Earth construction has many advantages, including low carbon emissions,
thermal mass, good air quality, recyclability,
durability, and strength. It also uses local materials and allows for a very
creative design.
This house is what happened when a French man and an American
woman decide to build their own hand-made earth house in Senegal, West Africa with the help of
their two small children, who were ages three and four at the time. The author
and her husband were inspired by the work of Egyptian architect and earth
building populizer Hassan Fathy. Their beautiful off-grid home combines rammed
earth for the two-foot thick walls and earth bricks for the arched windows and
doorways.
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Have a Green Valentine's Day
Green your Valentine's Day celebrations with organic roses, Fair Trade chocolate, vintage jewelry, organic champagne,
and a hand-made card.
The Boy With No Toys
Children's play is about autonomy, exploration, imagination, and fun. It has very little to do with purchased playthings.
Slow Learning
The slow
movement comes to education in the form of unschooling and life learning.
Basil: King of the Herb Garden
Basil's fragrance, easy care, and many uses make it indispensable in herb,
ornamental, and container gardens – and, of course, in the kitchen.