Category: Sustainable Systems

Rebuilding and Improving a Rocket Mass Heater

The rocket mass heater in Skyhouse at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage was in need of some repairs and improvements. It was at least 15 years old and had always had some issues with efficiency in heating the space it was supposed to. Mark Mazziotti, of nearby Red Earth Farms, was hired to do a total rebuild of the stove because of his experience in building rocket stoves and mass heaters. I happened to find out he was doing the rebuild and asked him if he would help me make a video about the project. It’s a little longer than some of my usual videos, but it’s interesting to hear the thought and planning Mark put into the rebuild.

Mark wants me to add that he miscalculated his estimate of his experience in natural building. It’s more like 15, not 20 years of experience he has.

How I Keep My Tiny House Cool (With Almost No AC) In the Heat of Summer

It gets pretty hot in Missouri during the summertime. And living entirely off renewable energy it doesn’t have to be a challenge to stay comfortable on those 90°F+ dog days. There are simple things you can do to minimize your use of air conditioning–one of the biggest contributors to climate change. Nature has provided us with many options to keep ourselves cool. We just have to make the connections and implement the systems.

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Simple Wastewater Treatment for Off-grid Water System

When I got back from being away for the winter I found that my water pump was no longer able to pump water out of my cistern. In my house, I drink and use rainwater caught off my gutters and stored in an 1100 gallon cistern underground. In this video, I try to figure out why I’m not getting any water. Was it the -18°F temps over the winter or something else that caused the problem?

St Pete Ecovillage is Changing the Rules for Tiny Houses in the City

Last year I gave a tour of St Pete Ecovillage as it was just getting going. They held a tiny house festival to build interest in tiny houses and to get the city behind making changes to code to allow more tiny houses. This year I return with an update, and there is so much to talk about. St Pete Ecovillage has a lot going on and it’s changing so fast, it’s hard to include it all, so this is a longer than usual video.

The Crazy, Beautiful, and Useful Tropical Plants in my Neighborhood

There’s nothing I like more than going for a botanical walk through the neighborhoods of St Pete. Some neighborhoods have mostly lawn, but some have a startling array of tropical plants on display, some useful, most just ornamental. But every walk is like a new adventure and you never know what crazy plants you will discover just a few blocks from where you are staying.

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We almost got run down by an organic water buffalo

On the way back from the Sustainable Living Conference we stopped at an organic water buffalo farm to pick up some water buffalo milk. I always love seeing different examples of sustainable agriculture in action, and I’d never seen water buffalo before. The farm also has a sugar cane syruping operation and a market garden. There was lots to see, but we also had an adventure with ants and a water buffalo bull.