A couple builds a smaller, affordable, “green” house
for Small House Style by guest writer Katie Hutchison
When I called Susan Hayes to talk to her about her new, affordable, “green” house in Williston, Vermont, one of the first things she said was, “We really wanted to respect the local vernacular…” She and her husband Ryan created what they call a “Modern Farmhouse”. The exterior was inspired by the farmhouse Ryan’s dairy-farming great grandparents’ owned, and “the inside is really sparse which is more of a Modern feel,” explains Susan. Their hybrid aesthetic is unusual for a “green” home. The fact that it’s smaller is a “green” hallmark.
Gaviotas, a village of about 200 people in Colombia, South America, is not necessarily about small houses but there are some there. It is about living with a small impact on the earth yet has a big impact as a model of sustainable living.
So far, few outsiders have managed to visit this special place. But public order is making a comeback in the region, making it possible for the village to invite 30 people for a fully hosted day visit. In addition, Gaviotas founder Paolo Lugari is inviting visitors to a second day of events in and around the Gaviotas office in Bogotá. As of 25 Jan there are 14 people signed up and 16 spots remaining. You can learn more about Gaviotas and the trip from the Friends of Gaviotas, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit formed in 2002 to facilitate North-South research exchanges and get-togethers with Gaviotans. Read the rest of this entry »
The Tumbleweed Tiny House Company is up to it again. They just released a new video about the making of one of their most popular small houses, the Fencl (which you can see 7 days a week if you are passing through Ohio at the Harley Davidson Bike Town if you missed the coast to coast tour.)
At approximately 10 feet square Mudgee Permanent Camping designed by Casey Brown Architecture takes up a very small footprint. Located at the edge of a ridge on a sheep station in central western NSW, Australia, the tower is surrounded by large granite boulders and ancient dead trees.
We’ve all heard the devastating news – Haiti was struck by one of its worst natural disasters in the last 200 years.
A 7.0-magnitude earthquake shocked Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas on Tuesday just before 5 p.m., collapsing buildings and cutting water and electricity services. Literally millions of people have been affected.
Today, we’re asking that you contribute to relief efforts. A donation to Partners in Health and/or Concern Worldwide will provide emergency medical care, food, shelter, medicine, blankets and clean drinking water to those suffering from the destruction.
Learn more and contribute to Concern Worldwide here.
Learn more and contribute to Partners in Health here.
Google has published a comprehensive page crisis response/relief page (http://www.google.com/relief/haitiearthquake/) where you can find even more information about how you can help including donations to UNICEF, CARE, Direct Relief, Yele Haiti, Partners in Health, Red Cross, World Food Program, Mercy Corps (1-888-256-1900), Save the Children, Lambi Fund, and The International Rescue Committee.
We’ve been reading Leo Babauta’s Zen Habits for years. If you are looking to find simplicity in the daily chaos of your life then look no further than Zen Habits.
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Create a minimalist workspace, home, computer, financial life, diet and fitness program
Go paperless and digitize your life
The PDF ebook is $9.95, is Uncopyrighted, and proceeds (up to $5,000) will go to benefit the non-profit Guampedia.com.
