“Pro-snowboarder, Mike Basich, tours his self-built 225 square foot home in the middle of his 40 acre snow covered property near Truckee, CA – and shows how being close to nature drives his most creative decisions.
General
Tales from the Green Valley
“Tales from the Green Valley, explores life on a British farm in the 17th century. This 12 x 1/2 hour television documentary, produced and directed by Peter Sommer, attracted large audiences and wide critical acclaim. Tales from the Green Valley follows the five as they labor for a full agricultural year, getting to grips with period tools, skills, and technology from the age of the Stuarts, the reign of James I.
Take it to Zero Logo Design Contest
The Take it to Zero project is moving along rapidly. It was first proposed about two weeks ago on March 28. A few days later volunteer work started on the MyBB forum. The forum will be the main gathering point for people to collaborate on projects. A reader is creating the forum and hosting it for free. Thank you Mike!
Bicycle Powered Chili Roaster
Here’s a new money generating idea that I haven’t seen anywhere. It wouldn’t be difficult to attach a chili roaster to a bicycle. The bicycle would serve two purposes – rotate the drum and transport you and the roaster to wherever you want to make sales.
What are Geopolymers Made of?
This blog post is highly relevant for those living in Canada and Alaska who are looking for a low cost replacement for Portland cement. Alaska buys most of their cement from Korea. This video shows how to make geopolymer using dirt cheap local materials, many of which are from industrial waste streams.
The Art of Natural Building – Second Edition
“Completely Revised, Expanded and Updated
Design, Construction, Resources — edited by Joseph F. Kennedy, Michael G. Smith & Catherine Wanek
The popularity of natural building has grown by leaps and bounds, spurred by a grassroots desire for housing that is healthy, affordable and environmentally responsible. While there are many books available on specific methods such as strawbale construction, cob or timber framing, few other resources introduce the reader to the entire scope of this burgeoning field.