Sustainable Home

The green-building movement has produced hundreds of "how-to" books and websites that are filled with tips about green building and what homeowners should do to go green. While helpful and informative, when it comes to making actual purchasing and installation decisions, these books do not make it any easier for a homeowner to prioritize against a budget. Here, Melisssa Rappaport Schifman shares her knowledge and experience for others to use in their journey toward a greener way of living.

We are exhausted. There's so much to do, and way too much to buy. Whether it's through late night TV ads, social media, or other sources of influence, we seem to be addicted to buying and then storing things. Sometimes we consume with no regret and other times we realize that we're doing more harm than good to our wallets and our homes. It's a constant cycle - one that many are longing to break. Who wants their hard-earned money to go toward something that soon ends up in a landfill?

In Zero Waste Home, Bea Johnson shares the story of how she simplified her life by reducing her waste. Today, Bea, her husband, Scott, and their two young sons produce just one quart of garbage a year, and their overall quality of life has changed for the better. They now have more time together, they've cut their annual spending by a remarkable 40 percent, and they are healthier than they've ever been.

No source is left untapped in this all-encompassing guide to supplying lifesaving water after a disaster. You can survive up to three weeks without food but only three days without water! When catastrophe strikes, having enough water can spell the difference between life and death. The Prepper's Water Survival Guide offers a step-by-step plan with straightforward information you can easily follow.

If you want to save the planet, but your to-do list is already pretty long, and remembering your reusable coffee cup feels like a Herculean task, then this is the book for you. Covering every aspect of our lives from the stuff we buy and the food we eat, to how we travel, work, and celebrate. This audiobook provides stacks of practical ideas to slot into your daily life, alongside a gentle kick up the butt to put your newfound knowledge into action.

Written for novice and experienced DIY enthusiasts, this is an A-to-Z guide to ensure your success in turning a plain shipping container into a beautiful home.

In Clean Mama's Guide to a Healthy Home, Becky Rapinchuk, author of Simply Clean and creator of the popular cleaning website Clean Mama, provides a step-by-step guide to take charge of your home's wellness with a comprehensive, all-natural cleaning system.

Over half a century ago, John Rowlands set out by canoe into the wilds of Canada to survey land for a timber company. After paddling alone for several days, he came upon "the lake of my boyhood dreams", which he named Cache Lake because there was stored the best that the north had to offer-timber for a cabin; fish, game, and berries to live on; and the peace and contentment he felt he could not live without.

To grow produce of the highest nutritional quality the essential minerals lacking in our soil must be replaced, but this re-mineralization calls for far more attention to detail than the simple addition of composted manure or NPK fertilizers. The Intelligent Gardener demystifies the process, while simultaneously debunking much of the false and misleading information perpetuated by both the conventional and organic agricultural movements. In doing so, it conclusively establishes the link between healthy soil, healthy food, and healthy people.

Step right into the world of "Sustainable Solutions for Independent Tiny Homes", a book that beautifully encapsulates everything you need to know about leading a modest yet gratifying life off the grid. Pioneering an era where size does not define satisfaction, this book is a multifaceted guide that accommodates nearly every topic under the sun, from tiny home designing to solar energy basics, and everything in between. The introductory chapter opens onto an enlightening dialogue on off-grid living, tracing the synergy between these two life-altering concepts. Diving into the heart of the ...

Most people who are considering off grid living, are those who are wanting to escape the stress and busyness of city life, and enjoy the peace and tranquility of country living. Owning your own property, and providing for your needs with self-sufficiency projects sounds wonderful and fun, but what are the most important self-sufficiency/survival projects, and how do you accomplish them? That is where this book will help.

Discover the powerful world of herbal medicine with "Herbal Medicine Making," the ultimate guide to unlocking nature's healing potential. This comprehensive eBook paves the path towards a healthier, happier life by teaching you how to create a wide range of herbal remedies at home. Dive into this captivating and insightful journey that will help you embrace natural wellness and take control of your wellbeing. From tinctures to teas, "Herbal Medicine Making" covers everything you need to know in detail, guiding you step-by-step through the process of preparing and using herbs for various ...

With real-world considerations in mind, disaster preparedness consultant David Black shows us how to stay alive when tragedy strikes. His step-by-step actions can help us make it safely through a variety of crises, from catastrophic weather to terrorism to civil unrest. Black presents tailor-made plans for individuals, businesses, organizations, small groups, and communities to follow, in all regions of the country and broken down by type of emergency and environment.

Compact Farms is a guide for anyone dreaming of starting, expanding, or perfecting a profitable farming enterprise on five acres or less. The farm plans explain how to harness an area's water supply, orientation, and geography in order to maximize efficiency and productivity while minimizing effort. Profiles of well-known farmers such as Eliot Coleman and Jean-Martin Fortier show that farming on a small scale in any region, in both urban and rural settings, can provide enough income to turn the endeavor from hobby to career.

In these uncertain times, more and more of us have given great thought to the idea of living "off the grid". The notion of self-sufficiency and being able to live off the world around us without leaving a huge carbon footprint is more than just tempting. If this is something you have given great thought to, this is exactly the book for you.

From farmer Joel Salatin's point of view, life in the 21st century just ain't normal. In Folks, This Ain't Normal, he discusses how far removed we are from the simple, sustainable joy that comes from living close to the land and the people we love.

Do something good for your family by learning how to plant a garden that will yield healthy, wholesome food throughout the year. Melissa K. Norris, fifth-generation homesteader and host of the popular Pioneering Today podcast, will walk you through each step of the process, from planning your food crops and garden space to harvesting and preserving the food you grow. Even intermediate to experienced gardeners will discover dozens of new ideas.

Are you tired of being bombarded by toxins at every turn? Do you want a more natural, "crunchy" approach to the world (with or without the beige aesthetic)? Well, grab your kombucha and join Emily Morrow on a journey to a more wholesome existence with Really Very Crunchy: A Beginner's Guide to Removing Toxins from Your Life without Adding Them to Your Personality.

Converting your home to solar energy is one of the best investments you will ever make. You’ve heard that installing solar power reduces the value of your home. Or that your roof will leak if you install solar power. You may even have heard that if solar panels are imperfectly installed, your house will burn down. Don’t believe any of it. They’re just not true.

Food & Wine editor Ray Isle does for wine what Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma did for food—showing listeners how to choose more delicious, interesting, and environmentally friendly wines without breaking the bank.