Renewable energy systems are now well established and generally available but with costly or problematic electric storage issues few have risked going off-grid. However initiatives like Tesla Motors commitment to increasing battery production and halving their cost make the economics of off-grid living comparable to buying power from the Utility Companies. It might require an initial capital input but from there onward costs are principally maintenance and renewal and the power itself is free … Read more
Enoughness Finding Contentment in Life without Excess
Writing for the Context Institute, Vicky Robin developed a pledge to guide people in finding peace with what they have and what they truly need I pledge to discover how much is enough for me to be truly fulfilled, and to consume only that. I also pledge to be part of the discovery of how much would be enough for everyone not only to survive but to thrive, and to find ways for them to have access to that. Through this commitment to restraint and justice, I am healing my life and am part of the … 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
Bedouin Crafts and Heritage Preserving tradition and generating income
Traditional crafts are a way to preserve ancient knowledge and to honour a culture and its people. The Bedouin women of the Negev are holding an ancient treasure and the can keep it by sharing it with tourists, generating an income for their families and for their struggling communities. In this example, women are weaving on a traditional floor loom, using camel, sheep and goat wool. The products are sold in their village, as some tours are coming there. … Read more
Seed Exchange Market Empowering and supporting farmers to preserve local varieties
Palestinian farmers are continually replacing local seeds with genetically-modified company-manufactured hybrid brands that are inept and inadequate with the surrounding environment, and from which farmers cannot yield a sufficient seed stock. Seed Banks in Palestine are preserving local seeds, producing, storing and improving a seed stock that is immune to the local viruses and diseases, and at the same time producing sufficient quantities to distribute and exchange in markets. … Read more
Upcycling for beauty and function! Reusing waste in beautiful and useful ways
Consumerism is reaching everyone, even traditional societies are becoming increasingly burdened with an overload of waste and little appreciation for traditional crafts and goods. By upcycling we can demonstrate that old materials can be reused into new functions, adding value and beauty. It can become an art form, and be a source of income and of gathering community, in workshops and exchanging knowledge. … Read more
Bank for children, by children Helping impoverished children save money for crises
Sarjan Bank bank at Sankalit Nagar in the neglected western neighbourhood of Juhapura, India, is proving highly popular with local pre-teens - who are also helping to run it. Operated by a non-profit organisation, the bank has provided families that have fallen on hard financial times, a beacon to rely on. As it allows children to save money, and also has teens that help run the bank, it sparks the economic intelligence of children, while they learn how money can be used to create a better … Read more
Graphene Miracle material?
Graphene are extremely thin sheets of pure carbon first produced in 2004. It is the strongest known material with the highest electrical conductivity and has numerous other qualities, some of which promise significant advances in sustainable technologies and ecological restoration. Far smaller lighter batteries will benefit renewable energy systems, nano-porous sheets of Graphene can be produced to filter and desalinate water, it can extract radio-active elements from waste water and there are a … Read more
The Natural Step Framework For Sustainable Development A science based, holistic approach to defining and understanding sustainability
The Natural Step framework is * Based on a scientific consensus of the 4 basic principle ways in which humanity is destroying the biosphere. *Uses these principles as a lens to gain a clear understanding of how a project (business, product,community) is contributing to unsustainability. * Generates a future vision of how the project would look if it was complying with these 4 principles and was 'sustainable' * Allows for cross disciplinary communication using a common language that brings the … Read more
Online artisan market Global platform for selling your artisan work
By using online selling platforms, artisan crafts makers can sell their products globally. This decreases dependence on local markets and increases economic resilience. … Read more
