Home   Calendar     Diary    Building Projects    Links    www.strawbalestudio.org

 

 SUSTAINABILITY LINKS

 

    

---

This page contains links on a broad range of sustainability subjects from Permaculture to alternative schools,  composting to cosmic timelines, re-skilling and re-localizing . . . and of course . . .

 

Click below for information on

Natural Building Resources   

      

• Natural Building Websites
• Indigenous Building & Refuge Shelter.  
• Homes & Communities
• Natural Building Material & Techniques. 
• Building Codes and Design 
• Natural Building Books
• Hands-on Experiences,  Natural Building Centers & Companies
• How-to Construction Information Online

 

---

Inspiring & Cool Links    

The Larger Connections:  We each have a part in the unfolding of the life process, the larger story. .

Alliance for a New Humanity. Imaginal cells

A culture of Peace through a Calendar of Peace.

The Great Story . Links to information on the Universe Story, and the New Cosmology.

The Co-Intelligence Institute. Together we can be wiser than any of us can be alone. How to tap that wisdom.

Powers of Ten.  Video zoom from the edges of the universe to the inside of matter. Oh, yeah. 

A walk through time. Global Mindshift. 1 min. video. Our life is 1/10,000th of a sec. in cosmic time.  What will we do with our time. our life?

A walk through time, from stardust to us.  Click on "next" as you make this into a slide show. Lots of detail.

Students: Play a Greater Part. An Online "Matchmaking" Service matching higher ed students with sustainability projects that need help.

Imagine a country where students get credit for helping to solve our sustainability challenges.

Imaginal Cells .  Information on the metamorphosis of caterpillar to the butterfly.

Connecting with the elements - Andean . www.ushai.com

Earth Charter. An evolving document to guide humans toward a just and sustainable future

Sacred Awe. Perspectives on & dialogue about sustainability, social change, positive futures

Tree Hugger.com.  In depth how-to articles that will help you green your life. No time like the present.

What is a billion? 

Ning.com.  Create your own Social Networking.

Videos on Magnetism . Lois Robbins sez: If you have 45 min. when you would be otherwise twiddling your thumbs, please pour yourself a   cup of tea, sit back and enjoy:Go to Lecture #10 on Batteries.  If you are intruigued you may want to sample more. 

Ted Talks.  Videos on consciousness & health. 

Inspiration and personal growth links.

Joanna Macy .

Exploring our healing connection to nature . 

The Story of Stuff .  

---

Click below for information on

LOCAL FOOD

 

Local Eating

Regional Food

Growing, harvesting, foraging.

Foraging for food & medicinal plants.

PERMACULTURE

Preserving & preparing food .

A vision of the Upland Hills CSA. 

 

LOCAL LIVING     GO LOCAL!   Sustainable Living.

 

Green map the Detroit Area !  Links for the evoloving Detroit Metro "Open Source" Green Map! 

Transition Oakland County . Michigan. Creating resiliant local communities in a post-carbon world.

Transition Michigan .  A wonderful site full of connections, info, videos, calendar.

Transition Town Ypsilanti .

Local Living .  A network that we can join.

Simple Living . 

Collection of Local Stories

Relocalization is a strategy to build societies based on the local production of

food, energy and goods, and the local development of currency, governance and culture.

Transition Towns . Download this online handbook for creating strong communities in response to "peak oil".

The Community Solution . Local solutions for food, housing, transportation. Many powerpoints to download!

Revitalization of downtowns .

SimpleLiving.net . Creating local economy

Greenmap your community . 

Experiments in Sustainable Urban Living .  Link not working now.

The Green Garage .  A Zero Energy warehouse retrofit & sustainability center near Wayne State U. in Detroit,

A good general website on Sustainable Living ideas .

Retrofillting the Suburbs for Sustainability .

 

Sustainability Careers and Jobs

The Idealist .  Posts jobs in the non-profit sector.

How to live without a salary . 

Meaningful Work . An evolving conversation about sustainable livelyhood.

The Green Garage .   A Detroit-based collaboration to created "green collar" jobs and sustainability-based service and product businesses of the future.

