10 Clay Plaster Projects for Natural Homes – Mother Earth News
These clay plaster projects ideas–from mosaics to wall sculptures and cob ovens–will get you started with earthen plaster building. People are often fascinated by the structure of my earth-bag home,…
How to Plan an Eco Backyard Burial – Mother Earth News
Prepare for the legal and practical considerations of a backyard burial with these tips from a green-burial expert. As with so many elements of environmentally friendly lifestyles, green burials hark…
Switch from Heating Oil to a Heat Pump for Home Heating – Mother Earth News
New York State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA), but quite a few other states have similar programs. (For those in New York, go to the section on “Residents and…
Hand-Built Yurt Home from Scrap Material Offers Debt-Free Living – Mother Earth News
Inspired by La debt-free home from recycled materials, Scott Evans adapted his hand-built yurt home design for a wooden yurt on a site with 180-degree views. The following post is…
How to Build a DIY Yurt at Low Cost from Sticks, String, and Mud – Mother Earth News
This low-cost yurt design combines basketry, wattle-and-daub, and basic lashing (similar to skin-on-frame boats). Not much more than a glorified tent, you can learn how to build a DIY yurt…
How to Make Beeswax Fabric and Homemade Beeswax Wrap – Mother Earth News
By learning how to beeswax fabric, you can ditch plastic zip bags and use your homemade beeswax wrap in a variety of sizes and designs. Reduce, reuse, recycle. I do…
Passive Solar Heat in Midwest Winter – Mother Earth News
In the early 1980s, an American energy crisis had passed. My wife, Jean, and I had had our first child, and we wanted to do something that would secure, rather…
Harvest Pond Ice to Fill an Ice House for a Year of Off-Grid Refrigeration – Mother Earth News
Last week, our good friend William, along with his wife and nine children, invited us over for dinner at their homestead. This was an honor and turned out to be…
Candles Are a Multi-Use Tool for Off-Grid Living – Mother Earth News
It’s been 21 years since my son Jordan, then nine, and I moved to my cabin in the woods to live without electricity. I’m still off-grid, but a couple of…
8 Household Uses for Eggshells – Mother Earth News
From DIY sidewalk chalk to brewing coffee to getting rid of slugs in the garden, discover unexpected and simple uses for eggshells. Next time you whip up a quiche or…