Dancing Rabbit residents building a timber frame kitchen

If you’ve ever made a trip north of Hannibal, or east of Kirksville, one words likely comes to mind: farmland. OK, a number of small towns break up the fields of crops, but otherwise it’s soybeans and corn as far as the eye can see. And for those of us used to a few more urban amenities, another phrase likely comes to mind: “cultural wasteland.”

No, you’re not going to catch the latest independent film from the festival circuits, or find good sushi just south of Iowa. But in addition to the agricultural lifestyle present in the area (with a strong Mennonite influence), there’s also a thriving group of environmentally concerned citizens making their homes in this part of the state. Northeastern Missouri, particularly Scotland County, is turning into a hub of ecovillage development.

While the actual number of “citizens” of these communities is relatively small, they are having a relatively big impact on demonstrating viable, sustainable, and comfortable ways of living that leave a much lighter impact on the land. Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage (where – disclaimer – I’m a member of the Board of Directors) has received the lion’s share of the attention: a episode of Morgan Spurlock’s 30 Days was shot there, for instance. But three of these communities have formed a “community of communities,” and filmmakers Arman Tufenkian, Tamar Hassan, and Thomas Bollier (know collectively as The Last Volunteer) brought their cameras up to Scotland County to document the development and, yes, culture of Dancing Rabbit, Sandhill Farm (the oldest of the three), and Red Earth Farms.

The result of their work, Rhythm of Rutledge (Rutledge is the closest town to these communities), is a feature-length documentary, and the second in the filmmakers’ “Finding Community” series. The film’s currently in post-production, and like many independent documentary makers, The Last Volunteer has launched a Kickstarter project to raise funds for the film. They’ve only got four days left to raise the need $8,000 for their work (but, as of this writing, were over 3/4 of the way there); the Kickstarter model only allows projects to collect pledged funds if they meet the set goal.

Check out the trailer for the film on the project page, visit its Facebook page, and consider kicking in a few bucks… if only to celebrate Missouri’s status as a great place to start an alternative community. And if you’ve visited any of the communities, let us know about your experience.

via Ecovillage Musings

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg is the founder and editor of local green blog sustainablog. He’s been on a bit of a DIY kick in his writing lately, looking at projects and practices ranging from building with tires to the easily-made (and very efficient) rocket stove. You can keep up with us at Twitter and Facebook.

Image credit: Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage

Kim Hibbs on the Donald home site

With this Summer’s brutal heat (here and everywhere), Hurricane Irene, the Texas wildfires, and other weird weather events, your memory of the Good Friday tornado may already be sketchy. Marlon and Sharita Donald, and their two young sons, wake up to a reminder of it every day: they’ve been living with family members since the tornado destroyed their home in Bellefontaine Neighbors. If that weren’t stressful enough, the Donalds discovered afterwards that they were underinsured… so rebuilding the same home, in terms of either space, quality, or both, seemed impossible.

Up to this point, this isn’t a particularly unusual story; after Marlon connected with Kim Hibbs at custom homebuilder Hibbs Homes, though, the Donalds’ situation changed dramatically. Kim decided not to take the usual course of action in this situation – rebuild whatever he could with the insurance settlement. Rather, according the company blog, “he [pulled] together a group of local construction trade partners whom he has developed relationships with to provide materials and services at a bare-minimum cost so the family could rebuild without compromises and have a home that was made to last.” He further decided that the Donalds’ new home would be built to green standards: specifically, ENERGY STAR and the St. Louis Home Builder’s Association’s Green Building Initiative criteria.

The Donald's home after the Good Friday tornado

I went to visit the building site, and to chat with Kim, on September 2nd. The project was already well underway: the contractors, along with volunteers from All Hands, had completed demolition, the foundation was complete, and I watched a bit as workers from DSD Construction measured and cut lumber for the beginning of the home’s frame. Kim told me a bit about how the project had mushroomed in terms of goodwill: not only had his partners in various trades willingly joined the project, but a few even went beyond the original vision. American Steel Fabricators of Pevely, for instance, donated all of the steel for the project. Henry Plumbing donated a solar water heating system. Kim even told me that Allstate, who held the policy on the Donald home, did everything they could to maximize their payout on the family’s loss, and worked quickly and efficiently with the contractor.

Kim also praised the owners themselves, noting that Marlon and Sharita made choices in line with the project’s aim of durability and eco-friendliness. When the choice came down to, say, energy-efficient Anderson 100 windows or granite countertops, the Donalds went with the windows.

