Hand-sculpting your own house

25 January 2017 1 Cob house

Not only the scale model, but also the actual house will be hand-sculpted!

Building a house in such a way that it is an enrichment for its surroundings, for biodiversity and its occupants. There are no technical limitations which prohibit nature embedded dwellings. Stunning examples are given in The Hand-Sculpted House (ordering info at the bottom of this page), which will be used as a guideline for the story below. This book is about building techniques according to deep ecology concepts, but also provides a powerful motivation why the human race really needs to start doing things in a different way. Not only in home construction.

Before delving into the uplifting world of hand-shaped houses, first an introduction in the conventional methods of home construction. 
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Reaching climate goals: end industrial food system

3 November 2016 0 Health, Nature

grain-5102-food-sovereignty-five-steps-to-cool-the-planet-and-feed-its-people

Click image to download PDF

Superb infographic by Grain, a non-profit organisation that supports small farmers and social movements for community-controlled and biodiversity-based food systems. Now, local food is always a good idea, but you’ll really get motivated after reading the current situation in industrial farming and dito distribution. Issues with the food system on page one, solutions on page two. Spoiler alert: you and me are the key to positive change.

The content of the PDF can also be read online

Over two kilograms of atlas for free!

25 September 2016 0 Nature

global_soil_biodiversity_atlas

Went yesterday to the NJN symposium on soil life. One of the speakers was Dr. Ir. Gerlinde de Deyn who had brought a copy of the Global Soil Biodiversity Atlas, a huge and beautiful piece of work. It can also be downloaded for free, in high resolution with copyright-free pictures. The paper version is for sale for a mere € 25,-

The worldwide catastrophic soil degradation will lead in a few decades to a complete loss of agricultural land. A totally different way of farming and economic thinking is paramount. Now, we can go sit and wait for policymakers to make a move, but you can diminish your share in habitat destruction today. Hint: buying organic and stop consuming animal products is a giant leap forward. The atlas will help to motivate you with a wealth of information.

Indeed, food security is mainly a concern for humanity. In a wider perspective we’re talking about the loss of biotopes and biodiversity at a scale never observed by man.