Yes, I’m taking the challenge, probably the most difficult one of all for me, because I’m one of those people who always feels cold. At the bookends of the summer, when other New Englanders are still/already wearing their t-shirts outside, I’ve got my scarf on and a sweater. I am unapologetic about that, but not …
Category Archives: reduce reuse recycle
Gotta Get, no MAKE Us One of Those!
Have you seen the small CNN documentary video about the Dervaes Urban Homesteaders (of Path to Freedom fame)? If you’ve followed the Urban Homesteaders, it won’t show you much that is new, except for that toilet/sin (approx. 2/3 into the video)! The lid of the toilet water tank has been converted into a small sink. …
Chile’s Quit Now Challenge
I discovered Chile’s Quit Now Challenge (see the logo to the sidebar: it’s the clearest, most uncluttered, Peak Oil logo I’ve come across). I devoted some deep thinking about what I would give up… Cigarettes? Diet Coke? McDonalds? Never did that / haven’t done that in half a decade. Paper towels? TV? Airco? Plastic bags? …
Manush House finished, entirely (*) out of trash
In the meantime the Manush House is finished. I decided not to glue the bathroom/kitchen and the staircase onto a cardboard sheet. It would make it more difficult to move the doll house around and take it places (if ever Amie wants to do that). Here’s the whole house (so far), with some of the …
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Manush Bari finally finished (almost)
Some scissor work on the IKEA catalog and the Manush kitchen and bathroom are fully equipped and ready for their new occupants. But where are they? Oh, they’re at the zoo. Yes, there are even curtains! What remains is fixing the whole thing – kitchen/bath unit and staircase – together onto a large cardboard sheet …
The holidays and progress on the Manush Bari
We’re not really into big festivities round here – it comes with being far away from family, and Amie isn’t into presents and all that (yet). We spent some lovely days with friends in NYC. They’re into big get-togethers with hour-long conversations, heaps of good food and frequent bursts of laughter any time. You find …
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It’s Snowing and Construction Progress
It started snowing here on my way to pick up Amie from her daycare, around one. On the way back she found it so peaceful she fell asleep in the stroller (it’s a ten minute walk). It really is rather magical and eerily calm when those flakes start coming down. While she naps I stole …
Doll House Construction Site
The day after Anja commented on the dollhouse in the background of a recent picture, Amie took a sudden interest in it. It had been sitting on that ottoman for months… The first thing she asked for was steps. The Manushes couldn’t get into the house! So I made steps, which the Manushes now use …
The Story of Stuff
I can’t remember or find out via which blog I discovered this (my apologies), but it is fantastic and I want to spread the word. It is “The Story of Stuff with Annie Leonard,” an informative, entertaining and especially rousing little movie (20 minutes long) about, you know, stuff. Go have a look-see! I’ll just reproduce …
Brilliant “Stop Wasting” Argument
I had a discussion today with my upstairs neighbor this morning. She leaves her airconditioners on, all of them, all day and night, even while she’s at work. One of them is very noisy and makes the doorknobs in our bedroom vibrate. I met her in the hallway and addressed the problem (again). She was very …