Detroit Youth Energy Squad . A program that trainsDetroit high school students to perform basic energy-efficient retrofits for lower income families. 

Insights Community . "A family of inspired entrepreneurs, learning, supporting one another. (Not checked out yet)

What is a Social Entrepeneur? 

 

Local Economy

Local Currency . Traverse City and Ithaca NY  

Local Ecotourism.

The Crash Course .   A look at the economy in realtionship to economy & energy. click to maximize screen.

Time Banking .  Trading "hours" of service.

 

Support the Green Economy - support our circle of friends!

Michigan Herbalist, Jim McDonald. Inspired information and classes on herbs.

"Greenpath" Digital Transcription Service . A business by 2005 natural building intern Jason Howard. 

Rent-a-Farmer . Trevor k

The Lazy Gardener .  Local farming guys!

Ancient Gallery . Elegant & powerful sculptures of forged steel and local stones by Tom Hoyt.

Landscaping & Stonework . 20 years experience by artist, Tom Hoyt of Leonard, MI.

Reliteration .  A used bookstore in Almont, MI owned & run by Janis Grant.

Natural Services by Caryn. Doula, Weaving, Salves, and more.

Earth Oven . Sam Runner builds Earth Ovens.

Who owns who ?   Seeds of Change is now owned by M&M Mars Company, and so on.

Who owns who 2 ?  An email about some of the "natural" companies who are bought out. 

Hand-harvested Seaweed for sale . A worker-owned co. that sustainably harvests off the Maine coast.

Solar Systems by Harlow .  Located in Leonard, MI

R & H Unlimited .  Solar Systems in the Midwest.

Michigan Mint Farm .  Sells mint oil, good for lots of things.

 

Health

Alternative Medicine has arrived. Wall Street Journal

Legislation concerns re: Nutritional Suppliments

The meaning of numbers on purchased foods . 

Exploring some health questions

Body Armoring . Learning to heal the ways we hold pain in our bodies.

Chemicals, Recycling CFL's & Hazardous Waste. Compact Flourescent Lights ~ Home Depot. Dangerous chemicals in our daily lives.

Easy Meditation at work . Improves, says Harvard University.

Collodial Silver, make your own . A natural remedy for anthrax, etc.?

 

Local (and/or) Natural Materials & Resources

Horse Manure as a heating source, ashes as fertilizer .

Local Recycling. Household, Clothes, Building Supplies, Paint/Chemicals. 

Local Recycling .  How to prepare recycling materials for the Ann Arbor Recycling Drop Off Center. 

World Centric. Biocompostable cups and plates, Sustainable Resources.

Humanure Camping Composting Toilet ~ 2 minute YouTube Video .

Austins' first city-approved Composting Toilet . Video of this dry humanure system on a Brownfield.

Maude Barlow on the Water issue .

 

Local and Natural Stories

Ecological Journalism. Outstanding articles.

Radical Simplicity 1 . Slideshow by James Merkel

Radical Simplicity 2 . Slideshow by James Merkel

 

Renewable Energy & Home-made things !

WATER

Hand-made ceramic water filters. Potters for Peace.

Clay-ceramic water filters . Using manure and coffee grounds.

Article on clay-ceramic filters .

Rotary Club Grant for medium tech water filters .

Michael Pritchards  Lifesaver Bottle .  Video: filtering to 15 nanometers @ pennies per day.

Water . Blue Gold.  Maude Barlow.

 

REFRIGERATION

Simple hand-made Solar Refrigerator .

African Clay Refrigeration .

 

ENERGY GENERATION, STORAGE & SAVINGS

Renewable Energy in Michigan . Energy Tidbits.  Get on their email list for inspiration!

Local Energy Production . XSeed Ann Arbor project.

10X more efficient Wind Generator .  Invention of the Year 2008 Popular Science

Solar & Wind Energy in Michigan.

CitizenRE .  How to purchase a solar collector "on time" through a special program.

Saving energy in cooking.

