From the Jacket:
“The first comprehensive consideration of the residential design of the back-to-the-land movement, “Handmade Houses: A Century of Earth-Friendly Home Design” exposes the roots of “green” architecture as it travels across North America and to the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, France, and Australia. From deep in the redwood forests of Big Sur, California, to the craggy, pink-sand beaches of Sardinia, Italy, this book visits houses in which cost-cutting DIY improvisation, eco-consciousness, art, and craft harmoniously converge.
Owen Geiger
Earth Sheltered Reinforced Quonset Buildings
Steel quonset structures or ‘culvert homes’ are usually not rated for underground residential use. From what I’ve heard, most quonset hut manufacturers will not sell to anyone who intends to bury the structure. Covering a building with earth adds enormous weight on the structure and manufacturers don’t want any liability issues in case of collapse. This is unfortunate because quonset structures are well suited for underground homes, rootcellars and storm shelters. For one, they’re quick and easy to build. The main step involved is bolting the arched sections together with cordless drills.
Potato Storage Cellars
Underground homes and earth-sheltered homes are among the most popular types of alternative homes. Almost everyone knows the earth will moderate the inside temperature and reduce energy costs. That’s why potato storage cellars are common. These structures will “assure the grower that potatoes will be held at the proper temperature from harvest time to shipping time, anywhere from March to May.” Of course, the same principle can be used to build energy efficient homes, storm shelters and rootcellars.
Mother Earth News Magazine Articles: Oldies But Goodies
As a young carpenter, Mother Earth News magazine was very influential in my life and those of my friends. Almost no one I knew back then could afford to build a home with standard building materials from building supply centers. That would have cost a fortune. However, what we lacked in financial resources we made up for in youthful enthusiasm and building skills.
The Hobbit: Floor Plan of Bag End
How would you like to have the original floor plan of Bag End of Hobbit fame? Well, now it’s for sale from Wetanz.com.
Ripples Blog
“Ripples is a blog connecting people to resources on sustainable living while chronicling our off-grid journey and supporting the work of non-profit organizations.
Ripples Blog: Telling Our Story
Our goal is to build a healthy, organic lifestyle in a small earthbag home, using sustainable alternative systems for transportation, energy, water, food production and…well, everything! We hope to preserve habitat for native species in the Ozark Mountains while learning (and educating others) about native habitat creation. This blog follows our journey “off the grid”: using alternative electricity sources like solar power. The blog itself is also off-grid, powered by 100% solar energy!