Compendium of Useful Information

September 14, 2010 by kris de decker Filed Under: Books & Reference, DIY

solar house

“Access to 2 gigabytes of information about sustainable and resilient living that meets the challenges of peak energy, climate instability, economic irrationality, toxic politics, war and violence.”

Compendium of useful information – version 1.0, september 3, 2010. The page reminds a lot of the 13 gigabyte database set up by Alex Weir (previously: How to make everything yourself – online low-tech resources), and from a quick overview I learn that many of the same sources are listed.

However, the list is better organised and also seems to contain quite a few DIY-resources which I did not see before.

Related: the recent launches of the Green Wizard Forums and the UNESCO Traditional Knowledge Base. Picture: totally solar heated house.

Green Wizards

September 9, 2010 by kris de decker Filed Under: Books & Reference, DIY, Environmentalism

“One of the things the soon-to-be-deindustrializing world most needs just now is green wizards. By this I mean individuals who are willing to take on the responsibility to learn, practice, and thoroughly master a set of unpopular but valuable skills – the skills of the old appropriate tech movement – and share them with their neighbors when the day comes that their neighbors are willing to learn”. Green Wizard Forums. (+ criticism & response).

Water Batteries for Trees

June 25, 2010 by kris de decker Filed Under: Deforestation, Desertification, DIY, Farming, Gardening, Irrigation, Reforestation, Trees, Water

water batteries for trees

“Using groundwater to grow crops and trees doesn’t make sense to Pieter Hoff, a Dutch inventor. Not only are traditional irrigation techniques inefficient because most of the water is lost to evaporation, Mr. Hoff says, but water can be easily captured from the atmosphere to grow just about anything.

To prove his point, Mr. Hoff retired from the lily and tulip export business in 2003, established his company, AquaPro, and devoted himself to the development of the Groasis Waterboxx (manuals), which he says will grow food crops and trees even in the driest places on earth.” Read more.

Maximizing Growing Space

June 2, 2010 by kris de decker Filed Under: DIY, Farming, Gardening


Maximizing growing space “If you want to grow food but don’t have a garden or an allotment then lack of space is probably one of your biggest challenges. But it’s amazing what you can do with even a small outdoor space. Indeed, lack of space can be a great inspiration to get creative.”

Vertical Veg – high yields from tiny spaces. Has very good links, too.

Domestic Terraforming: Gardening for Geeks

May 29, 2010 by kris de decker Filed Under: DIY, Farming, Gardening

Geek gardening“Gardeners are among the world’s most charming snobs. Rightly so: As
with music and mathematics, the more you know, the more elegant your
work. Erudition is valued, and so is a smattering of pretension. If you
are a geek looking to put down roots, welcome to gardening. We offer
you common ground. Think of it as localized terraforming, if that helps.”

Instructions at Wired. Hat tip to Lloyd Alter. Also:

DIY Replicas of 1930s Race Cars

April 9, 2010 by kris de decker Filed Under: DIY, Low-tech cars, Racing, Random, Travel

DIY Replicas of 1930s Race Cars

CycleKarts are small, lightweight, nimble machines made by their drivers for the pursuit of motoring sport. They’re not serious speed-machines or status-generating show cars. They’re purely for the gritty fun and satisfaction of tearing around in a machine you’ve built yourself. Their name originated from the use of bicycle or motorcycle tyres. More.

Related: How to make an adult soapbox kart.