Solar Systems by Harlow .  Located in Leonard, MI

R & H Unlimited .  Solar Systems in the Midwest. 

Storing Solar Power in Salt

The TR 10 Liquid Battery .   Donald Sadoway's invention allows us to use solar power at night.

Making a "Pocket Rocket" Stove.  YouTube video -slides.

Solar Cooking .  Make your own solar oven !

Solar Projects . ! Great resource. 

Lighting .

Water lights .

Refrigeration without electricity . $40. In development with Stanford University. 3 minute video.

 

ENERGY AWARENESS

Upland Hills Ecological Awareness Center. Programs on Sustainability, Renewable Energy, Herbs + 

Peak Moment . Videos about sustainability and peak oil.

Ecological Footprint, Sustainable Living Workshops: Jim Merkel

 

Transportation & Ecological Travel Opportunities

Enota Ecological campbround with milking goats, organic farming, meals, hydroelectric, waterfalls

Permaculture Bed & Breakfast in Canada.  Good info on natural living.

Rothbury Festival, Michigan. Nature, Ecological Think Tank, hammocks, activities.

Carpooling to Events !

81 mph car.  Ford Fusion Hybrid

Busses in Oslo run on Poop .

Climate Change .

 

Music & Art  with a Sustainability Message:

O Beautiful Gaia CD Project

We are makin up songs!

Global Music: Playing for Change .

Deanne's Artwork

Global Music: Playing for Change .

"We of Earth Declare" .  Song by Carolyn McDade with slide show.

 

Art & Nature

Decorating with Natural Materials .  Body adornment of an african tribe.  Quite stunning.

The Wheel of the Year .  Equinox dates, full moons, religious holidays: an inclusive perspective. 

Making Art with Nature .

 

News Sources & Online Videos:

Common Dreams.

Climate Change YouTube Video. Short online video about Global Warming and renewable resources.

More You Tube Videos. Short online videos on Climate Change, Renewable Energy, Sustainability.

Story of Stuff.  Video on movement of  the "stuff" we buy, from production through purchase, use, and disposal.

Biomimicry. African termites build air conditioned homes that make their food and regulate their temperature and humidity. Humans attempt to recreate the construction in new, sustainable buildings.

"Quality of Life" Online Survey

The Story of Stuff.  Online 20 minute video on consumerism.

Humanure Camping Composting Toilet ~ 2 minute YouTube Video . 

Interesting Design ideas .

Bioneers videos . On sustainability

 

Free Sustainability Books ~ Download Online

Treasures of Simple Living. Folks who are living on the land share their living skills. 

The Humanure Handbook . How to build a safe, easy composting toilet.

The Cob Handbook . How to sculpt your own earthen home. Free download of book. 

 

Sustainability Links

The Ecological Footprint .   How do we fit on the planet.  Great source, with a calculator. 

Zero Footprint . Empowering people to live ingeniously in a low carbon world

Bioneers Community Network. Join in on the sustainability conversation with others.

Permaculture. Creating human and ecological systems that are in harmony.

Conservation Economy. Fifty-seven patterns provide a framework for an ecologically restorative, socially just, and reliably prosperous society. Adaptable to local ecosystems & cultures, yet universal in their applicability.

Common Ground

provides short term relief for victims of hurricane disasters in the gulf coast region, and long term support in rebuilding the communities affected in the New Orleans area. A community-initiated volunteer organization offering assistance, mutual aid and support. The work gives hope to communities by working with them, providing for their immediate needs and emphasizes people working together to rebuild their lives in sustainable ways. 

Path to Freedom. Some pretty "full tilt" sustainability folks.  Slideshows, videos, on what they're doing. 

Sustainability Conference.  Inspirational programing.

Forum for the Future . 

Global Green. Fostering a value shift to a sustainable and secure future.

A Better Future’s . Helping develop more mutual understanding and collective actions that help creat a better future for all. 

The Center for Respect of Life and Environment . Fosters an ethic of compassion for all life & respect for the integrity of nature 

Facing the Future . Develops young people’s capacity & commitment to create thriving, sustainable & peaceful local & global communities.

