Books published by New Society Publishers

Home heating that's safe, clean, efficient, and uses 70 to 90 percent less fuel than a typical woodstove Heating with wood is often considered a natural and economical alternative to electricity or fossil fuels. However, even with a fairly new and efficient woodstove, many cords of wood are required for burning over the course of a single winter, and incomplete combustion can contribute to poor air quality. A rocket mass heater is an earthen masonry heating system which provides clean, safe and efficient warmth for your home, all while using 70-90% less fuel than a traditional woodstove. These unique and beautiful installations provide luxurious comfort year-round. In cold weather a few hours of clean, hot burning can provide 20 or more hours of steady warmth, while the unit's large thermal mass acts as a heat sink, cooling your home on sizzling summer days. Packed with hard-to-find information, The Rocket Mass Heater Builder's Guide includes: Comprehensive design, construction and installation instructions combined with detailed maintenance and troubleshooting advice Brick-by-brick layouts, diagrams, and architectural plans augmented with detailed parts drawings and photographs for clarity Relevant and up-to-date code information and standards to help you navigate the approval process with local building departments. Earthen masonry heating systems are well-suited for natural and conventional builders alike. A super-efficient, wood-burning, rocket mass heater can help you dramatically reduce your energy costs while enhancing the beauty, value and comfort of your home.

Nature-Based Therapy is a practical guide for those working in educational and therapeutic settings. It addresses the disconnection between humans and their ecological home, and offers successful theories and practices undertaken with children, youth, and families.

There are twenty million acres of lawns in North America. In their current form, these unproductive expanses of grass represent a significant financial and environmental cost. However, viewed through a different lens, they can also be seen as a tremendous source of opportunity. Access to land is a major barrier for many people who want to enter the agricultural sector, and urban and suburban yards have huge potential for would-be farmers wanting to become part of this growing movement.The Urban Farmer is a comprehensive, hands-on, practical manual to help you learn the techniques and business strategies you need to make a good living growing high-yield, high-value crops right in your own backyard (or someone else's). Major benefits include: Low capital investment and overhead costs Reduced need for expensive infrastructure Easy access to marketsGrowing food in the city means that fresh crops may travel only a few blocks from field to table, making this innovative approach the next logical step in the local food movement. Based on a scalable, easily reproduced business model, The Urban Farmer is your complete guide to minimizing risk and maximizing profit by using intensive production in small leased or borrowed spaces.Curtis Stone is the owner/operator of Green City Acres, a commercial urban farm growing vegetables for farmers markets, restaurants, andretail outlets. During his slower months, Curtis works as a public speaker, teacher, and consultant, sharing his story to inspire a new generation of farmers.

The second edition of bestselling Keeping Bees with a Smile shows beginner and practicing beekeepers how to attract local bee swarms, keep bees healthy and productive, build simple bee-friendly hives, and harvest honey without stressing bees. Chock-full of techniques for natural beekeeping.

"e;Offering clear and comprehensive instructions for low-tech growing for a range of budgets, interests, and scales, this book offers practical inspiration and a sense that "e;hey, I can do this!"e; -- DANIELLE STEVENSON, owner, DIY FungiDIY Mushroom Cultivation is full of proven, reliable, low-cost techniques for home-scale cultivation that eliminate the need for a clean-air lab space to grow various mushrooms and their mycelium.Beautiful full-color photos and step-by-step instructions accompany a foundation of mushroom biology and ecology to support a holistic understanding of the practice. Growing techniques are applicable year-round, for any space from house to apartment, and for any climate, budget, or goal. Techniques include:Setting up a home growing spaceInexpensive, simple DIY equipmentCulture creation from mushroom tissue or sporesGrowing and using liquid cultures and grain spawnGrowing mushrooms on waste streams Indoor fruitingOutdoor mushroom gardens and logsHarvesting, processing, tinctures, and cooking.Whether you hunt mushrooms or dream about growing and working with them but feel constrained by a small living space, DIY Mushroom Cultivation is the ideal guide for getting started in the fascinating and delicious world of fungiculture.

Elegant Simplicity provides a philosophy of life that weaves together simplicity of material life, thought, and spirit and distills Satish Kumar's five decades of wisdom into a guide for pursuing a life that prioritizes the ecological integrity of Earth, social equity, and personal happiness.

