A Fruitful Legacy in New Zealand

What Clare and Tony began in New Zealand nearly three decades ago with a property scattered with timber trees is now a vibrant food forest, home to more than 200 fruiting plant varieties, many of them rare or unusual. There are 27 varieties of apples, grapes, avocados, bananas, pineapples, Sichuan pepper, berries, nut trees, passionfruit, … Read more

Remodeling a Farmhouse-Style Home in Belgium

Marc and Ann bought a  farmhouse-style home in Belgium in the 1990s. Later they decided to renovate it in a sustainable way. The house and its location hold strong emotional value for the couple, as they hope to grow old there. This type of home dominates the local landscape and fails to meet today’s energy … Read more

Earthaven EcoVillage in North Carolina

Thirty years ago, a group of permaculture experts purchased 329 acres of degraded land in Western North Carolina with a vision: to restore the landscape while creating a new model of communal living. What began as an experiment in living well off the land has grown into one of the nation’s oldest cohousing communities, where … Read more

Renovating a Crumbling Stone Home in Italy

After buying an old, rundown stone house in Italy, architect couple Maddalena Cerruti and Vincent Baisnée set about transforming it into the ultimate sustainable home. Renovating the building from scratch, room by room, they used natural and locally sourced materials to turn the crumbling structure into a property that respects their health, the environment and the building’s … Read more

New Zealand Couple Creates a Tiny Home Surrounded by a Food Forest

New Zealand couple James and Leonie have found a way to thrive in a sustainable tiny home and food forest without breaking the bank. Before building their tiny house the couple lived in a van while traveling, followed by a house truck, and later, a small studio. It was here that they started drafting their … Read more