The New American Dream . Helps Americans assume responsibility to protect the environment, enhance quality of life, and promote social justice.

Sustainable Communities Network . Links citizens to resources and one another to create healthy, vital, sustainable communities.

Rocky Mountain Institute is an entrepreneurial nonprofit organization that fosters the efficient and restorative use of resources to make the world secure,just, prosperous, and life-sustaining. They do this by inspiring business, civil society, and government

to design integrative solutions that create true wealth. 

The Simple Living Network Providing resources, tools, contacts & examples for conscious, simple, healthy & restorative living. 

Bioneers is a nonprofit organization that promotes practical environmental solutions and innovative social strategies for restoring the Earth and communities.

Sustainable Business dot com helps to grow & connect businesses that contribute to an equitable & ecologically sustainable economy.

 

Sustainability Schools, Education & Books

Michigan Teaching Standards

Students: Play a Greater Part. An Online "Matchmaking" Service that matches up higher ed students with with sustainability projects that need help. Imagine a country where students get credit for helping to solve our sustainability challenges. 

The Alberti Program .  Sustainable Design program for youth.

Challenge Day. A day-long "anti-bullying" transformative experience for schools. Fantastic video on this, as well as a website. 

Three Rivers Wilderness School. Life-changing treatment program for teens in Montana 

Regenerative Design ~ Natural Awareness Training. A school in California.

Instructor, Penny Livingston on GlobalOneness. A  very inspiring 3 minute permaculture video. 

Sustainable building & Education in Himalayas of India. 

Liberty School

Ran Prieur's Recommended Reading .  This website has many things I found interesting.  (DB)

Games about Sustainability .

Sustainability Education Links for 

Debra Rowe, Ph.D.

President, U.S. Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development  www.uspartnership.org

Co-chair, Higher Education Associations Sustainability Consortium  www.heasc.net

Senior Fellow, University Leaders for a Sustainable Future  www.ulsf.org

Professor, Alternate Energies and Behavioral Sciences, Oakland Community College  www.oaklandcc.edu/EST

Co-founder of Play a Greater Part   www.playagreaterpart.org . 

 

Self-Directed Learning for Teens 

North Star Self-Directed Learning. Located in Massachusetts. 

The Neutral Zone youth-driven Teen Center. Located in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

The Neutral Zone is a diverse, youth-driven teen center dedicated to promoting personal growth through artistic expression, community leadership and the exchange of ideas.

Audibahn Experiential University...or something like that. Lives outdoors in tents, studies ecological, economic and equity issues in real places. Out east. 

Renaissance Souls: Life Design for People with Too Many Interests to Pick Just One, by Margaret Lobenstine (recommended by Jason Howard)

Teenage Liberation Handbook: How to Quit School and Get a Real Life and Education, by Grace Llewellyn (recommended by Jason Howard)

A review of Teenage Liberation Handbook, and a summary of alternative colleges . Review by Jason Howard. 

 

Resources for Classes

Michigan Education Benchmarks 2007. 

Sculpting Sacred Space Creating Hand-Sculpted Space in your own home and environs. 

Global Village Project  An group activitity to design and sculpt a model of a sustainable community!  For individuals, small groups or a classroom. 

ART projects and materials

Council of All Beings .   An activity that allows the animals to talk to the humans.

Sustainability Class . Potential Resources.

Children's Nature Programs . Ideas for projects and activities.

Math Program .  Data assessment.

 

Good Communication

Non-violent Language book .  Some of the chapters can be downloaded free.

Keys to Creating a Sustainable Community .

Creating a Life Together . Learning from the sucesses and failures of communities.

 

---

The Strawbale Studio is linked to these websites.

The Strawbale Studio Natural Building Program is linked to, or a supporter of:

The Natural Building Network .  www.naturalbuildingnetwork

SEEDS (Seeking Environmental and Educational Design Solutions) . www.ecoseeds.org

(Others, to be added)

Home    Calendar     Diary    Building Projects    Links    www.strawbalestudio.org