Everything you need to know to build with rammed earth in warm and cold climates. Rammed earth - sand, gravel, and clay or lime/cement binder packed into forms - is a low-energy, high-performance building method, yielding beautiful, sustainable results. It's thermally stable and can be insulated, can actively modulate humidity, provides a healthy indoor environment, and allows site materials to be used for major structural and building envelope elements. Essential Rammed Earth Construction covers design, building science, tools, and step-by-step building methods for any climate, with a special emphasis on building in cold climates of the northern US, Canada, and northern Europe. Coverage includes: Overview of earthen building Appropriate use of rammed earth walls Stabilized versus raw rammed earth Design considerations, including structural, insulation, and building envelope details Special considerations for cold and freeze-thaw climates Construction drawings, with step-by-step building instructions Tools and labor covering industrial methods, low-tech techniques, formwork options, mix design, budgets, and schedules Codes, inspections, and permits. This guide is an essential resource for experienced builders, DIY home owners, designers, engineers, and architects interested in learning about rammed earth construction.

Everything you need to know to create an intentional community from scratch An intentional community is a group of people who have chosen to live or work together in pursuit of a common ideal or vision. An ecovillage is a village-scale intentional community that intends to create, ecological, social, economic, and spiritual sustainability over several generations. The 90s saw a revitalized surge of interest in intentional communities and ecovillages in North America: the number of intentional communities listed in the Communities Directory increased 60 percent between 1990 and 1995. But only 10 percent of the actual number of forming-community groups actually succeeded. Ninety percent failed, often in conflict and heartbreak. After visiting and interviewing founders of dozens of successful and failed communities, along with her own forming-community experiences, the author concluded that "e;the successful 10 percent"e; had all done the same five or six things right, and "e;the unsuccessful 90 percent"e; had made the same handful of mistakes. Recognizing that a wealth of wisdom were contained in these experiences, she set out to distill and capture them in one place. Creating a Life Together is the only resource available that provides step-by-step, practical "e;how-to"e; information on how to launch and sustain a successful ecovillage or intentional community. Through anecdotes, stories, and cautionary tales about real communities, and by profiling seven successful communities in depth, the book examines "e;the successful 10 percent"e; and why 90 percent fail; the role of community founders; getting a group off to a good start; vision and vision documents; decision-making and governance; agreements; legal options; finding, financing, and developing land; structuring a community economy; selecting new members; and communication, process, and dealing well with conflict. Sample vision documents, community agreements, and visioning exercises are included, along with abundant resources for learning more.

Power - why giving it up might just save humanity and the planet This is the story of power - humanity's power over nature and the power of some people over others. How has Homo sapiens - one species among millions - become powerful enough to threaten a mass extinction and disrupt the Earth's climate? Why have we developed so many ways of oppressing one another? Can we change our relationship with power to avert ecological catastrophe, reduce social inequality, and stave off collapse? These questions - and their answers - will determine our fate. Weaving together findings from a wide range of disciplines, Power traces how four key elements developed to give humans extraordinary power: tool making ability, language, social complexity, and the ability to harness energy sources - most significantly, fossil fuels. It asks whether we have, at this point, overpowered natural and social systems, and if we have, what we can do about it. Most crucially, the book explores how self-limitation of power is rooted in evolution and human history, though our memory of it has been buried under a century of fossil-fuel driven economic growth. Now, at this vital moment, we must rapidly relearn the lessons of power if humanity is to have a thriving future. Essential reading for everyone who calls planet Earth home.

Soil Science for Gardeners is an easy-to-read, practical guide to the science behind a healthy soil ecosystem and thriving plants. The book debunks common myths, explains soil science basics, and provides the reader with the knowledge to create a personalized soil fertility improvement program for better plants.

Light straw clay is a code compliant high-performance, low-impact building material with insulation and moisture handling qualities. This illustrated guide to light straw clay for stud, timber, pole and other framing styles covers material specifications, best use, mixing, installation, retrofits, code compliance, finishing and maintenance.

