This is an amusing video from the BBC1 showing a Hermit Crab ‘swap meet’. As hermit crabs grow, they need larger shells. Since suitable intact shells are sometimes limited, competition often occurs. The availability of empty shells depends on the relative abundance of gastropods and hermit crabs, matched for size. If the crabs vary significantly in size, the […]
Modular green home – right sized! Louisville, CO
We met Paul, Connie and their architect Andy during the final phase of construction for their modular green home. Paul and Connie owned a lot in the historic mining town of Louisville and wanted to build a green home on it. One that was gentle on the earth and didn’t consume a lot of resources. They […]
Micro Hydro Powered Off-Grid Mountain Retreat
Warren met his Janice in British Columbia (BC) Canada in the early 70s. The couple left the province some time later, raising their family in Warren’s homeland of Nova Scotia. They spent years honing their skills in organic gardening, horse logging, log home building and creative self-sufficiency. Those ‘back-to-the-land’ skills and love of the great […]
Passive Solar, Net Zero Home: Goldendale, WA
We first heard of Francis when we met Chris of Winter Sun Design in Edmonds, WA. We asked Chris if he could introduce her to us as she fit the profile of our green homeowners. We had originally planned to head south from Edmonds, so the drive to Goldendale was a considerable distance out of our […]
Renovating a Neglected Log Home
Mark and I (Terry – your eco friend) have always been eco enthusiasts and dream of one day living in an off-grid home. A few years ago we renovated a Moose Mountain Log Home on 15 acres just outside of Calgary. This was a huge renovation and took just under 2 years to complete. Regretfully, […]
Off-Grid Timber Frame, Turtle Valley, BC
Marjorie lives in an off-the-grid home in the mountains near Turtle Valley, about 45 minutes from Kamloops in British Columbia, Canada. Marjorie is a strong and extremely self-sufficient woman and was the builder, designer and contractor for her Timber Frame home. She wasn’t completely alone as she had help from her 23-year-old son. Her dad helped with […]
Earthship: A Most Radically Sustainable Home
We have had the privilege of staying a night in the Phoenix, a Taos, New Mexico Earthship. These friendliest of eco-friendly homes were conceived by architect Michael Reynolds, nicknamed the garbage warrior. He fought for many years to build these off-grid homes and eventually succeeded in getting building permits. The Earthship design principles: Earthship.com: An Earthship is a radically […]
World’s Greenest Home, San Francisco: HGTV video
We visited Robin last fall on our ECO tour and we were amazed at the extent of the green features in her home. The previous post is here: San Francisco Solar and Wind Powered Home. Robin really has to be commended. She installed the first wind turbine in an urban setting. This was to her home in central […]
Worlds Greenest Home, San Francisco: part 1
Robin’s San Francisco home has the distinction of being the first home in an urban U.S. setting to get its electricity from a wind turbine… a fact that homeowner Robin wants to improve. Robin of Whirligig Wind Power spent a considerable amount of time working as an advocate to bring small wind power to urban environments. As […]
EcoNest® Straw Clay Home, Santa Fe, NM
Santa Fe is counted as America’s oldest capital city and has an abundance of adobe-styled homes and businesses. These buildings are distinctive, historical representations, that blend Spanish, Native American and other local cultures and are made by combining sand, clay, water and other fibres like sticks or straw. The look combines design elements of Pueblo […]
