On 50 scenic acres in Carson, New Mexico, sits the Veterans Off-Grid (VOG) property — a nonprofit organization founded by Ryan Timmermans, whose mission is to restore a sense of purpose, community, sustainability, and peace to veterans in need. The story of VOG began in 2017 when Timmermans realized his vision and bought the acreage … Read more
Under the gaze of southern Arizona’s cinnamon-hued Canelo Hills, a mother shares ancient building traditions with her three sons. In Puebloan creation stories, adobe structures, like people, emerge from the earth and return to the earth. For Athena Steen, it’s the family memories, skills, knowledge, love, laughter—and the clay itself—that endure. You can watch the … Read more
Humans have been living together in communities for a very long time, but modern communal living takes on distinct forms, necessitated by the different pressures and demands of our industrialized lives. Communal living can be an effective way to reduce your household rent and utility bills. This kind of communal living is often practiced by … Read more
Ankit, a 32-year-old former journalist from Jaipur, India, set out on a cycle mission to transform India’s villages into ecologically sustainable communities. For nearly four years, he has covered half the country—cycling across 15 states and 8 Union Territories in India. Along with teaching sustainable living he teaches the means for earning a living through … Read more
My last blog post was about a free online version of Making Better Building by Chris Magwood. In reading through some of his introductory comments about foundations, I came across this statement: “In much of North America, foundations have been twinned with conditioned, subgrade living space: the basement. In many markets, having a basement is … Read more
Chris Magwood’s classic book, Making Better Buildings, is now available for free online! This is a comparative guide to sustainable construction for homeowners and contractors. It is also a masterpiece of research and experience folded into an encyclopedic reference book for anyone interested in sustainable approaches to our built environment. Clearly a labor of love … Read more