Why we should support small fishing boats over super-trawlers, Part 1
Here’s Part 1 of our interview with Caroline Bennett, founder of ‘Sole of Discretion’, a community interest company that sells fish caught by a collective of small fishing boats in Devon. Here we’re talking about the sustainability and community benefits of small fishing boats, the barriers that they face, and how her business can help… Continue reading Why we should support small fishing boats over super-trawlers, Part 1 Read more
Repairing an off-grid wind and solar electrical system
We recently blogged about a project: ‘rebuilding a home, and changing the surrounding fields from dead agricultural land into an oasis of natural life’ – as well as building an off-grid electrical and heating system. Here’s the next in the series – about repairing an off-grid wind and solar electrical system. Read more
Six reasons the EU isn’t as green as it claims
Every year in June, the EU celebrates its annual ‘Green Week’, in which Europe’s environmental elite gather to congratulate each other on how green they are. Read more
Composting toilets and city flats: do they match?
Composting toilets are a great choice for low-impact living — for remote or off-grid homes, for self-contained homes, for boats, for camper vans. That much is certain. But is the ‘revolootion’ possible if you’re renting out a flat? With no garden, no plot of land to call your own, does a composting toilet make any… Continue reading Composting toilets and city flats: do they match? Read more
Where’s the problem – politics, economy or population?
Below are some things that I believe, some that I don’t believe and some that I know. Do you believe similar things? If so, stay in touch. Alternatives are being built – change is coming. Nothing stays the same forever. Read more
August forage of the month with Ruby Taylor
Nettles are a truly amazing plant. I recently found out about the ‘super food’ that is nettle seeds, and have been making the most of the nettle patch at the end of the garden ever since. Read more
Can burning biomass be sustainable?
“Burning biomass is just another path to environmental destruction,” claims a recent article in The Ecologist. Really? Simon Fairlie, who has blithely been burning biomass for the last 50 years, investigates. Read more
£3.3 trillion fossil fuels subsidies by G20 countries since Paris Climate Agreement
All governments, including the UK, are telling us that they’re laser-focused on reducing carbon emissions. How are they doing? The chart above shows how they’re doing (source: Our World in Data). There’s a tiny flatline around 2020, but that’s because of the Covid lockdowns. Read more
Our response to: “why don’t you start a political party?”
There’s a question we often hear: “why don’t you start a political party?” Sometimes this is genuine, and enthusiastic, but often it’s snarky, as in: “why don’t you stop sniping on the sidelines and put your ideas to the masses, who can vote for you if they like them? Then you can implement your proposals.… Continue reading Our response to: “why don’t you start a political party?” Read more
Want to work for a great veg box scheme in the south of England?
Want to work for a great veg box scheme in the south of England? Actually it’s our veg box scheme. And it’s a bag not a a box. Each week we get a bag full of organic fruit and veg from Sutton Community Farm. If you live in south London, I really recommend them. Lovely… Continue reading Want to work for a great veg box scheme in the south of England? Read more
Help Bridport Cohousing group build a community hub building
We’ve been following the progress of the Bridport Cohousing project for a few years. They’re interesting because they’re a community land trust, partnering with a housing association to ensure that their 53 properties remain affordable. Bridport is a nice place to live, and house prices have risen by around 15% in the last couple of… Continue reading Help Bridport Cohousing group build a community hub building Read more
Career change? Making a living from making pottery
At Lowimpact.org we’re interested in helping to bring production back to communities, and so we’re going to be talking with craftspeople, smallholders, natural builders, renewables installers and small business owners in our range of topics. I’ll be asking them about their jobs, and for advice for other people who are interested in doing similar things. Read more
Would you like to be an ecological smallholder?
Would you like to be an ecological smallholder? The Ecological Land Co-op are looking for smallholders for plots of land in Devon and Cornwall. More below from Luci at the ELC: Read more
Community energy, mutual credit and the mutualist economy
This is the third part of an interview with Jon Halle of Sharenergy, about the prospects for keeping energy production local and mutualised. Here we talk about community energy, mutual credit and mutualisation of the economy. Read more
Building your own sustainable future
Hi. I’m Andy Reynolds – author, instructor, forester, promoter of self-reliance, and for the last few years I have been reflecting on our project’s progression, as it seems to have reached the stage of early maturity. The project – rebuilding a home, and changing the surrounding fields from dead agricultural land into an oasis of… Continue reading Building your own sustainable future Read more
Keeping energy production local and mutualised: Jon Hallé of Sharenergy, Part 2
This is the second part of an interview with Jon Halle of Sharenergy, about the prospects for keeping energy production local and mutualised. We talk about community energy, Energy Local and the Big Solar Co-op. Read more
In praise of parsnip flowers and seeds
What are those yellow flowers? Its a common question asked by visitors to the plot at this time of year. The eye-catching flowers that tower above everything else are parsnips. It’s a shame that more don’t keep their parsnips in the ground overwinter and let them flower. Not only are they attractive plants with their… Continue reading In praise of parsnip flowers and seeds Read more
Jon Hallé: Introducing the Big Solar Co-op, and how you can help renewables and the co-op sector
Today I’m speaking with Jon Hallé. We go back about 20 years. You ran courses on how to make biodiesel for Lowimpact, back in the early noughties, and you authored a book for us about making biodiesel, that sold about 15k copies in the first year. It caught the zeitgeist then, but of course diesel… Continue reading Jon Hallé: Introducing the Big Solar Co-op, and how you can help renewables and the co-op sector Read more
History of the use of medicinal plants
This article explores the history of the legal rights of herbalists to practise, and looks particularly at the use of medicinal plants in wartime Britain. Read more
How ‘chamas’ and mutual credit are changing Africa: Shaila Agha of the Sarafu Network
Today I’m talking with Shaila Agha of the Sarafu Network about ‘chamas’ and mutual credit, and how they’re changing Africa. Read more