Michael Janzen » Sustainable

Solar Cooker Plans

Michael Janzen — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 02:44:26 +0000

I just stumbled on this from a reader’s private website. This page is not private… but a very cool collection of solar cookers and plans. Solar cooking is a great way to use the sun for free to cook food.

Solar Cooker Plans

Sustainable Swift Industries – more than Handmade Bike Bags

Michael Janzen — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 03:23:12 +0000

While watching a video on Rowdy Kittens I learned of this little bike bag company in Seattle that makes handmade bike bags. It’s an excellent example of how real people can find their own economic freedom through doing what they enjoy in spite of a tough economy. Really inspiring story and great bags!

Swift Industries

The Mannahatta Project

Michael Janzen — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 04:59:05 +0000

I found this amazing video/lecture on TED over the weekend. The primary topic is visualizing the Manhattan Island of the past but the underlying message is all about sustainability. For example the last minute of the video shows what Dr. Eric Sanderson envisions as a sustainable Manhattan of the future.

Backyard Solor Mirrored Dish by RawSolar Inc

Michael Janzen — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 15:38:51 +0000

I ran across this big backyard sized mirrored solar dish on CleanTechnica. It’s a project by some students at MIT that has turned onto a new start up called RawSolar. I’ve often thought that there would be a big market for a mirror like this coupled with small stirling engine for backyard alternative energy generation. But it would have to be low cost. These folks are planning on using it to generate steam to drive a turbine.

Principles for Rainwater Harvesting

Michael Janzen — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 06:09:25 +0000

I’ve been collecting as much information about rain water collection as I can find. I’m not sure why I’ve been obsessed with this but it just seems like a good thing to know how to do. Here’s a very good article on the topic called Eight Principles for Successful Rainwater Harvesting.

Green Roof Water Retention System

Michael Janzen — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 04:08:46 +0000

I’ve been on the lookout for an inexpensive green roof system for existing roofs. After reading an article on Jetson Green about this supermarket green roof project, Julia and I found this green roof system and GreenGrid. I’m pretty sure GreenGrid is the system being used by the supermarket project. Basically these are plantable water collection and storage systems.

Tiny Alcohol Stove

Michael Janzen — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 06:09:26 +0000

I want to make a tiny alcohol burning stove and space heater for Nine Tiny Feet and just came across this great tiny stove on Make. This example is so small if actually can be worn around the neck like a necklace. Weird but possibly useful. Stove Necklace. You can also see it for sale… very expensive… better to make one yourself out of copper tubing me thinks.

Why alcohol burning? My guess is that post peak-oil many of us will probably learn to distill spirits from local vegitation as an alternative fuel to petroleum and natural gas. Nine Tiny Feet will have a peak-oil prepper spin when I’m done; a teaching tool for simple and sustainable living without petroleum.

Reburbia Design Competition – deadline is August 1, 2009

Michael Janzen — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 02:23:40 +0000

I guess I’m not the only one that suspects that suburbia will be one of the potential victims when peak oil trouble really hits hard. Dwell and Inhabitat have teamed up and are co-hosting a design competition called Reburbia. Designers of all types are invited to submit their solutions for solving this potential future problem. I’ve got my own design ideas in the works; and yes they will include tiny houses. The deadline for entries is August 1, 2009. Reburbia

Peddler’s Wagon – I love the underground watering pots they sell

Michael Janzen — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:58:49 +0000

I spotted this on Path to Freedom. I love the underground watering pots they sell. I’ve got to make some of those when I get my pottery studio setup again. They also “tithe” 10% of their profits back to the people and the planet through Dervaes Institute™. The only draw back is that their prices seem a bit on the high side to me, but then again I’m a cheapskate. Peddler’s Wagon

Composting Toilet that generates Methane

Michael Janzen — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 13:58:37 +0000

This is not the first time I’ve seen someone turn human waste, yes poop, into methane but this is the first commercially viable solution. I don’t think any composting toilets on the market do what this composting toilet does.

The Gardiner CH4 and EXCREXTRA