Blog. Inspiration to green the world.
Homes on Stilts
Homes on Stilts
Bark Walls
Bark walls
Mirrored Buildings
Mirrored Buildings
How To Raise Pigs
Pigs are by far my favorite homestead animal. They are curious, affectionate, and incredibly smart. Those are also the characteristics that make them uniquely challenging. The first time I ever saw a pig I was 12, travelling in Eastern Europe. The pig had gotten out and was being chased around a courtyard by four or
Garden Shed Kits
I vividly remember parasailing across a South Dakota home improvement store parking lot. Not on purpose. I’d picked up a vinyl shed panel in the wind. It was 6:15 am and I’d just been sent to clean up after a recent blizzard. Sleeting snow and wind stung my face as I skated across the slush-filled
Florida Law Makes Living Off The Grid Illegal
If you’re in Florida and hope to live a more sustainable lifestyle free from the influence of energy companies and massive agricultural conglomerates by adding solar panels to your home, harvesting rainwater, and planting an organic garden on your property- watch out. Citing the International Property Maintenance Code, city officials in Cape Coral, FL are
10 Amazing School Bus Conversions
Converting a school bus into a permanent residence is a bit like a coming-of-age story. You take a school bus, probably one very similar to the one you rode in elementary school, gut it entirely, and build a tiny home out of it. To me, the whole school bus conversion process feels very charming, sustainable,
16 Cheap Fence Ideas For The Suburbs And The Country
When buying a new property — whether in the city, suburbs, or country — you may also inherit broken-down, ugly, or absent fences. With a small patch of land, this may lead to privacy concerns. On a larger acreage homestead, bad or nonexistent fencing can lead to problems like your sheep escaping and eating the neighbor’s
13 Creative DIY Screen Door Ideas and Important Details to Consider
Installing a screen door allows a delightful cross breeze through the whole house without the worry of insects invading your living space. Screen doors keep bugs, birds, bats, and airborne debris from entering the home while allowing for light, air, and outdoor views. However, screen doors only perform that function if the screen is undamaged,
25 Free Rabbit Hutch Plans to House Your Furry Friends
Whether you’re raising meat rabbits or looking for walk-in rabbit hutch plans for your favored pets, making your own hutch can save you money and help our environment by reducing waste. Fortunately, there are plenty of options available to find what works best for you when raising rabbits. Important Details to Consider When Building a
Coke – Not Pepsi – Removes Carcinogenic Caramel Coloring
According to CEH, last year both Coke and Pepsi agreed to remove 4-MEI, a known carcinogen, from its caramel coloring, but only Coke has fully followed through.
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
About The Insteading Marketplace
We built the Insteading Marketplace to curate products from across the web that our readers will love. We manually select every product on the site from vendors on Amazon, Etsy, and other top tier online retailers. We specifically look for products that meet the following criteria: High quality non-disposable products: We advocate for paying more for
Environmental Impact of Eating Meat
New United Nation Food and Agriculture report tells us again that eating meat has perhaps the largest negative environmental impact of any human action. And more than half of the world’s crops are fed to animals. I’ve written on the relationship between eating meat (or being vegetarian) and the environment extensively before. However, there is
Plastic To Fuel
All around the globe companies and individuals are starting to produce fuel from waste plastic. As only 8% of waste plastic is recycled in the U.S., 15% in Western Europe, and much less in developing countries, this reuse of plastic could potentially keep enormous amounts of plastic out of landfills and out of the oceans.
Offshore Wind Energy Development Picking Up Pace
Wind power is the world’s 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.
2017 Tilth Conference
As the managing editor of Insteading, I get to learn a lot about farming and gardening from our writers as well as my own research. And every once in a while, I have the opportunity to attend conferences and classes. Back in November, I had the pleasure of attending the 2017 Tilth Conference, organized and
Wattle Fence
Wattle is woven wood fencing. Hurdles are woven wattle fencing panels. Historically moveable hurdles were employed for pasture and livestock rotation. We have been wattle making (wattling) since Neolithic times. How To Weave A Wattle Fence The upright stakes are sometimes called “sales” and the saplings called ‘weavers’. Hazel, willow, sweet chestnut, plum, forsythia or any supple, long, straight, slender saplings make
Buying Ethical Meat At The Store
So you’re at the supermarket, standing in the chilly wasteland of the meat aisle. You’re looking at all the options and wondering how do you really know which brand or label is better for the environment, the animal and your body. Perhaps wondering if there is any substantial difference at all. The biggest problem with
Perfluorinated Compounds
Perfluorinated Compounds
Fresh Drinking Water Resources & Links
Inspiration Green Fresh Water Resources. Links to water associations and organizations. Info on conservation, data, water and climate change, fresh water research organizations and much more.