Framing begins on the new Donald family home

During our conversation, Kim repeatedly noted that most of the choices made for this project involved “doing the right thing”… and that happened across the board with everyone involved. The Donalds won’t have all the cutting-edge features some might expect in a green home – no solar panels, for instance (though the home is pre-wired for them) – but they will have a home that meets some very basic (and sometimes overlooked) green criteria: it will use resources like energy and water very efficiently, it will provide a healthy indoor environment, and, perhaps most importantly, it will last for a long time.

The Donalds still have about three months to bunk with relatives before they can move into their new home, but it sounds like it’ll be worth the wait. You can keep an eye on the progress of the home at the Hibbs Homes blog;I plan to return to see the home when it’s finished (and take more pictures).

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg is the founder and editor at sustainablog. Come by and check out some of the stories we’ve covered recently, including a design competition focused on building with trash, and a web reality series focused on providing clean cook stoves for people in the developing world. Keep up with us on Twitter and Facebook.

Image credits: Jeff McIntire-Strasburg and Hibbs Homes

While the term “upcycling” originally referred to industrial-scale transformation of materials into high quality products (instead of the often less useful and pleasing results of traditional recycling), the crafty/DIY set has appropriated this term. Now, if you see something described as “upcycled,” it’s probably going to refer to a handmade product produced from materials destined for the landfill or the recycling bin. The Upcycle Exchange is one great example of how this idea is taking hold here in St. Louis.

For Jenny Murphy, the founder of social enterprise Perennial, crafy reuse of discarded materials serves as both literal mission and metaphor: her organization is dedicated not only to repurposing items and materials that others have discarded, but also to empowering individuals and communities “to discover ways to transform discarded goods into objects of worth.” Her eventual goal: “a community workshop and store in St. Louis MO that offers educational programming in creative reuse to diverse populations and sells creatively repurposed home furnishings and eco-friendly supplies for reuse projects.”

Of course, such efforts take money, so Perennial will be holding its first fundraising event on October 6. “Lost + Found” will feature many of the elements of the typical fundraiser – music, food, a silent auction – but they’ll all have upcycled elements to them. For instance,

• Musicians Green Strum will kick out the folk tunes on upcycled instruments;
• The silent auction will feature work by local artists who were all challenged to repurpose “a set of salvaged drawers into a unique furniture piece”;
• Photographs from Perennial classes will give you some insight into the work they’re doing; and
• Attendees will even get to do a little upcycling themselves by turning old bike inner tubes into drink coozies.

Sounds like a great time! Tickets are are a mere $10 in advance ($15 at the door). You can also bring a tool to donate for the “Tool Booth Midway.”

Want to jump right in and start upcycling yourself? Check out Jenny’s project video for a DIY secretary desk:

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg is the founder and editor of sustainablog, St. Louis’ oldest continuously published green blog. Check out some of our own recent posts on crafty use, including our coverage of eco  fashion designer Rachel Mace’s debut show, and nine project ideas for upcycling glossy magazines. You can follow Jeff on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+.

What were you doing on October 10, 2010? If you can’t remember, you’re not alone… and if asked what people in Belize, Kenya, Vietnam, or Canada were doing, you’d likely be very stumped. Furthermore, you might wonder “Why the hell does this matter?”

For many of us, it probably doesn’t… right now, anyway. But for the folks at One Day on Earth, October 10th was the day they asked “documentary filmmakers, students, and inspired citizens” to “[record] the human experience over a 24-hour period and [contribute] their voice to the largest participatory media event in history.” Filmmaker Kyle Ruddick is culling through and editing all of that raw footage into a single film (of regular feature length) that presents a snapshot of humanity, as well as a reminder “that every day we are alive there is hope and a choice to see a better future together.”

Sounds kind of cool as is, but what’s green about this? Well, for one thing, 10/10/10 was also the date for 350.org’s second Global Work Party for climate solutions… and some of these projects also made it into the footage submitted for the film. Other work aimed at global challenges also came in, meaning that at least parts of the film will be dedicated not just to just watching human beings living their lives, but also their joining together to create solutions.

Sounds both ambitious and inspiring… a way to put a face (well, faces) on the concept of diversity itself, as well as the multitude of issues that motivate us. As far as I can tell, no release date has been set, but check out the trailer above for an idea of what’s to come. And if what you see inspires you, consider kicking in a little to help support the film’s production.

via Ecolocalizer

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg is the founder and editor of sustainablog, St. Louis’ oldest continuously-published blog focused on environmental issues. Check out some of our recent posts on topics ranging from urban agriculture to successful reforestation projects, and keep in touch on Facebook and Twitter.

