Building a biological DIY greywater system (with no reedbeds) Our criteria for building the greywater system for the tinyhouse was pretty simple: cheap, made from readily available materials, and effective.
We also wanted to use the outputs to irrigate a grove of important fruit trees, as water is very precious here, especially in a dry year. After many, many hours of research on systems involving reed beds, infiltration trenches, fancy UV zappers and all the rest, we decided, on the advice of permaculture and greywater specialist Ross Mars, to keep it simple, and let the biology do the work. To summarise the approach (and Ross Mars’ general take of domestic greywater), we decided that the intermittent trickle of water coming from our bath and shower would be best dealt with in a living and dynamic system, rather than in a series of reed beds or trenches. I should note here that our greywater output is coming from just our bath and shower, so it contains water, a little soap, and the inevitable bits that come off a human when they wash. Ask Umbra: I need a book of eco-tips! Q.
Hi Umbra, Can you recommend any books full of eco-friendly tips? I have Adria Vasil’s book, but I’m looking for something that might consolidate all of the information in your column. Ashley Calgary, Canada Photo by Florin Gorgan. A. Before I answer your question, a wee prologue. Now back to our regularly scheduled advice column. First of all, check out Grist’s very own Wake Up and Smell the Planet: The Non-Pompous, Non-Preachy Grist Guide to Greening Your Day.
Funny thing, actually: Around the time our book was published, a glutty glut of eco-guides hit the scene. It can be overwhelming. Garamondly, Umbra P.S. PermUP. Building a garden can be back-breaking work.
With the no-dig garden, however, construction is quick, easy, and there is no digging required! You will need the following materials: Some sort of edging (I suggest something like bricks. paving or hardwood logs) Several bundles of newspaper Paving material (sawdust or bark chips work well) Manure Compost Blood & Bone Lucern Seedlings Water Step 1 Decide where and what shape you want your garden bed to be. Step 2 Slash or mow any long grass on the area you want to cover from the area. Step 3 Soak bundles of newspaper in a large bin. Step 4 Open out newspaper and lay on marked area. Step 5 Edge the shape of the garden bed with whatever edging you have chosen. Step 6. Permaculture at Luregarden, southern Norway. Welcome to Luregarden, the Viking farm.
This land, on a peninsula north of Bergen, has been continually farmed since before Viking times. The grazing animals maintain an increasingly rare patch of lowland heathland. Erik, the farmer at Luregarden, is keeping the tradition going, with his flock of old breed Viking sheep, Viking cows and 1 pig (old breed, probably Viking). The farm also grows masses of fruit and veg in a neat permaculture system which works so well that Erik is self-sufficient for meat, fish, eggs, fruit and veg year round and can trade his produce for most other needs. He also supplies restaurants, supermarkets and a growing number of people in nearby Bergen. The farm is nestled in a quiet fjord. Local, sustainably caught mackerel The farm has been a place of fun and knowledge exhange for many WWOOFERS (volunteers for WorldWide Opportunities on Organic Farms), including ourselves. Bergen is known for being quite rainy... but it is worth is for rainbows like these!
Sowing Seeds for Winter. Now that it is getting cooler it is time to start planting our winter veggies! Our little garden has been pretty much left to its own devices ever since I planted our first lot of vegetables in spring, but I’m determined to get more on top of things and grow more of our own food. Our garden isn’t ready for direct planting yet, so today Katie and I planted some seeds in little pots that we made out of toilet rolls. Even though Katie and I see each other every day, sometimes we get so caught up in the busyness of every day life that we forget to really see each other. Making these little pots and planting seeds was a lovely way to quietly spend half an hour together, without distraction.
It was also a nice way for me to show Miss Black Thumb how just fun and easy gardening can be! In a week or so, we should have little seedlings of climbing beans, snow peas, broccoli and cauliflower to admire. About Reuben. Snow Drawings, le land art hivernal. Snow Drawings est une création de Land Art de l’artiste Sonja Hinrichsen.
D’immenses dessins réalisés dans la neige à Rabbit Ears Pass, dans le Colorado, qui ne manquent pas de nous rappeler les Crop Circles (ces immense dessins réalisés dans des champs, parfois considérés comme des manifestations extraterrestres). La suite en images … Et en vidéo : Auteur : Fabien Fondateur de BuzzEcolo, je suis devenu blogueur un peu par hasard. 350.org.