It is well known that ultraviolet (UV) light has a disinfectant effect. Using a special ETFE film with high UV-transmission, it is possible to create very efficient and simple water disinfection systems. Sunvention has developed such a system, combining the effect of natural UV on water with solar heating of the water to over 50 degrees Celsius, effectively killing bacteria (including coliform bacteria) and viruses. The CleanPhoton is decentral, portable and modular. Single units can be … Read more
Swap Markets! A community exchange market to share our abundance
A Swap Market, or Swap Party is a community event, where people can freely exchange stuff that they no longer need, and receive stuff that others don't need. Instead of throwing things to the garbage, we give them away to others. Instead of buying something new, we can receive from others. Whereas consumerist culture pushes us to buy more and more things because we 'don't have enough', the Swap Market poses a joyful, sustainable alternative - there IS enough. There is abundance to share and … Read more
The Jellyfish Barge Floating Hydroponic Garden Designed to Grow Food
The Jellyfish Barge is a floating horticultural greenhouse that is able to purify salt, brackish or polluted water using solar energy and grow crops hydroponically in a highly efficient vertical arrangement. It is therefore claimed that the barge can support two families from an area of just 70sqm. It is built with low-cost technologies and consists of a wooden base that floats on recycled plastic drums and supports a glass greenhouse for crop cultivation. The hydroponic cultivation method … Read more
Reclaiming the Desert using Permaculture Turning 10 acres of Hostile Desert into an Abundant Oasis
Permaculture Teacher Geoff Lawton has created an organic garden in the harsh conditions of Wadi Rum, Jordan and shows how 10 acres of hostile desert can be transformed into an abundant oasis, that is now successfully producing food. In the links below Geoff reveals his design process and explains the steps needed to create a paradise on earth. “If we can do it here, we can do it anywhere.” he says. … Read more
Solar Power – 24 Hours a Day Concentrated Solar Energy and Heat Storage Provide Constant Power Source
A revolutionary power station in Southern Spain employs thousands of mirrors to focus the suns energy into a concentrated heat collector mounted on top of a tower. Salts pumped to the top of the tower can reach temperatures of up to 565 degrees Centigrade and this stored heat energy can ten be used to drive generators 24 hours a day. The plant produces electricity for 25 thousand homes and it has been estimated that the technology could meet 11% of global energy demand by 2050 … Read more
Vertical Garden Build a vertical veggie patch or flowerbed from recycled materials
Using 2 simple wooden pallets, you can build a vertical garden, to use space more efficiently. The vertical garden is both useful and aesthetic. To build the vertical garden, find two wooden pallets that haven't been treated against pests. One will serve as a construction and the other one, you will dismantle and use to build the planting spaces. The planting spaces are simply triangles with a 45 degree angle. They will be lined with a geotechnical fabric, which allows the water to drip … Read more
Make Your Own Natural Cleaning Products Some excellent, simple home recipes
Conventional cleaning are full of chemicals that are harmful to our body and to the earth. Here's some simple ways to make your own! Floors - add 1 cup of white vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon of dish-washing liquid to a bucket of water, for a sparkling floor. Polishing Taps - add 1/4 cup of vinegar to a bowl of warm water. Inside of Toilet - sprinkle some baking soda, add a bit of vinegar and scrub with brush. Windows & Mirrors - pour vinegar into a spray-bottle and spray on windows and mirrors, … Read more
Home-Made Vegan ‘Milk’ Make your own sustainable, cruelty-free milk
The industrial animal industry is unsustainable and cruel, and dairy has been proven to cause many types of diseases and health issues. There are plenty of vegan alternatives out there, some are imported from overseas and all of them are packaged. Why not make your own at home! Another advantage is that you can choose your own fresh ingredients and be in control over what enters your body. Here are a couple of recipes: Almond Milk: * 20 almonds, which were soaked overnight and peeled. … Read more
Tidal Power A Vast Untapped Clean Power Source
Half of all Europe's tidal power flows around UK waters, a vast untapped supply of clean energy. However, the world's first commercial tidal stream turbine has become operational in Northern Ireland and there are plans to install many more in powerful currents around the UK coast such as The Pentland Firth. Care has been taken to protect marine life and sensors will shut down a turbine in 3 seconds if approached by a seal, whale or dolphin. … Read more
Copenhagen – Cycle City Bicycle - The Way to Traverse the City
The city of Copenhagen has been planned and developed for cyclists with dedicated bike lanes and cycle paths, synchronized traffic signals and a wide spread general provision for bikes. Hundreds of thousand of cycle journeys are made every day easing congestion and pollution. Without the bicycle Copenhagen would be grid locked. Many other cities are also planning for bicycle routes but Copenhagen has done more successfully than most. … Read more
