Sustainable Home

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.

Do you ever feel strange, gross, chaotic, underappreciated, or like you don’t quite fit in? Great news: you might be a goblin! That means your imperfections and idiosyncrasies are the most awesome things about you, and you can build a more balanced, comfortable, harmonious life by accepting and honoring them—taking inspiration from the frogs, fungus, moss, rocks, and dirt that goblins love.

Over half a century ago, John Rowlands set out by canoe into the wilds of Canada to survey land for a timber company. After paddling alone for several days, he came upon "the lake of my boyhood dreams", which he named Cache Lake because there was stored the best that the north had to offer-timber for a cabin; fish, game, and berries to live on; and the peace and contentment he felt he could not live without.

The Concise Guide to Minimalism is not another book that tells you to throw away all your stuff and live in a sterile white box with a single succulent. This isn’t minimalism-by-dictatorship. This is minimalism-by-choice: a thrilling, inspiring, motivational, and actionable guide to cutting the noise, reclaiming your time, and living lighter.

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?

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.

Compact Farms is a guide for anyone dreaming of starting, expanding, or perfecting a profitable farming enterprise on five acres or less. The farm plans explain how to harness an area's water supply, orientation, and geography in order to maximize efficiency and productivity while minimizing effort. Profiles of well-known farmers such as Eliot Coleman and Jean-Martin Fortier show that farming on a small scale in any region, in both urban and rural settings, can provide enough income to turn the endeavor from hobby to career.

Transform Your Space with Sustainable Home Decor—Stylish, Ethical, and Budget-Friendly! Love decorating but want to do it responsibly? Sustainable Home Decor is your ultimate guide to creating beautiful, functional spaces while reducing waste, repurposing materials, and embracing eco-friendly living.

Like many people, Beth Terry didn't think an individual could have much impact on the environment. But while laid up after surgery, she read an article about the staggering amount of plastic polluting the oceans and decided then and there to kick her plastic habit. Now she wants to teach you how you can too.

Ready to master off-grid survival and achieve self-sufficiency? Even if you've never set foot off the grid! Does the idea of off-grid living excite you, yet feel overwhelming? Are you unsure where to start or worried about lacking critical survival skills? You're not alone. Many aspire to break free from modern utilities but hesitate due to complexity. The truth? Living off-grid is achievable, and you don’t have to figure it out alone.

Did you know that in the United States alone, an estimated 345 billion gallons of water are used daily? This shouldn’t be surprising–we live in a world of consumerism, and unfortunately, this even correlates to how we use natural resources like electricity and water. But what are you supposed to do? It’s not like you can just go without water.

In a world where emergencies can emerge without warning, Military Tactics for Home Defense equips you with the knowledge and tools to turn your home into a fortress of safety. Written by a military tactics expert, this audiobook combines elite strategies and practical, step-by-step guidance to help you secure your home, build self-reliance, and sustain your household through any challenge—be it natural disasters, civil unrest, or extended outages.

Every person living off the grid has a common goal of being self-sufficient. Raising farm animals is a great first step toward that self-reliance, but which animals do you need? This book is specifically designed to answer that question. With the knowledge you will gain from this book, you will be able to plan and prepare effectively and efficiently. You will learn which animals will best meet your needs for milk, meat, eggs, and fiber, and you will learn how to properly care for them and manage their products.

With real-world considerations in mind, disaster preparedness consultant David Black shows us how to stay alive when tragedy strikes. His step-by-step actions can help us make it safely through a variety of crises, from catastrophic weather to terrorism to civil unrest. Black presents tailor-made plans for individuals, businesses, organizations, small groups, and communities to follow, in all regions of the country and broken down by type of emergency and environment.

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.

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.

Prepare your home and family for any life-threatening catastrophe with this step-by-step survivalist guide filled with techniques, strategies, and DIY projects from a lifelong prepping expert. Government pamphlets and other prepping books tell you how to hold out through an emergency until services are restored. This book teaches you how to survive when nothing returns to normal for weeks, months, or even years, including water collection; storing, growing, hunting, and foraging for food; first aid and medical treatment; fortifying and defending your home; and community-building.

Off Grid Living Ultimate Survival Bible is a collection of four books that are focused on aiding you to thrive away from the grid. The practical tips gained from the combination of the following four books will help you live self sufficiently off grid. Each book is bursting with effectively simple tips to prepare you for the move from an overly populated city/suburban life to the tranquillity of a fulfilled life away from the grid.

Have you ever wanted to experiment with growing your own food but didn’t think you had the space, the time, or the knowledge? Justin Rhodes thought the same thing—until after years battling systemic illness and struggling to provide the kind of wholesome food he wanted for his family, he bought a seed packet at the grocery store and was hooked.

Robert Pavlis, a gardener for over four decades, debunks common soil myths, explores the rhizosphere, and provides a personalized soil fertility improvement program in this three-part popular science guidebook. Soil Science for Gardeners is an accessible, science-based guide to understanding soil fertility and, in particular, the rhizosphere - the thin layer of liquid and soil surrounding plant roots, so vital to plant health.