When Richard Weaver inherited 3 acres in the center of a golf-oriented community developed by his father in Bozeman, Montana, he bucked family tradition and tore out the grass to create a self-sufficient urban farm and underground greenhouse home. He turned his father’s RV garage into an off-grid home relying on photovoltaics, rainwater and composting … Read more
Sam and Alex, who live in the U.K. have just built an earthbag seating area. They say, “Your site has contributed to helping us do this. Thank you for such an informative site! We would like to share our project with you. Although small in comparison to the buildings we have seen, it is a … Read more
Traditional wood decking brings with it a number of negative environmental effects. Tropical hardwoods can contribute to rain forest deforestation and habitat degradation. Using sustainably sourced fast-growth timber from ethically managed plantations is a step in the right direction, but it can often be difficult to ensure that timber branded as sustainable is actually sourced … Read more
Leading a repair team, Yang Long will spend around one year to restore an 800-meter-long section of the Great Wall in northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. “Ningxia had long been at the junction of nomadic civilization and farming civilization in ancient times. In order to resist the invasion of nomadic peoples from the north, … Read more
Wind can play havoc on many things around your home. Planting a windbreak can provide some relief from a relentless gale and it may also help you with home temperature regulation, while providing habitat for wildlife. Windbreaks can also reduce soil erosion, increase landscape beauty, provide privacy and screening, and provide some protection from fires. … Read more
Here is an excellent article about the origins and modern development of food forest concepts that I highly recommend reading. It is lavishly illustrated and very informative.