Info, news & debate
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Interested in building with straw? Don’t miss The Big Straw Bale Gathering!
It’s not too late to join the biggest straw-bale building event of the year this August in Swansea. Jeffrey Hart of SBUK tells us about how you can get involved, learning all about building with straw from an impressive line-up of speakers to hands-on workshops.
Volunteers needed for The Community Farm roundhouse build – could it be you?
The Community Farm is seeking volunteers to help finish their spectacular roundhouse project. Annabel Wallace tells us how you can get involved.
Calling all earth-building enthusiasts – come and join Clayfest 2018!
With nine different earth building techniques covered and a whole host of activity planned, this is the place to be for anyone interested in building with earth. Rowland Keable at EBUKI tells us more.
Models of repopulation: bringing low-impact living to life in rural Europe
We hear from yurt and tent builders and suppliers Spirits Intent about their new mission to revive low-impact living and rural economies in southern Europe through the Heartland Association.
Off Grid Festival 2018: another world is possible
Roxy Piper tells us all about this year’s Off Grid Festival, taking place from 9-12th August in the historic Tapeley Park and Gardens in North Devon, with the theme of Seven Generation Stewardship.
A south-facing, rammed earth, straw-bale-insulated house doesn’t need heating; why aren’t all new houses built this way?
Rowland ran rammed earth building courses with us for years. He said then that a C-shaped, rammed earth house with straw-bales for external insulation, and as much glass on the south side and as little glass on the north side as possible, wouldn’t need any heating. We wanted to catch up with him to learn …
Free natural building internship on offer from Hartwyn this summer
Natural building company Hartwyn are pleased to announce their summer 2018 free natural building internship programme is now open to applications. It’s over to Joe Duirwyn from here to tell us more.
Free build camp to construct a roundwood timber-framed barn with living roof for a community organisation
This is a REAL, FULL BUILD on-site, so we need everyone taking part in this free build camp to be physically fit, strong and competent with tools. You will also need to be robust and self-sufficient as we’ll be living outdoors in basic conditions. 18yrs +.
The Big Straw Bale Gathering speakers list is now out
Jeffrey Hart of SBUK shares news about The Big Straw Bale Gathering speakers. A first of its kind event for all things straw-bale building related, find out who’ll be heading to Down to Earth near Swansea from 10-12 August 2018 below.
How we escaped suburbia by embracing exchange and life on the road
Visual artist Emma Moody-Smith shares the story of how she and her partner Shawn have spent the past 9 years downshifting, swapping suburban England for life in a motorhome and, crucially, embracing exchange. Here she offers insight and advice to others looking to do the same.
Diary of a tree planter
During winter, while the animals hibernate and the trees sleep, magic happens on hillsides across the land – forests are created! A brief account of the ups and downs of life for a tree planter this winter… creating a woodland on a farm in Devon.
How to make a Japanese plaster hawk for clay plastering
Inspired by the magic of traditional Japanese clay plastering, USA-based natural builder Ziggy Liloia of The Year of Mud shares his step-by-step guide to making a Japanese plaster hawk.
How you can gain natural building skills for your own build for free, and help put up affordable, natural, community buildings
Some great ideas from Adrian at Wholewoods. Below are several ways that you can get your hands dirty and gain natural building skills for free, whilst helping to erect beautiful, affordable, natural buildings for schools, charities or educational organisations.
Proposal for a ‘one planet’ food revolution
This is the third in a series of articles about ‘one planet’ living – the first in rural areas, and the second in cities. Now we discuss the situation as regards food production.
The Wool Journey Part 6: grading, sorting and storing of fleeces following shearing
In the sixth installment of The Wool Journey by Sue Blacker of The Natural Fibre Company and Blacker Yarns, she outlines the crucial steps of grading, sorting and storing of fleeces following shearing.
Debate: how sustainable can an eco-hotel and permaculture community be if it’s for Brits in Portugal?
We were approached by Peter to ask if we would help promote a proposed eco-holiday complex and permaculture settlement in Portugal. I replied that I didn’t think we could, as I have strong reservations about this kind of eco-hotel development, and explained why. Peter came back with some counter-arguments, and I asked him whether he’d …
Want to help set up a community-supported agriculture scheme, Jan-Apr, and stay in a yurt next to a river?
Are you feeling like you need a change of scenery for a little while? Feel like you would like to be out in the countryside more? Well how about staying in a cosy yurt with a log burner by the river Avon
In praise of the wheelbarrow: low-impact transportation at its best?
Perhaps these days most commonly associated with the garden, there’s more to the humble wheelbarrow than you might think. Sophie Paterson explores its potential, past and present, as a low-impact form of transportation.
Join our new online community Living Low Impact
We’re excited to introduce our new Facebook group Living Low Impact – and you’re invited!
Historically heating: forgotten ways to keep warm this winter
With winter on the way and inspired by a recent visit to the Weald & Downland Museum, Sophie Paterson explores a selection of historical personal heating methods. Could they be adopted in homes today?