Even though gas prices have come down some in the past month or so, filling up the tank is still likely putting a dent in the budget. Given any thought to an electric car? After all, most of us drive 30-40 miles a day… well within the battery range of newer vehicles like the Nissan LEAF or the electric-only mode of the Chevy Volt. And with an electric motor’s efficiency, your looking at significant savings in fuel costs.

But then there’s the sticker price on these vehicles… and even after government rebates, the high 20s to low 30s is probably more than many of us can, or want to, spend on a car. Sure, these prices will likely come down as demand builds… but wouldn’t you like to cut up the gas card as soon as possible?

That’s part of the thinking behind GreenSpark EVs, a brand new non-profit here in St. Louis. Since people with lower incomes can benefit the most from the fuel savings on electric cars, they’ve decided to try out a different approach to making these vehicles available: convert older, gas-powered cars to EVs.

Yep, that’s a complicated — and somewhat expensive — proposition, but GreenSpark believes it can convert its first car — a 1986 BMW 528e  – for about $11,000. That’s significantly less than any new electric cars currently on the market, and within the range of a low-priced new car (or even used ones of better quality). By doing this, the organization not only hopes to get EVs to people that could really use the break on gas prices, but also to train, and even hire, local workers to do these conversions.

Intrigued? I thought it sounded like a great idea. Of course, as a new organization, they’re in need of start-up funds… specifically to cover the costs of converting the Beemer. Check out their blog, their Facebook page, and their Twitter feed, and if you like what you see, consider kicking in a few bucks to their fundraising campaign at Indiegogo. They’re shooting for $10,000 in the next 30 days, so I’m certain they’d appreciate any help you can give.

Great to see this kind of innovation happening locally. Let us know what you think about GreenSpark’s concept… and whether you’d consider buying a converted clunker electric vehicle.

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg is the founder and editor of sustainablog, a St. Louis-based green blog that covers topics ranging from biodiversity to gardening. You can follow him on Twitter @sustainablog.

So far, though, none of these big names have made a shirt that harvests energy, though… but that doesn’t mean such things aren’t out there.

Yep, the solar bikini is just one example of recent efforts to turn the clothes we wear in solar collectors. Silvr Lining released its first line with embedded solar panels last Winter; the newest addition to the GO collection, a utility vest for men and women, looks decidedly less Devo-ish. And Seth Aaron Henderson of Project Runway fame brought a “high-fashion runway collection based on solar” to last Fall’s Portland Fashion Week.

But, at this point, solar clothing isn’t even the latest thing… that honor goes to piezoelectricity, or power created from stress created on solid materials. At last weekend’s Glastonbury Festival in Great Britain, mobile communications company Orange tested its Sound Charge t-shirt (shown above), which collects energy from the sound waves coming from the stage (and offers a connection for plugging in your phone). This isn’t the company’s first foray into power-producing clothing: last year, they introduced Power Wellies at the festival: the boots harvest energy from foot heat (seriously). Plugging your phone into your shirt or pants?

Sound like something you’re ready to find at the store… or just way too dorky?

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg is the founder and editor of sustainablog, which covers all sorts of greenie-techie stories; check out recent ones on diy concentrated solar power and an internet network in Afghanistan made from reused materials. You can follow him on Twitter @sustainablog

Urban beekeeping is quickly developing into a trend on par with gardening and backyard chickens… as more people discover things they really don’t like about the conventional food system, they’re picking up these self-sufficient practices to protect their families’ health and the larger environment. Bees, of course, are a critical element of pollinating that backyard garden… and with threats like colony collapse disorder occurring worldwide, many urban homesteaders recognize that keeping a hive nearby will increase the odds of successfully growing their own fruits and vegetables.

Honey’s the product we most readily associate with beekeeping, but, as brothers Luke and Jacob Schneider, along with friend Charlie Gauthier discovered, beeswax is another byproduct… and it’s got business potential. After a few years of research and testing, the friends have launched BuzzBroz All-Natural Lip Balm, a small company that hand crafts from all that leftover beeswax.

The idea’s not new, of course: Burt’s Bees has been the 800-pound gorilla in this space for quite some time. But as a recent article at the Maplewood-Brentwood Patch.com, as well as the company’s website, make clear, BuzzBroz is bringing a level of artisanship to a product most of us identify with the common mass-produced brands. The balm is hand-crafted in batches of fifty sticks, and infused with ingredients such as shea butter, mango oil, grapeseed oil, and food-grade flavorings.

