In the arid hills around Lima people forced onto dry marginal land are using basic fine nylon nets stretched between wooden poles to collect water. As fog and mists blow through the mesh condensation occurs and the water droplets run down the mesh to be collected in a holding tank. This simple technique enables people to grow crops and helps them transform their lives. … Read more
Just Eat It A Food Waste Story
Film directors Jen Rustemeyer and Grant Baldwin have turned their eye to food waste from farm to fridge and have produced a documentary 'Just Eat It' to highlight the issue and demonstrate that what is currently dumped can provide perfectly nutritious food. They stop buying groceries and survive exclusively on discarded food, challenging the myths behind corporate food production and marketing. Living off rescued goods they demonstrate that this is one environmental problem that can be easily … 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
Window Farming Grow food on your window
Window Farms are a simple, do-it-at-home hydroponic growing systems. It is relatively small-scale, easy to assemble and using simple, accessible, recycled materials. Window farms were developed by an American woman named Britta Reily, who also coined the term 'R &D. I. Y' which means Research and Development - Do It Yourself. The idea is to experiment together on an open source basis, in order to enhance the development of the Window Farms. You can hear more about the idea on Britta's TED talk … Read more
How to Eat Local Ideas for fostering an 'all-local' diet and supporting local economy
'Organic' is just a label Some fruit & veggies can be labeled 'organic', yet still grown in conventional, monocultural methods with certain amounts of spraying. Some processed foods can be labeled 'organic' yet still contain lots of sugar, margarine or other harmful ingredients. In this article we stress the importance of eating local and becoming aware of where food comes from. So Why local? * More sustainable - eating local reduces our carbon footprint - less energy is wasted on … Read more
Natural Swimming Pools Free from Chemicals using Plants to Cleanse Water
Natural swimming pools were first constructed in Austria in the 1980's and since that time have been rapidly gaining in popularity. They are simply a constructed body of water with an area containing an appropriate selection of plants that through their natural systems, filter and cleanse the water to a high standard suitable for swimming and recreation. They can further add to the local ecosystem of the garden and surrounding environment with benefits all round. There are now a number of … Read more
Polluted Mine Waste Turned to Resource Algae Extracts Heavy Metals and Provides Bio-Fuel
An alliance of English Universities is researching the use of algae to extract heavy metal pollutants from toxic mine waste. Once absorbed by the algae the hope is to extract the metals and then to use the algae itself as a bio-fuel. Described as a win win by Dr Chris Chuck of the University of Bath it restores the land, reclaims heavy metals and provides a fuel source. If successful the scheme could have benefits worldwide … 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
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
Learn About Aquaponics Training Courses in Bristol UK
The Bristol Fish Project is a community-supported aquaponics farm in Bristol established to explore and promote the commercial viability of community-supported aquaponics. They have set up training courses with the expressed aims: 1) To make aquaponics accessible 2) To enable participants to overcome specific production issues through access to specific information and expert guidance 3) To enable participants to realise true product value, by taking a systems approach focusing on the … Read more
