Five Cheap n’ Easy DIY Tutorials to Green Up Your Home
Contrary to popular assumption, going green does not have to drain your bank account. In fact, someone who’s resourceful and patient can easily create solar generators, solar ovens, indoor vermicomposting systems and human-powered blenders out of recycled materials and stuff you already have laying around at home. Check out these five tutorials, and look for more eco projects at Instructables.com.
This idea is so brilliantly obvious, we don’t know why it’s not already common practice. Alaska resident Suzanne Forsling has a super-tiny yard, but plenty of sun hitting one side of her wooden house. She woke up one day with the idea to mount gutters onto the wall to take advantage of the prime gardening space, and what resulted is a super-simple vertical garden that keeps the crops up out of critters’ reach. While Suzanne used new gutters, you could easily make this a green project by finding some reclaimed gutters and using organic soil.
Solar generator for less than $300
Think solar power is just too expensive to implement in your home? Well, this tutorial will prove you wrong. Using parts easily acquired at your local hardware store or over the internet, you can make a solar power generator in no time flat for way less than you’d imagine. This setup will power your computer, modem, VCR, cameras, lights or DC appliances and is small enough to be taken anywhere you go, like on camping trips or on a boat. Plus, you don’t have to have any special skills or knowledge to do it. Win!
Recycled off-grid Tesla turbine blender
Why spend money on an expensive high-powered blender when you can use a few simple parts to create an amazing foot-operated air-powered power boost blender? Recycled CDs, a CD spindle case, supermagnets, a nozzle and glue are turned into a MacGuyver-like contraption that can power through tough blending chores. Margaritas, anyone?
When it’s 90 degrees and sunny, does it make any sense at all to use your gas or electric oven? Take advantage of all that free energy with a project that costs zero dollars. Just visit a junkyard or check Freecycle.org to procure an old non-operational satellite dish and a bunch of CDs. It’s powerful enough to reach over 400 degrees (or higher if you add more CDs, but you don’t want to set anything on fire!) and will cook pretty much anything you need.
Worm Bin Bag for Easy Vermicomposting
$40 will get you all the materials you need to create an indoor vermicomposting (that’s worm composting, folks) setup that will allow easy separation of worms from compost. Since the worm bag is made of fabric, it doesn’t smell like plastic vermicomposting bins can, making it ideal for use in living areas – even under your kitchen sink. Plus, it’s free entertainment for kids. They’ll be fascinated by the way the worms turn kitchen scraps into fertilizer for the garden.
Related posts:
- Build a Free DIY Recycled Solar Powered Stove
- The Grass Is Always Greener: 16 Home Greenifying Tips
- Decluttering Your Home the Green Way
- Home Detox Green Toolbox for Eco Trends Tuesday
- Family Recycles Deconstructed Home for $100,000
This entry was posted on Sunday, July 5th, 2009 at 11:00 am and is filed under Consciousness, Green Living, Health, Science, Spirituality. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