At $3.00 a pop, it’s bit pricier than the mass-market brands out there… but it’s also free of some of the ingredients you may not want on your lips (or that don’t really do much in terms of moisturizing), such as petroleum, salicylic acid, phenol and menthol. It’s currently available at Maplewood’s All About the Cloud smoke shop, and through the company’s site.

Tried BuzzBroz? Let us know what you think…

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg is the founder and editor of sustainablog. Join the conversation with us on Facebook and Twitter.

Image credit: Jordan at Flickr under a Creative Commons license

When Reiner Pilz coined the term “upcycling” in the mid ’90s, and then when William McDonough and Michael Braungart popularized it in their book Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things, they were thinking primarily in terms of large-scale production and recycling of materials. I can’t say for certain how well the concept has caught on with industrialists, but crafters have embraced it whole-heartedly, looking at “waste” materials as a source of inspiration for new projects. You can find the “trash to treasure” craft ethic all over sites like Etsy and Crafting a Green World (which — disclosure — I was involved in founding)… or, you can now experience it first hand at Dutchtown’s Upcycle Exchange {Materials Market}.

The brainchild of Autumn Wiggens, local crafter, techie, event organizer (O’Fallon, IL’s Strange Folk Festival), and entrepreneur, the store on Meramec St. represents yet another iteration of an idea hatched in 2009. Autumn (who’s also a friend, and someone I hired to write for the Green Options Media blog network in 2008) began this “ad-hoc grassroots experiment” as a way to collect materials for crafters creating upcycled works. At that point, it was strictly a labor of love: crafters would submit “wish lists” of materials that Autumn would publish. She’d collect materials at craft shows, and, eventually, at drop-off points around the metro area.

Though the store represents her efforts to turn the Upcycle Exchange concept into a for-profit venture, Autumn’s developed a concept far from the typical retail experience. Rather than renting a traditional space, the shop takes up the front part of The Collective, a co-working space. All items are for sale on a “pay-as-you-wish” model (which has worked out remarkably well so far). And if you’re expecting a garage sale environment, you’ll be surprised when you walk in at the clean, minimal aesthetic Autumn’s created to show off her wares. She notes “I’ve worked to create a ’boutique’ feel that gives the materials dignity, and respects the aesthetics and function of the multi-use space.”

As far as the materials she wants to dignify… well, you name it: typical crafting supplies such as fabric, buttons, beads, yarn, and paint, as well as more unusual items such as “broken jewelry, interesting paper ephemera, interior design samples, and large amounts of select common disposables such as bottlecaps and wine corks.” All the materials are donated… the idea here isn’t just to collect materials for crafters, but also to keep these materials out of landfills.

It’s a unique social enterprise model, as, so far, it seems to be working: during lunch last Thursday, Autumn told me that even though she’s only been open since Earth Day, she’s had her share of customer rushes. If you’re interested in checking it out, all the information you’ll need on location and hours are available on the Upcycle Exchange website.

Intrigued? Been in already? Let us know what you think…

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg is the founder and editor of sustainablog, where you can find all sorts of interesting approaches to upcycling and do-it-yourself projects.

Photo credits: The Upcycle Exchange at Flickr

A handful of really nice compost!

“Compost awareness”… you may associate this phrase with that smell coming from the hippie neighbor’s yard. But it’s International Compost Awareness Week, so let me make my pitch for this oft-maligned staple of organic gardening: composting is one of the easiest green practices to implement on a small scale, makes a real difference in terms of your own climate impact, and doesn’t have to smell…

Consider this: food scraps make up 14% of municipal waste streams… only paper has it beat. Once those scraps hit the landfill and start decomposing, they give off methane: carbon dioxide’s nasty big brother in the greenhouse gas family. A well-maintained compost pile or bin lowers your climate impact… and provides a nutrient-rich soil amendment for all of those plants you’re currently putting in the yard.

It’s also really easy to get started… if you eat, you’ve got the basic materials needed. I’m not a master composter (there is such a designation), but I’ve been doing it for years… here are a few of the things I’ve found that make it relatively pain (and smell) free.

