In his book 'Born to Run', Christopher McDougall discovers that unlike the common myth that humans are physically inferior to other land animals, humans are actually the species that is capable of running the longest distances on the planet! He also came to the conclusion that we humans don't actually need shoes to keep up from harm - we can run barefoot. He spent time researching indigenous tribes in the hills of mexico, and found that not only could they run unbelievable distances barefoot … Read more
Energy Efficiency at Home Simple ways to save energy and money in your own home
There are simple ways to be energy-efficient and save on domestic energy consumption. Here are some of them... (Note: The tips below have been written in reference to a house in Israel - in other parts of the world you might need to make adjustments according to your local climate conditions) 1. Closing the house in winter, except opening windows to air the house out during the warmer hours of the day. The windows that are facing south remain closed, and their shutters are opened during the … Read more
Sustainable Approach to the Feminine Moon Cycle or: use your menstrual blood as a fertilizer!
Many women have been taught to feel shame, disgust or exasperation in regards to their menstrual bleeding. The menstrual industry sells us disposable pads and tampons that are toxic and harm our bodies and the environment immensely. However, other options are available to us: 1. Re-usable moon products: Cotton pads, moon cups, etc - do it yourself or buy (preferably from a local). 2. Emptying your menstrual blood: You can re-learn the ancient tradition of emptying the blood into the … Read more
Grow Onions on your Window Sill Turn a Plastic Bottle into a Growing Container
Wouldn’t it be convenient to always have fresh onions on hand for cooking and salads? Sometimes the last thing you want to do is make a run to the local market. Besides, you can never tell how old the onions at the grocery store are. Now you can grow onions indoors easily with this clever vertical growing method. Just cut off what you need for a meal and the onion will grow back with more. For complete instructions on how to grow onions vertically visit the link … Read more
Guerrilla Gardening Make your own Seed-Balls/Seed-Bombs
Guerrilla gardening is an act of activism and focuses on gardening on land that we do not have legal rights to garden in, for example: abandoned, neglected or unused private or public spaces. By doing so, we are taking direct action for reclaiming land that is underutilized or neglected and promoting food security and sustainability education. One effective strategy for Guerrilla Gardening is the use of the Seed-Balls (aka Seed-Bombs). These are made by mixing earth with a high percentage of … Read more
Food Forests Sustainable agriculture in the form of forestry
There are successful experiences around the world in designing agricultural systems as an imitation of natural eco-systems. The idea is simple yet elegant: by implementing ecological principles in agriculture, we can design a system that functions sustainably like a natural eco-system, and at the same time yields products that are useful for humans, like an agricultural system. Some main characteristics of a food forests are: * High level and a variety of production of food, fiber, animal … Read more
Passive Solar Greenhouse Produce More Food Locally With Less Energy
Groundswell Community Network in British Columbia, Canada have constructed a passive solar greenhouse that greatly extends the growing season for a wide range of crops and reduces energy consumption to a minimum. The north side of the building is insulated and built with a high thermal mass to store heat and the glazed structure is placed on the south side. Surplus heat collected during the day is feed into a heat store beneath the floor. There are also photo-voltaic and solar thermal panels … Read more
Foraging Wild Edible Plants There is great food under our noses...
Traditionally, in every place around the globe, people knew the local wild edible plants and their various uses. This knowledge was derived from traditions, which were formed in a constant process of trial and error, and were passed on meticulously from generation to generation. We can choose to re-learn this tradition, get to know and forage our local wild edible plants! Foraging ads diversity to our diet, is highly nutritional and accessible and is a source for food which is 100% local. … Read more
Tiny Houses Building Small Houses on a Trailer
The housing crisis has forced many to find imaginative solutions to housing themselves but it has also provided an opportunity for low impact living by thinking small and compact. The tiny house movement founded in the US uses vehicle trailers as the foundation around which a home is constructed. The limitations of size means that compact arrangements need to found resulting in a home that uses less raw material and less energy to run. … Read more
Masdar City Abu-Dhabi's Sustainable City Project
Abu Dhabi has among the highest per capita energy consumption on the planet but Masdar City has been planned and developed to utilise the abundant solar power potential and uses enhanced traditional design practices to create natural cooling. The city is surrounded by walls that exclude hot desert winds, Streets are short and narrow and angled to provide maximum shade and a 45m high wind tower captures cooler breezes and directs them into the streets. This results in an impressive 15 to 20 … Read more
