We have started a co-operative, pooled our resources, and bought more prime farmland than any of us could have afforded alone. (In fact, it’s more than even the founders can afford, and we’re seeking additional member-investors.)
Our goal is to produce most of our own food and energy, and to distribute the excess within the greater community.
We heat with wood from our own land, drive (a limited amount) on biodiesel that we make from restaurant waste, and grow almost all our vegetables and produce all our own eggs and milk.
Many of the ten current residents have home-based businesses to avoid commuting.
This post was submitted by Jan Steinman.
We purchased a hillside property of several acres, some years ago. It was almost void of trees, except some at the property lines. There were several erosion gullies, poor soil for supporting native plants, etc. The slopes were between 20-35%. We started planting trees, leveled vegetable garden areas, repaired erosion gullies, etc. We terraced the steep slopes, built raised beds for vegetables, planted redwoods, pines, and fruit trees. We built a holding pond for containing some erosion causing sheet flows during the California rainy season, etc.
From our initial efforts, it’s almost 20 years. We have no significant erosion. Even the native plants seem much happier. We are happier.
This post was submitted by Reijo Koski.
learn how to sew.
instead of buying new clothes, or paying someone to fix your old clothes, learn how to diy it yourself.
currently im making my own coat. and as a liner im using an old comforter ..yup thats right an old comforter.
the outside textile was donated to me( retail value 200$ a yard) so im lucky in that sense.
but sewing gives you such a vast selection of things to make ( clothes, household goods etc)
and you can buy a cheap second hand machine anywhere, or even go that extra mile and get a manual one.
This post was submitted by mabel.
Placing an extra bin in the bathroom has been amazing. About 80% of my bathroom waste was recyclable. Toilet rolls, toothpaste packaging, shampoo bottles etc. Both I was too lazy to take it out to the kitchen recycling bin. This makes it easier to ‘do the right thing’.
Once I have a garden compost I plan to collect all the tissues and cotton balls in a green waste bin too.
This post was submitted by BohoBelle.
Reduce your full time working week to 4 days of 9.5hrs each.
I am trying this for the first time and expect to save money mostly on transport. Another small bonus is reducing my professional wardrobe needs.
Obviously the best bit is to have a whole day to myself to work on hobbies. This might increase my homesteading and self sufficiency.
I’ve already found that I like starting work earlier, its very quiet and peaceful in the office. This is good for reducing stress.
*This tip was originally from the Your Money or Your Life book.
This post was submitted by BohoBelle.
For one year I bought no clothes for myself - new or used. The point of this is not what you might assume. It is a way to recalibrate your mind away from consuming as pleasure seeking or pain avoiding. Other ways I’ve done this is to have Buy Nothing Tuesdays, or Eat Local Meals, Weeks or forever! What I found is that my trip was busted - like Colin, I went a long time thinking being grumpy at SUV’s or ‘talking about ecology’ was actually doing something positive. I call that ‘David Suzuki Syndrome’. You just get mad and nothing happens. This year I’m buying no food at work, I’m packing or going without. I stress this is a method to change the way I think (or don’t think) but just consume without need or really the wherewithall to continue apace.
This post was submitted by Jan Morrison.
Consume what you can carry. Can’t carry it home? Don’t buy it. It’s the easiest way to maintain a sensible ecological footprint.
Compost your food scraps. You can store scraps in the freezer and make a weekly trip to local compost center.
Bring a reusable mug for your to-go beverages. Drinks taste better in nice containers.
Say no to straws, plastic lids, ketchup packets, and other disposable “conveniences.” They have a negligible impact on your quality of life yet create mountains of needless waste.