More than one third of people in the world today live in homes made of earth and we’re not just talking about third world countries. Records show that cob houses were being built in England as long ago as the thirteenth century. Very old cob houses built without the use [...]
Although not trying to live a self-sufficient lifestyle, when Mike took voluntary redundancy, he decided that, as they’d be living on less money, he should look at where the money was going and try and work out if costs could be reduced. Energy, especially electricity, took a large proportion of [...]
For most of us a fridge in the kitchen is an essential: how else can you keep your food fresh? Or cool your drinking water on hot summer days? But a fridge is one of the biggest electricity-devouring devices in your home, and that's not good for the environment. Per [...]
It is foreseen that a significant percentage of power (optimists say as much as 40%!) will be generated in the home by 2050, using energy generators, principally comprising of wind turbines, solar heating panels and photovoltaic cells (solar electricity generators). If you have running water hydroelectric energy can be the [...]
Baking bread is easy. When you bake your own bread you can guarantee exactly what goes into it and have a fresh, organic loaf at a snip of the price you would pay in the supermarket. What’s more, the smell of baking bread is irresistible. Using a Bread Maker There [...]
Biodegradable pots are a good alternative to peat pots and plastic pots. Biodegradable pots naturally rot down in the soil when the plants are transplanted. Peat pots also rot down in the soil, however peat is an unsustainable resource and you should avoid buying it in order to protect Ireland’s [...]
Making soap is easy and you can save money by not having to buy soap. Soap is made by reacting an acid (for example sunflower and olive oils) with an alkali (for example sodium hydroxide). It is very important to use accurate measurements and follow the recipe exactly. If you [...]
Making candles is easy and cheap. When you make your own candles you can guarantee what goes into them and avoid any harmful chemicals. You can also mould them into interesting shapes, using old tin cans or homemade moulds. Getting Started You Will Need: An old saucepan or double boiler [...]
These days, few people clean their homes without using a multitude of different chemical concoctions, bought from the supermarket. These chemical cleaners are not only expensive, but they are unnecessary, especially for the cash-strapped self-sufficient family. Natural products make excellent cleaning solutions, at a fraction of the price. What’s more, [...]
Cotton grows is the most common textile fibre grown in the world. When grown non-organically, cotton growing uses an enormous amount of water and chemicals to produce a decent crop. By growing your own cotton, you will help reduce the impact industrial cotton growing has on the environment, and set [...]