Maximize your water harvesting potential with efficient, cost-effective earthworks

Down and dirty - a complete step-by-step guide to making, installing and living with beautiful, all-natural earthen floors For most of human history, people have lived in durable, comfortable buildings made from natural materials such as soil, sand, rocks and fiber. All over the globe, these ancient traditions persist; a quarter to a third of the world's population today lives in houses built partially or entirely of earth. Conventional Western building techniques using industrial materials may save time and create efficiencies, but these perceived savings come at considerable financial and environmental cost. As well as boasting a unique and beautiful aesthetic, natural building techniques are accessible, affordable and nontoxic. Earthen Floors: A Modern Approach to an Ancient Practice is the first comprehensive, fully illustrated manual covering the history, use and maintenance of this attractive, practical flooring option. This detailed, fully-illustrated guide explains every part of the process, including: Sourcing and harvesting materials Preparing the subfloor Pouring, finishing and sealing the floor Living with and maintaining your earthen floor. Because information on creating quality earthen floors was not previously widely available, there have been some negative experiences. Drawing on the combined knowledge of the most qualified earthen floor practitioners, as well their own substantial experience, the authors deliver the definitive resource for this exciting technique, perfect for everyone from the novice to veteran builder.

The cohousing "e;bible"e; by the US originators of the concept. A man's home is his castle. But demographic and economic changes haveturned our castles into islands. How can we regain the elements of the traditional village - family, cooperation, community and a sense of belonging - within the context of 21st century life? Creating Cohousing: Building Sustainable Communities is an in-depth exploration of a uniquely rewarding type of housing which is perfect for anyone who values their independence but longs for more connection with those around them. Written by the award-winning team that wrote the original "e;cohousing bible"e; and first brought cohousing to North America, this fully-illustrated manual combines nuts-and-bolts practical considerations and design ideas with extensive case studies of dozens of diverse communities in Europe and North America. Cohousing communities create unique opportunities for designing more sustainable lifestyles. Whether urban, suburban or rural; senior or intergenerational; retrofit or new, the authors show how the physical structures of cohousing communities lend themselves to a more efficient use of resources, and make everything from gardening to childcare to socializing easier. Creating Cohousing puts the "e;neighbor"e; back into "e;neighborhood"e;; and is an essential resource for anyone interested in more environmentally and socially sustainable living.

Discover forgotten low-input food gardening methods for surviving uncertain times ahead. The decline of cheap oil is inspiring increasing numbers of North Americans to achieve some measure of backyard food self-sufficiency. In hard times, the family can be greatly helped by growing a highly productive food garden, requiring little cash outlay or watering. Currently popular intensive vegetable gardening methods are largely inappropriate to this new circumstance. Crowded raised beds require high inputs of water, fertility and organic matter, and demand large amounts of human time and effort. But, except for labor, these inputs depend on the price of oil. Prior to the 1970s, North American home food growing used more land with less labor, with wider plant spacing, with less or no irrigation, and all done with sharp hand tools. But these sustainable systems have been largely forgotten. Gardening When It Counts helps readers rediscover traditional low-input gardening methods to produce healthy food. Designed for readers with no experience and applicable to most areas in the English-speaking world except the tropics and hot deserts, this book shows that any family with access to 3-5,000 sq. ft. of garden land can halve their food costs using a growing system requiring just the odd bucketful of household waste water, perhaps two hundred dollars worth of hand tools, and about the same amount spent on supplies-working an average of two hours a day during the growing season. Mother Earth News Wiser Living Series

The only how-to manual on the subject directed to mainstream owner-builders

Microhydro features the smallest version of the renewable engery technology dubbed the simplest, most reliable and least expensive way to generate power off grid. Highly illustrated and practical, it is a complete guide to designing and constructing reliable hydroelectric power systems.

Essential steps for leaders working to build an antiracist organizationProviding a roadmap to workplace and organizational change, Inside Out is packed with practical tools for working collectively towards racial justice and dismantling institutional racism.This essential guide includes:An adaptive approach to moving race conversations forward with authenticity and genuine curiosityConcrete strategies to help unpack the painful legacies of power, privilege, and oppressionA framework including awareness, knowledge, skills, and action/advocacyKey components for engaging effectively, calling people in, bridging the divide, identifying and addressing microaggressions, and guiding difficult interactionsCritical cross-cultural skills for facilitators and leaders faced with fears, worries, conflicts, and concerns that surface in PoC and White participantsHelpful suggestions for equity leaders trying to find their why and identify their foundational beliefs, as well as tips for practicing self-care to lessen burnout and fatigueHow to establish an equity team and bring decision makers on boardChecklists, discussion questions, recommended readings, best practices, and many other valuable resources.Inside Out is written specifically for prospective leaders championing diversity, equity, and inclusion in their workplace. It is a must-read for anyone guiding the challenging work of becoming an anti-racist organization where no one's identity is a barrier to access or opportunity and everyone belongs.

