We had just finished our 2nd cross-country bicycle ride (from San Francisco to New York City) in August when the Realtor called to say he found a buyer for our […]
Trained at the Carpentry School of Hard Knocks
I started building things when I was in my mid-twenties. I tried my hand at making molds, stained glass windows and model houses. I also decorated my home with crazy […]
Before the Build
It’s mid-August, hot and humid, with record temperatures in the upper 90’s. We’ve been terracing the hillside, digging out for the waterfall and filling the retaining wall tires. Hoping to […]
A Realistic Cost-Benefit Analysis of Natural Resource Extraction in WV
As a citizen of West Virginia, I want our state to have a vibrant economy so that every person living here is able to provide for their families. Equally important […]
Don’t Just Gripe, Do Something!
As I am writing this post, oil is gushing into the Gulf of Mexico (resulting from the explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig) at a rate never before seen. […]
Area Rug Made from Bicycle Inner-Tubes
Danish designer Annemette Beck creates textiles from recycled materials such as rubber, paper and metal. Her line of woven products include rugs, upholstery, fabrics, runners, blinds and even room dividers. […]
The House that Trash Built
Mahatma Gandhi advised his followers to “be the change you want to see in the world.” We decided to take Gandhi’s wise words and apply them to our own lives. We […]
The Solastalgia Project
Solastalgia describes the grief felt by those of us who care about human-caused, catastrophic environmental damage. Don’t waste your time arguing with global warming deniers and waiting for politicians to pass […]
Our Papercrete Recipe
When we were researching papercrete, we found many different recipes and mixer-types. After trying various recipies and because we have a clay-based soil on our land, we settled on the following […]
Human Powered Lawn-mower
Ted Wojcik of Ted Wojcik Custom Bicyclesdesigned and built this pedal-powered lawn mower with a fixed gear in it so it can go forward and backward — which is essential when […]