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.
alternative
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!
Solar Man Sand Bag Building
“Sand bag building I built in Peru.”
Tiny Off-Grid Cabin in Maine is Completely Self-Sustaining
“A project 30 years in the making, this tiny off-grid retreat on a coastal island in Maine is almost entirely self-sufficient. Designed and built by Alex Porter for her father, the project features a shed roof and is wrapped in a distinctive blue-grey corrugated skin. Dwell recently profiled the home, which is the only solar-powered retreat on the isolated island – its sustainable power source actually makes life a lot more leisurely, as the family does not need to schlep in fuel to run a noisy generator. They didn’t give anything up, as they have all the conveniences of a regular home — but with a view you don’t get in an everyday residence.”
New Ethanol Process Boosts Recoverable Energy By 2000%
I’m always on the lookout for promising forms of renewable energy. This breakthrough looks encouraging.
Houseboat Living
I dreamed of living in a houseboat on Lake Powell, AZ at one point and thought I’d throw this out as an interesting housing option even though Lake Powell probably isn’t the most practical place to live because of its remote, desert location. Check out the links below for other alternatives. You may be able to buy a used houseboat at a good price due to the recession. You could rent a houseboat first to see if you like the lifestyle. Lots more houseboat videos at YouTube.