Sustainable House

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. 

Mini Farming describes a holistic approach to small-area farming that will show you how to produce 85 percent of an average family's food on just a quarter acre - and earn $10,000 in cash annually while spending less than half the time that an ordinary job would require.

Imagine a world in which corporations such as Costco, Nike, BP, and countless others are forming partnerships with environmental and social justice organizations to ensure better stewardship of the earth and better livelihoods in the developing world. Now, stop imagining - that world is already emerging.

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.

We all know how important it is to reduce our environmental footprint, but it can be daunting to know where to begin. Enter Kathryn Kellogg, who can fit all her trash from the past two years into a 16-ounce mason jar. How? She starts by saying "no" to straws and grocery bags, and "yes" to a reusable water bottle and compostable dish scrubbers.

Tiny House Living: A Comprehensive Guide to Downsizing, Designing, and Living in Tiny Homes" is your essential guide to embracing a life less ordinary. This book navigates you through the entire process of transitioning into a tiny home, from making the decision to downsize, to designing a functional and comfortable space, and finally, to thriving in your new lifestyle. This comprehensive guide not only addresses the practical aspects of tiny house living but also delves into the philosophy behind it. It explores the freedom that comes with minimalism, the joy of lower living costs, the ...

Are you ready to transform your gardening journey into a year-round adventure of lush abundance and sustainable living? Dive into "The Greenhouse Gardener's Handbook," your ultimate guide to creating a thriving oasis under glass. Uncover the secrets of greenhouse gardening that transcend seasons, allowing you to cultivate a diverse bounty of fruits, vegetables, and herbs, regardless of the weather outside. Are you seeking a comprehensive resource that goes beyond the basics, offering advanced techniques to elevate your greenhouse expertise? Are you intrigued by the idea of self-sufficiency,...

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.

Discover 40 Creative Ways To Living A Stress Free And Self-Sustaining Lifestyle! Do you want to learn the secrets to living off the grid successfully? Would you like to know how to begin living off the grid in stages? This book is all about living off of the grid. It contains tons of tips to help you be successful at living off of the grid and doing so in a stress free manner. You are going to learn everything you need to know about preparing to live off the grid, including how to begin living off of the grid in stages. In this book "Living Off the Grid and Loving It" you will discover 40 ...

Less Stuff is a guide for people who find it difficult to declutter and who don’t want to see things go to waste. Step by step, you’ll explore finding your ‘enough’, learn how to let go of your old possessions without sending them to landfill, and eventually break the cycle of stuff. The end result is a planet with less strain, a home with more peace and a life with more meaning.

Discover the hidden power of subterranean gardening with "The Subterranean Greenhouse"! This innovative eBook unveils the secrets to successful underground gardening techniques that are perfect for sustainability enthusiasts, urban gardeners, and those looking to unlock the full potential of their backyard. Dive into 25 comprehensive chapters that illuminate every aspect of setting up, maintaining, and thriving with your very own subterranean greenhouse. Start by learning about the unique benefits of subterranean gardening, from climate control to increased crop yield. Then, let this eBook ...

Our buildings are making us sick. Our homes, offices, factories, and dormitories are, in some sense, fresh parasites on the sacred Earth, Nahasdzáán. In search of a better way, author Jim Kristofic journeys across the Southwest to apprentice with architects and builders who know how to make buildings that will take care of us. This is where he meets the House Gods who are building to the sun so that we can live on Earth. Forever.

Sustainable investing is booming. The investment industry is fast approaching a point where one-third of global assets under management are invested with a sustainable objective. But do sustainable investment products do what investors expect them to do? How can an investor tell if their investments are having the social impact they want? Larry Swedroe and Sam Adams cut through the fog and bring clarity on all of this and more - providing investors with a firm plan for truly sustainable investing.

The Slightly Greener Method gives you small, actionable changes you can easily make in your pantry, medicine cabinet, and under your kitchen sink - without breaking the bank or upending your life. By focusing on mico-habits you can build over time and the gradual introduction of safer products, Harris guides you along a roadmap to a greener, more environmentally-friendly lifestyle that can help protect you and your families' health long-term.

Plants want to grow. And when you match a plant's needs to your own resources, you're just one step away from success in the kitchen garden. Nicole Johnsey Burke—founder of Gardenary, Inc., and author of Kitchen Garden Revival—is your expert guide for growing your own fresh, organic food every day of the year, no matter where you grow. More than just providing the how-to, she gives you the know-how for a practical and intuitive gardening system.

What's more, Lightly is a complete philosophy of life. When you're tempted by an impulse purchase, trying to resist a chocolate donut, or struggling to say no to another obligation, all you have to remember is one word - "lightly" - to boost your resolve and make beautiful choices. It doesn't get any easier than that. Lightly is like a recipe book for minimalism, designed so you can dip into it anytime for advice and inspiration.

When Christine Platt set out on her journey to live with less, she never intended to become The Afrominimalist. She just wanted to tame the chaos in her closet! But after struggling with the austerity and whiteness of mainstream minimalism, Christine realized why minimalism often seems unattainable for so many: the emphasis on all-white, barren aesthetics distracts from the practice of living with intention. And so, she decided to do things her way by curating a life of less influenced by the African diaspora.

A natural history of the wilderness in our homes, from the microbes in our showers to the crickets in our basements Even when the floors are sparkling clean and the house seems silent, our domestic domain is wild beyond imagination. In Never Home Alone, biologist Rob Dunn introduces us to the nearly 200,000 species living with us in our own homes, from the Egyptian meal moths in our cupboards and camel crickets in our basements to the lactobacillus lounging on our kitchen counters. You are not alone.