Time was when Americans used to be frugal. We took great pride in not being wasteful, and taking nothing for granted. Perhaps our pioneering roots and turns into economic depression left a lasting impression on us concerning the relationship between effort and reward. Perhaps that alone caused us to consider more deeply the cost of things — whether with our own labor, or in … [Read more...]
Ten low-tech responses to storms and emergencies
We live in a world dependent on electricity and we forget that being dependent on something — however wonderful that thing is — makes you vulnerable. Even getting a back-up generator isn't a painless solution for household resilience. A medium-size generator can cost $50 or more per day in fuel to run. And just hope that your local gas stations don't lose power or sell out … [Read more...]
Waste not, want not
If you take a long hard look at a landfill you’ll see both tremendous need (where do we continue to put all this waste?) and undertapped opportunity (how can we redesign, reuse, and repurpose to avoid the landfill altogether?) We’ve been exploiting natural resources at an unsustainable level for nearly a century to create material goods for our well-being and pleasure. Over … [Read more...]
Wipe out waste
Just before Christmas I was shopping in my local Goodwill store, scouting, as always, for good quality linen napkins and kitchen towels. As luck would have it I found a lovely set of six white cotton napkins with a rainbow of stripes that has a sort of beachy feel to it. This was a perfect addition to my collection since I didn't have a "summery" set. At 50 cents, they were a … [Read more...]
Bike riding is patriotic
In a world increasingly hampered by economic decline, which is itself hampered by energy decline, there are few things more patriotic than simply using less energy to do what you need and want to do. From turning off lights in daylight hours to eating more foods in their natural state to walking more and driving less, there are many fairly painless ways to use less energy and … [Read more...]