low impact living

Nothing in life is black and white, and this goes for being green as well. In Shades of Green, Paul Waddington tackles a range of areas from aeroplanes to wine and outlines different choices, ranking them from ‘deep green’ to ‘not at all green’. This book will show you where you fit on the scale and what you can do to reduce your environmental impact further, whether you are taking your first steps to greening your lifestyle or are already well on your way.

Ed Begley, Jr. gives liberally of his philosophy and humor while speaking about his new book, Living Like Ed, at the recent Bioneers LA potluck held at The Electric Lodge in Venice Beach.

URBAN FARMING: Jules Dervaes and three of his adult children live on one-fifth of an acre in Pasadena, Calif., a block away from a multilane highway. On this tiny sliver of land, they manage to be mostly self-sufficient. “This is our form of protest,” says Dervaes, who is 60, “and this is our form of survival.”

No disrespect to the architect and ower of this home. It is truly inspiring. This home was handcrafted using natural materials including spare and reclaimed wood, limestone, and reusable windows, doors, plumbing etc. Dug into a hillside for low impact, the house features a mud/turf roof, a fridge cooled by underground water and uses biomass for heat. Wow.

We have been moved, humbled and inspired by the gigantic outpouring our Green New Year's Resolution Contest has inspired. We received over 400 resolutions. People all over the country put their environmental thinking caps on and gave serious consideration to what steps they were willing to take to live a more low impact life in the coming year.  Read on and get some ideas for yourself!

Reusing your greywater (water from your washing machine, shower, etc.) can be a great way to save water at home. Learn how to recycled your water-- and your yard will thank you.

Path to Freedom presents 'A Homegrown Revolution' A collaboration of selective media clips which feature their urban homestead and farm which focus on the need of radical action -- growing food in the city.

Energy use and global warming get a lot of attention these days (and they should!), but water conservation is an equally important environmental issue. Significant portions of the United States are facing serious water constraints and we all need to do our part to save water. Did you know that the average American household with three members uses over 300 gallons of water per day, both inside and outside? Learn how to cut your in-home water use in half.

This is the first of our new How To Tuesday feature, where we help you live the low impact life. We welcome your comments!