Build your own passive solar greenhouse for year-round food production in any climate Extensively researched, written with personal experience, and full of essential facts and figures rendered simple and accessible. ¿ DARRELL E. FREY, author, The Bioshelter Market Garden A practical, easy-to-read guide that enables anyone to design and build their own sustainable, year-round greenhouse. I highly recommend it for aquaponic growers, and any gardener looking to extend their season. ¿ SYLVIA BERNSTEIN, author, Aquaponic Gardening FRESH, LOCAL, NUTRIENT-DENSE fruits and vegetables are hard to find in winter in cold climates. Growing warm-weather crops like tomatoes, bananas, avocados, or other perennials is nearly impossible using conventional structures. The solution for millions of backyard and small-scale commercial growers is self-heating solar greenhouses.The Year-round Solar Greenhouse is the one-stop guide to designing and building greenhouses that harness and store energy from the sun to create naturally heated, lush growing environments even in the depths of winter. Topics include the principles of solar greenhouse design, siting, glazing material properties and selection, controlling heat loss, ventilation, and construction methods. Additionally, an in-depth section covers sustainable ways of heating the greenhouse without fossil fuels, including using thermal mass and storing heat underground with a ground-to-air heat exchanger.Variations include attached solar greenhouses, earth-sheltered greenhouses, plus integrating hydroponics and aquaponics. More than a dozen case studies from across North America provide inspiration and demonstrate specific challenges and solutions for growing year-round in any climate. Grow your own food, anytime, anywhere using the power of the sun! An important resource that will help farmers and greenhouse operators leverage innovation for sustainable and profitable food production. ...This book should be part of your tool kit. ¿ GAELAN BROWN, author, The Compost-Powered Water Heater LINDSEY SCHILLER is a greenhouse designer and is, with co-author Marc Plinke, co-owner of Ceres Greenhouse Solutions. Lindsey has designed, toured, and helped build hundreds of energy-efficient greenhouses spanning small residential structures to acre-size commercial facilities. MARC PLINKE is an inventor-innovator with a PhD in engineering. In recent years he has focused his engineering mindset on building innovative, energy-efficient, and smarter greenhouses, with the intention of enabling people to grow their own food sustainably and year-round.

Go outside and play! A seasonal guide to activities, information, stories, and games to take learning outside "These are the understandings humans have passed down over hundreds of generations; now we need to make a conscious effort to ensure our kids can understand and enjoy the gorgeous world around them" - Bill McKibben, author, Long Distance and Eaarth " The Big Book of Nature Activities is a welcome book that should be a bible for all adults and children eager to rediscover the very source of our health, joy, and spiritual connection." - David Suzuki, science broadcaster and environmental activistThe average North American child can identify over 300 corporate logos, but only 10 native plants or animals-a telling indictment of our modern disconnection from nature. The Big Book of Nature Activities is a comprehensive guide for parents, grandparents, caregivers, and teachers to help youth of all ages explore, appreciate, and connect with the natural world. This rich, fully illustrated compendium features:Nature-based skills and activities such as species identification, photography, journaling, and the judicious use of digital technologyIdeas, games, and activities grounded in what's happening in nature each seasonCore concepts that promote environmental literacy, such as climate change and the mechanisms and wonder of evolution, explained using a child-friendly, engaging approachLists of key species and happenings in nature to observe throughout the year across most of North America.Perfect for families, educators, and youth leaders, The Big Book of Nature Activities is packed with crafts, stories, information, and inspiration to make outdoor learning fun."This book provides a wealth of ideas for adults to engage children and themselves in the wonders of the natural world with suggested activities for all seasons. Nature is magic. And nature is free."- Robert Bateman, artist" The Big Book of Nature Activities will be a great resource for all of us who work with children." - Jackie Ostfeld, Nearby Nature Director, Sierra Club Jacob Rodenburg is the Executive Director of the Camp Kawartha summer camp and outdoor education centre. As well as publishing numerous articles on children, nature, and the environment, he has worked in the field of outdoor education for 25 years. Drew Monkman is a naturalist, retired teacher, and an awardwinning environmental advocate. In addition to his weekly nature column, Drew is the author of two seasons-based nature guides, including Nature's Year. He has received an honorary Doctorate of Science from Trent University, for his work in promoting nature education.

