Arcosanti: urban laboratory or forgotten utopia?
Arcosanti is an experimental town that was designed to show a car-free alternative to urban planning, but very little of the town has actually been built.
Sustainable living and education at O.U.R. Ecovillage
O.U.R. Ecovillage is a permaculture based community that educates and brings people together to solve global problems.
Traditional earth lodges of the Great Plains
Indigenous people of the Great Plains of North America had a variety of dwellings adapted to the local climate, including circular dome-shaped earth lodges.
Silent challenges of Indian reservations
I recently volunteered at an Indian reservation and learned a lot about the problems of Native Americans and reservations – and something about solutions.
Global Village volunteering and building houses in Mongolia
A few years ago I participated in Habitat for Humanity’s Global Village program in Mongolia. It was a rewarding experience but I view it differently today.
Water management strategies of Singapore
Singapore’s water management system shows how diversifying water management can improve water security and self-sufficiency in a water scarce country.
The Persian ice house, or how to make ice in the desert
The Persian ice house and ice making technique are a fine example of what can be achieved without electricity by understanding physics and the local climate.
Revisiting a student project in Kenya
Last year I was part of a permaculture and knowledge sharing project in Kenya, and I recently visited the site to see how the project lives on in the local community.
Grassroots waste management at Kibuye market
A group of traders from Kibuye market in Kisumu, Kenya have taken over management of organic waste by turning it into organic manure and a profit.
Searching for windcatchers in Hyderabad
Hyderabad, Pakistan used to be known as the city of windcatchers, but today these traditional ventilation devices are hard to find – but not impossible.