• Keep a collection bin in the kitchen: You don’t want to have to take scraps outside every time you peel a potato or make coffee. I’ve got a good-sized old Tupperware container I use to hold compostables to take out to the bin.
• Use an outdoor bin: I did have a compost pile for some time, but it’s harder to maintain (and the dog just loved to get into it). I got a recycled plastic bin from local green general store Home Eco, but you can also make your own from a number of different supplies (a few of which are cast-off items themselves).
• No yard space? Consider a worm bin: Yeah, I say “worm bin,” and you say “Ewww.” But using redworms to eat up the food scraps is the most indoor-friendly way to compost. Be careful about putting too much in the bin at one time, though… learned this one the hard way (scraps all liquefied and drowned the worms).
• Don’t put weeds in the outdoor bin: Another one I’ve learned the hard way (and am still weeding as a result). Home composting generally usually doesn’t kill off weed seeds, so you end up just spreading them around when you put your compost to use. For other items you may not want to put in your bin, check out this helpful list from Planet Green.
• Got leftover wine? Pour it in the bin: Yeah, right, leftover wine. It happens, though, and it makes a great compost activator… the yeast in wine is great for breaking down those organic materials. Wondering if it works with beer (which is also hard to come by left over).
• Impatient? Try “solar composting”: Composting takes a while, even under the best conditions. The book Recycling Projects for the Evil Genius offers a way to speed up the process with black plastic trash bags, and some yeast and sugar (note: haven’t tried this myself yet, but want to).
• Keep materials balanced and aerated: This is the trick for keeping the smells down (and. the neighbors happy). Make sure to keep a proper balance of green material (food and green yard scraps, all high in nitrogen) and brown material (Fall leaves, compostable paper, etc., which are rich in carbon): a 3:1 brown to green ratio is recommended. Make sure air’s getting into the depths of the bin: anaerobic microbes (those that live in airless conditions) are the ones that create nasty smells. You can use a compost turner, or simply a strong stick or bar to keep the air flowing.

These are just a few tips… if you need more direction, check out this really useful fact sheet from the Botanical Garden.

Got your own composting tips? Share them with us…

When Jeff’s not composting, he’s running sustainablog, the green blog and product comparison engine he founded in 2003. And, yes, you can find composting supplies there, including bins (even those yucky worm bins)

Image credit: normanack at Flickr under a Creative Commons license

Electric vehicle charging stations... in Oregon

Looking at gas prices and thinking “Damn… I need to get one of those electric cars!” It’s a logical jump, and new vehicles like the all-electric Nissan LEAF, or the plug-in hybrid Chevy Volt will certainly help you avoid the stress at the gas pump. And while these vehicles have ranges that will work for the average commuter, you could well find yourself low on juice while away from your garage or parking pad with a nearby outlet. What do you do?

In St. Louis at this point, not much… electric vehicle charging stations are very rare in the region at this point. While that’s not terribly unusual, other metropolitan areas are doing a better job of preparing for the growth of the EV market: Ford’s recently released list of the 25 most EV-ready cities in the country shows that we’re not just behind the usual suspects like San Francisco, Portland, OR, and Austin, TX, but also Indianapolis, Richmond, VA, and Raleigh, NC. Even oil towns like Houston and Dallas are in the top tier.

That doesn’t mean that St. Louis isn’t acting on this front, though… so, Lou-bashers, hold your tongues for a minute. We do have some examples of both private and public installation of charging stations… and, no doubt, more to come. Among the places you could charge up that electric car:

• Novus International, Inc. — the agricultural feed and nutrition giant in St. Charles just installed a Coulomb ChargePoint® Charging Station in its Visitors parking lot. Local energy services company Microgrid Energy did the work on the cutting-edge networked station, which will allow Novus to track usage and take advantage of emerging “smart grid” technology.
• French Gerleman — FG distributes charging stations (among many others wholesale electrical and power-generation products), so it makes sense that the company would install one at its new Westport-area headquarters.
• St. Louis Community College at Wildwood — the newest branch of the community college is also the greenest; EV charging stations are just one of many eco-friendly features incorporated into the campus’ design.

So, yeah… we’re getting there… and no doubt once vehicles like the LEAF and Volt are available for sale here, or when Enterprise starts offering them for rental (as they do now on the West coast), we’ll start seeing more charging options available in the area.

Know more than I do about the development of EV infrastructure in the area? Go ahead… show me up.

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg is the founder and editor of green blog and product comparison engine sustainablog. Transportation doesn’t get any greener than a bike: check out our current listings from brands like Fuji, Raleigh, and Bianchi. Follow Jeff on Twitter @sustainablog

Photo credit: M.O. Stevens at Wikimedia Commons under a Creative Commons license