Search Results for: label/water%20conservation/2010/06/the-urban-homestead

818 results

Planting a Mini-Orchard

Avatar photo
Gardening, Water and Power, Water Conservation
2 Comments
...in such a way to also catch rainwater as it flows down the hill. Both rainwater and greywater work their way into the soil and slowly move down the hill over the course of many months. Since installing the greywater system we’ve seen previously sad plantings we did years ago of rosemary, wormwood and Mexican sage thrive. And we’ve got lots of nopalitos coming our way from the prickly pear plants. For more information on these simple, water saving...

Read…

Can our landscapes model a vibrant future? Not according to the LA DWP.

Avatar photo
Garden Design, Gardening, Lawns, Water and Power
18 Comments
...ought. I think that’s because we’re just not feeling it in the cities. Our water is cheap, the taps are running, food prices aren’t terribly affected– yet. So we keep washing our cars and hosing off the sidewalks and topping off our swimming pools and, of course, we water our lawns. Lawns are a big liability in this region. I think they may not be such a crime in milder, wetter places where they grow happily (though there’s no getting around the f...

Read…

Best veggies to cook in a solar oven

Avatar photo
Food, Recipes, Solar Oven Summer
2 Comments
...ore setting the choke out in the oven. (You may be able to start with cold water, but I used hot water to jump start the process.) The steam produced by this water keeps the artichoke leaves softer, and lessens the browning somewhat, makes the final product look more like a “normal” cooked artichoke. So, to recap, make artichokes by cooking them in a covered pan at around 250F for around 2 hours. It helps to cover the bottom of the pan with hot wa...

Read…

Your Open Floor Plan is a Death Trap

Avatar photo
Design
23 Comments
...hts creates large volume spaces which when involved in a fire require more water and resources to extinguish. These fires are more difficult to contain because of the lack of compartmentation. Water from a hose stream becomes increasingly more effective when steam conversion assists in extinguishment, without compartmentation this effect is reduced. The simple tactic of closing a door to confine a fire is no longer possible in newer home geometrie...

Read…