Sustainable Building

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.

We're overusing the earth's finite resources, and yet excessive consumption is failing to improve our lives. In Enough Is Enough, Rob Dietz and Dan O'Neill lay out a visionary but realistic alternative to the perpetual pursuit of economic growth-an economy where the goal is not more but enough.

The fundamentals of permaculture are simple: care for people and the Earth, and share what you have. With these in mind, practitioners promote a system with a sense of respect for all life on the planet. You may, however, be anxious about not knowing what to do. After all, not everybody knows about permaculture. But don’t worry–you don’t need to be an expert to start your own permaculture garden.

Thriving with Sustainable Market Farming is your definitive guide to cultivating a successful farm that cares for the land while generating income. This book offers practical insights and step-by-step strategies to transform your market farming business into a sustainable venture.

With a nation seemingly more divided than ever, many worry that Americans risk losing ground on solving the complex, interrelated problems the country faces - including rising inequality, the specter of climate change, astronomical health care costs, and economic stagnation. The renowned economist Jeffrey D. Sachs offers a practical approach to move America toward a new consensus: sustainable development.

Building Your Permaculture Property offers a revolutionary holistic method to overcome overwhelm in the complex process of resilient land design. It distills the authors' decades of experience as engineers, farmers, educators, and consultants into a five-step process complete with principles, practices, templates, and workflow tools.

If 20 percent of the population implemented half the solutions in this book, it would solve the biggest global problems. All without writing to politicians, joining protests, signing petitions, or being angry at the people that are causing the problems. Good solutions are often different from conventional environmental wisdom. The average American adult has a carbon footprint of 30 tons per year. Replacing a petroleum car with an electric car will cut 2 tons. But if you live in a cold climate and you switch from electric heat to a rocket mass heater, you will cut 27 tons!

Essential Rainwater Harvesting is a comprehensive manual for designing, building, and maintaining water-harvesting systems for the warm and cold climates of the world. Presenting design considerations and approaches for the most common household rainwater supply scenarios.

Character is something intrinsic to us all; it forms and reveals who we are. Unbeknownst to many, character is foundational to our judgment, behavior, and leadership. As we tackle the grand challenges of our time, strength of character guides us to make better decisions, creates greater well-being, and contributes to human flourishing. For those who lead—whether in the public, private, not for profit, or education sectors—a greater understanding of character will challenge your thinking, inspire new ideas, and elevate your personal and professional performance.

For 50 years, writers at every stage of their careers have turned to the literary nonprofit organization Poets & Writers and its award-winning magazine for resources to foster their professional development, from writing prompts and tips on technique to informative interviews with published authors, literary agents, and editors. But never before has Poets & Writers marshalled its 50 years’ worth of knowledge to create an authoritative guide for writers that answers every imaginable question about craft and career - until now.

Most people who are considering off grid living, are those who are wanting to escape the stress and busyness of city life, and enjoy the peace and tranquility of country living. Owning your own property, and providing for your needs with self-sufficiency projects sounds wonderful and fun, but what are the most important self-sufficiency/survival projects, and how do you accomplish them? That is where this book will help.

Master the art of raising rabbits for flavorful meat! Have you ever dreamed of self-sufficiency and having the freshest, healthiest meat on your table? Are you curious about the rewards of raising your own rabbits? Are you eager to master the craft of raising rabbits for meat but are unsure of where to begin? Step into the world of homesteading and discover the art of raising rabbits for mouthwatering meat.

While discussing the context in which certain capital costs effectively create an obstacle to the implementation of sustainable building and design practices, Mr. Kobacker discusses many of the misconceptions and erroneous beliefs that must first be dispelled before any other steps can be taken. The internationally renowned sustainability expert then addresses the specific strategic vision he employs in maximizing a project's value while also minimizing its cost.

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.

Ready to Break Free and Build Your Trucking Empire? Tired of driving for someone else? Want to take control of your trucking career but feeling overwhelmed by the complexity of starting your own authority? "Solo Trucking Authority" is your comprehensive guide to launching and managing a successful independent trucking business. Whether you're a company driver dreaming of independence or an owner-operator ready to secure your authority, this audiobook provides the blueprint you need.

Root cellars are making a comeback! Do you often wonder what to do with your harvest? How are you going to store it all? Or do you only grow small amounts because you lack sufficient storage space? Why not build a root cellar? Root cellars are an ancient tradition. Together with curing meats and pickling, root cellars have long been a food storage method, particularly root vegetables. Fortunately, root cellars are starting to make a noticeable comeback, enabling people to store more produce for longer without the need for electricity.

How will software development and operations have to change to meet the sustainability and green needs of the planet? And what does that imply for development organizations? In this eye-opening book, Anne Currie, Sarah Hsu, and Sara Bergman provide a unique overview of this topic—discussing everything from the likely evolution of national grids to the effect those changes will have on the day-to-day lives of developers.

Why do so many farm businesses struggle to survive, let alone thrive? It’s because they don’t make clear strategic choices that reward them with a competitive advantage. Instead, most entrepreneurs start with a boilerplate business because they think they're supposed to. Boilerplate business plans offer little help in guiding strategic choices that determine if your business thrives or dies.

In this Tiny House: A Beginner's Guide to Minimalist Living, Building Your Small Home Guide, you'll learn all that you need to know about minimalist living and the tiny house movement. You'll find out how to get started on building your tiny home, frequently asked questions, and even whether or not you should hire a professional to build your tiny home. Tiny House: A Beginner's Guide to Minimalist Living, Building Your Small Home Guide will provide valuable resources on what supplies you'll need, where to buy tiny home kits, and where to find free tiny house plans. With helpful suggestions about how to get started and what material options you have, this guide will teach you everything you need to know to get started building your tiny home within your budget today.

Essential Green Roof Construction is a comprehensive, in-depth guide to building simple green roofs for houses and small buildings. Packed with detailed photos, illustrations, case studies, and code compliance advice, it offers clear step-by-step instructions necessary to create your own living roof on a new build or as a retrofit. Where common sense meets beauty—a green roof is a system of layers that work together to support plant life, insulate homes, and make the world a greener place.