By Parker Abercrombie and Art Ludwig, author of “Water Storage: Tanks, Cisterns, Aquifers, And Ponds for Domestic Supply, Fire And Emergency Use.” Buy the book at the end of this story. Includes How to Make Ferrocement Water Tanks.

Water can be stored many ways…

An ideal off-grid water storage system would draw water from an abundant, clean, year round spring or creek. There would always be enough water supply to meet water scarcity, and there would be no concerns about extra water for fire protection or emergencies. But since few of us are blessed in this way, nearly all water storage systems include some form of storage, most commonly a water tank. Even if you get your water from a municipal water system, you may want to store water at your home for fire protection or emergency preparedness. Water storage can be used to:

• cover peaks in demand
• smooth out variations in supply
• provide water security in case of supply interruptions or disaster
• save your home from fire
• meet legal requirements
• improve water quality
• provide thermal storage and freeze protection
• enable a smaller pipe to serve for a distant source (more…)

Ningaloo Reef retreat - we’re there!

Are you listening eco-retreat owners? - We are always searching for and reviewing remote, stunning, wild eco-retreats.

Short-listed candidates in The 2006 Australian’s Travel & Tourism Awards include:

CATEGORY: BEST ECO/WILDERNESS ADVENTURE EXPERIENCE

(Last year’s winner was Cradle Mountain Huts & Bay of Fire Walks )

NINGALOO REEF RETREAT

Western Australia

Set among dunes on the cusp of the astonishingly beautiful Ningaloo Reef in the dramatic Cape Range National Park, this low-impact eco-camp takes travellers back to basics. Tents are simple but comfortable with queen-sized beds, composting loos, solar showers and hammocks strung to make the most of the stunning reef views. Provisions are delivered daily from Exmouth and guests pitch in to cook dinner from The Retreat Recipe book (BYO alcohol) before dining by candlelight. Sunny days are whiled away snorkelling with turtles from deserted beaches (the coral reef is only metres offshore), sea kayaking or swimming, with expert guides on hand to provide advice.

* www.ningalooreefretreat.com (more…)

House for sale

“I just want to thank you for building such a great site, and let you know I’ve lived off grid in Supreme Style since 1998,” says one of our readers.
It took 2 years to build my dream home near Springfield, Ill (well we’re Simpsons fans, so how could we resist?). I bought the land 18.4 acres with rolling hills and a creek going through the property, my private driveway is 1/2 mile long and my home is secluded. In 1996 and started building in the late fall. I had my home completely framed up and a tornado force wind came along and leveled it. I’ll never forget that morning I came out to work on it. I came up the hill to the home and found a pile of toothpicks. (more…)

No need to be green to admire Lexus SUV

I am sorry, but the Toyota Prius just doesn’t do it for us. It’s a car your boring Uncle could drive on his way to the marketing convention. And the selection of celebs that have been queuing up to own one are certainly on the naff end of the A-list spectrum. Donny Osmond and (Seinfeld co-creator) Larry David??? Puh-lease!!
Plus Prius had to recall every single car they had ever produced in order to correct a safety fault in the onboard computer.

If auto transport is a must-have, there is a huge line-up of Green Cars on the starting grid, and sales are beginning to take off. (more…)

Flu primarily attacks the lungs

Tamiflu, the flu drug the world is stockpiling, may not be as effective a weapon as had been hoped in stemming a flu pandemic that could kill tens of millions, scientists said. But it is still the main known defence, at a time when the internet is flooded with false claims for dubious “immunity building” products. No vaccine against the dangerous strain H5N1 bird flu yet exists, because in the process of being transmitted to humans and then from human to human, it will mutate.

The cheapest defence, once the feared pandemic strikes, is a simple face mask. But some other drugs have been mentioned as potentially useful. An Indian company has announced it plans to break the monopoly on the drug currently held by multinational Roche. If anyone knows where to get cheap, reliable supplies, please let us know. (more…)

Cork power - Stansby

Scientists say they can use corks as an alternative energy source, the BBC reported. They noticed that a cork bobbing about in h2o (water) generates power, so they set about designing a machine which could convert wave power into electrical energy. The bobber uses floats instead of corks which are attached to a rig in the sea. the partially-submerged floats bob about in waves and generate energy which is converted into electricity using a generator.
Tests suggest it is capable of producing more that double the amount generated by off-shore wind farms.

Inventor Peter Stansby said: “The Bobber’s output of five megawatts is the mean power output, with the potential of more depending on the conditions.” This he said, compared favorably with a wind turbines ‘maximum output’ of two megawatts. The team, based at Manchester University, is now trying to secure funding for a full scale trial, the Engineer trade journal reported. (more…)

Berkeley Labs’ microgrid boffins

Microgrids promise reliable, efficient, environmentally-friendly electricity in a ‘peer-to-peer’ network:
In 1996, a sagging power line in Oregon brushed against a tree, and within minutes 12 million customers in eight states lost power supply. Such is the vulnerability of today’s power grid. To address this, Berkeley Lab research scientists developed a cluster of small, on-site power generators serving offices, industry, homes.
The system designed to shoulder the US’s growing thirst for electricity without building the 1,000 new power plants required to meet demand, will lead to a revolution in the way we can live green.
(more…)

Surprisingly versatile stoves

Rising costs of fossil fuels are ushering wood stoves back into homes, and making people already surviving on wood fires feel like they made the right choice. Its also creating a windfall for traders who are hustling to keep pace with demand.

In Alaska, always a good indicator when it comes to measures to protect against cold, wood stove dealers are reporting sales for September up 300 percent over September 2004, and it’s not yet even the peak of the sales season. (more…)

Maxim: more to life than girls & cars

Maxim, a magazine better known for its Video Vixens than its interest in the environment has surprised us all with a feature on how to go off the grid. And its rather good advice, albeit delivered with its usual dumb and sexist attitude.

“Be self-sufficient and stick it to the utility companies by living a meager lifestyle!” says the kicker to last month’s story, alongside pictures of Kelly Monaco, Rachelle Leah, Vanessa Minnillo and Jessica Alba.

Anyways, the advice they give is spot on. To see the advice, click : (more…)