MEET THE NEW BLACK FRIEND YOU NEVER HAD An excellent resource for all those who are committed to equity. - PAUL KIVEL, author, Uprooting Racism This is the book that is going to save you from theory and guilt trips. - AKILAH S. RICHARDS, author, Raising Free People COMMUNITY, BUSINESS, and organization leaders often ask: How do I get diversity in my group? The thing is, the work is real, but it's a minefield out there. With a blunt style that pulls no punches, your new token Black friend, Crystal Byrd Farmer, acts as the bridge between majority white organizations and "diverse" people across identities of race, LGBTQ, socioeconomic status, and disability. Crystal tells you how it is, calling you out on tokenism, while extending a helping hand. Coverage includes: What marginalized people experience and what they need to succeed Doing "The Work" - how to have deep conversations with your membership about the reality of bias, privilege, and microaggressions Choosing appropriate meeting locations and establishing ground rules Practical exercises and discussion questions and when to bring in outside help Building support within your organization and talking to resistant friends. This provocative, humorous, and accessible guide is for all people leading progressive organizations who acknowledge the need for diversity but don't know where to start. Honest and unfiltered-a treasure trove of tools, stories, and resources. - JOE COLE, Ph.D., University of North Carolina, Department of Peace and Conflict Studies Not sure what The Work is? Don't worry, Crystal Byrd Farmer is here to help. - CYNTHIA TINA, Co-Director, Foundation for Intentional CommunityCRYSTAL BYRD FARMER is an engineer turned educator, organizer, and speaker who focuses on cohousing, Black, and polyamorous communities. She lives in Gastonia, NC.

The economic operating system keeps crashing. It's time to upgrade to a new one.Five decades ago, The Limits to Growth shocked the world by showing that population and industrial growth were pushing humanity towards a cliff. Today the world recognizes that we are now at the cliff edge: Earth has crossed multiple planetary boundaries while widespread inequality is causing deep instabilities in societies. There seems to be no way out.Earth For All is both an antidote to despair and a road map to a better future. Using powerful state-of-the-art computer modeling to explore policies likely to deliver the most good for the majority of people, a leading group of scientists and economists from around the world present five extraordinary turnarounds to achieve prosperity for all within planetary limits in a single generation. Coverage includes:Results of new global modeling that indicates falling well-being and rising social tensions heighten risk of regional societal collapsesTwo alternative scenarios - Too-Little-Too-Late vs The Giant Leap - and what they mean for our collective futureFive system-shifting steps that can upend poverty and inequality, lift up marginalized people, and transform our food and energy systems by 2050A clear pathway to reboot our global economic system so it works for all people and the planet.Written in an open, accessible, and inspirational style using clear language and high impact visuals, Earth For All is a profound vision for uncertain times and a map to a better future.This survival guide for humanity is required reading for everyone concerned about living well on a fragile planet.

Grow vegetables year-round in a greenhouse powered only by solar energy "Wonderfully researched. I thank Dan Chiras for having gifted us such brilliant work. "- Jean-Martin Fortier, farmer, author, The Market Gardener, editor, Growers Magazine "Thankfully, Dan Chiras has written a prescription for survival in this gorgeously illustrated and accessible guide to the future of farming".- Albert Bates, author, The Biochar SolutionORIGINALLY DEVELOPED in China to feed millions, Chinese greenhouses are earth-sheltered, solar-heated, east-west oriented, intelligently-glazed, and well-insulated. They have proven highly-effective in growing warm-weather vegetables and fruits like green peppers and tomatoes in cold climates through fall, winter, and early spring using passive solar energy as the sole heat source.The Chinese Greenhouse is a full-color, comprehensive guide to these passive solar greenhouses for self-sufficiency and year-round growing in soil or aquaponic grow beds. Coverage includes:How to design and build a Chinese greenhouseImproving performance via short-term and long-term heat bankingAdditional heating options to make your greenhouse operate even more effectivelyCooling your greenhouse during the summerOperating and optimizing your Chinese greenhouse for maximum productivity.Become a more self-sufficient gardener, growing and harvesting a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables year-round, with your own Chinese greenhouse."Essential reading for pioneers of Chinese greenhouses."- Pam Dawling, author, The Year-Round Hoophouse and Sustainable Market Farming "If you are looking to increase your antifragility by building a truly passive solar greenhouse you will get a ton of value from this book."- Rob Avis, P. Eng, co-author, Essential Rainwater Harvesting DAN CHIRAS, Ph.D, is the author of numerous books on renewable energy, including Power from the Sun and The Homeowner's Guide to Renewable Energy. He has been growing in green- houses for nearly two decades and in his own passive solar Chinese greenhouse since 2017. Dan lives in Gerald, MO.