I try to live sustainably. I shop locally, don't drive, go for environmentally-friendly and fairtrade choices when I can - just like most of the people reading this probably do.
But I know that I don't actually have any living skills. If there was a natural (or man-made) disaster, I'd be lucky if I could cobble myself together a basic shelter, let alone sort out a radio or any food and fuel. Without companies or more knowledgeable people to make things for me, I'd be completely stuck.
That's one of the reasons I was interested to hear about the low-impact living initiative. The group aim to help people lower the impact of their everyday lives, and run regular courses, as well as selling books and manufacturing products via their website.
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Do It Yourself
I've often dreamed of escaping city life for an idyllic, peaceful existence in the country, but the practical elements of self-sufficient living tend to get in the way of actually doing it...so I was very happy to find out about Self-Sufficientish, a guide to being more self-sufficient for those who are starting from scratch.
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Do It Yourself
If you've got a garage, there's a good chance you've got a bunch of oil cans kicking around in it that you really should have taken in for recycling but somehow haven't. Or, you can use the Oil Can Parts Bin How-To to turn those cans into useful little catch-alls (though please do recycle the tops and bottoms anyhow and also dispose of any leftover oil properly - oh darlings, as if you'd do otherwise). [GT]
Oil Can Parts Bin How-To
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Do It Yourself
Why buy recycled glass when you've got glass to recycle right at home? Oh yes, there's the pesky problem of turning it into a form that is more useful to you than the typical nippled missile shape. Solution: the Bottle Cutter from the Green Directory's shop. It cuts the glass off safely so you can turn around and make drinking vessels, ashtrays or vases. £31.50 and you get 35 bonus points. [GT]
Bottle Cutter
More Recycling, Do It Yourself
Do It Yourself
Why throw out an old vacuum cleaner when you can cut its head off and mount it on your wall? The 1979 Kirby Hunting Trophy also provides a cool little secret compartment that you'd probably actually find handy, and if you insist on it having some useful quality it also lights up. But mainly it's an entertaining comment on how in the future we'll be eating a lot of robots. [GT]
1979 Kirby Hunting Trophy
Do It Yourself
A little pricey for what they do compared with most of our DIY projects, but gorgeous, and inexpensive compared to what you'd pay to have someone else custom make them, let us present Apartment Therapy's "How to Make your own Rice Paper Roller Shades". Rice paper provides a vibrant mute on sunlight and only gets more dazzling as it bleaches with age - and this set lasted ten years before the paper needed to be replaced (whereupon it could be composted, natch). $85 USD per shade. [GT]
Apartment Therapy's "How to Make your own Rice Paper Roller Shades" [via Ecofriend]
More Design & furniture
Do It Yourself
The plans for the LED Bike Light System can be used just to make a headlight, or for the full headlight-taillight system giving a bright white light on the front and modest (but prominent) red on the back. The rear light even blinks! It's not quite as bright as a 15w Nite Rider headlight but it is brighter than the 10w, and gives you the satisfaction of knowing how the technology goes together. The author of the plan also reports he used it in a 45 minute pouring rain and it passed with flying colours. [GT]
LED Bike Light System
Related stories: How to boil an egg with the sun | Origami paint chips into business card cases | Build your own solar oven
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