This is the eleventh year that the Sustainable Living Association will have their annual “Sustainable Living Fair”. This is really a big event from what I’ve read about it. So if you are planning to be in the area in September, you should go.

We will be posting more about it as it gets closer. In the meantime, go check it out on their website.

This is a post that I had on my first site, altenergyradio.com, which I decided to change to this one.  I am now deleting that site.  I wanted to save/move this post.

Jean Pain is dead now, and has been for a few years.  He was a man ahead of his time, with lots of practical ideas.  Here is one of them.

I personally plan on doing this when I am relocated onto a farm.  If anyone of you has already tried this, or do try this, please pass along your thoughts and share it with us.

Jean Pain, a forest caretaker in south France, came up with a way to heat his water to 140F, get methane gas to use for his 5 bedroom house for cooking and generate electricity, and fuel his truck, PLUS fertilize his farm. Enough to last about 18 months. All this from a huge pile of woodchips. Watch these 2 videos to learn how!

Jean Pain – English – Part 1

Jean Pain – A french innovator who developed a compost based bio energy system that produced 100% of his energy needs. He heated water to 60 degrees celsius at a rate of 4 litres a minute which he used for washing and heating. He also distilled enough methane to run an electricity generator, cooking elements, and power his truck. This method of creating usable energy from composting materials has come to be known as Jean Pain Composting, or the Jean Pain Method.

Jean Pain – English – Part 2

Jean Pain – A french innovator who developed a compost based bio energy system that produced 100% of his energy needs. He heated water to 60 degrees celsius at a rate of 4 litres a minute which he used for washing and heating. He also distilled enough methane to run an electricity generator, cooking elements, and power his truck. This method of creating usable energy from composting materials has come to be known as Jean Pain Composting, or the Jean Pain Method.

I think this is a VERY practical home project, worth trying out. Personally, I will be, hopefully later this year. If I do, I will be sure to report all of the steps and the out come.

If anyone has duplicated this method, I would love to hear from you. Use the comment section below. Everyone is welcome to leave their comments too.

When I come across videos and information like this, I get excited!  Things are happening across this country.  Change is in the air.  Educational systems, people involved in local government are seeing the light about changing the way we live and conduct business.

The Sustainable Living Institute of Maui’s mission statement:

The Sustainable Living Institute of Maui is committed to optimizing Maui’s economy by helping people build skills that are compatible with the community’s cultural choices and economic aspirations; developing Maui as an exemplary and prosperous island that shares eco-effective methods with other communities throughout the world; and serving as a living laboratory and classroom for building and managing holistic communities.

If you know about other programs like this, be sure to let us know.  Help spread the word!

“All the problems of the world can be solved in a garden”

Geoff Lawton

In case you don’t know him, Geoff is the director of Permaculture Research Institure, Australia.  He and those he is working with, have developed a plan to set up permaculture centers in areas across the world.  Listen to him as he shares this idea.  I was inspired when I did.

Hopefully you will be too.   If you do, please let me know and share it.

Another individual, who is also a permaculturalist, that has inspired me, is David Blume, author of “Alcohol Can Be A Gas!”  In his book, which lays out the history of alcohol use and what REALLY was behind prohibition!  The REAL story.  Also, how to make your own alcohol, plus a whole lot more.  If you have any interest in becoming energy independent, you need to consider alcohol.

One of the ideas David puts forward is for driver supported energy co-op’s.  Like CSA’s, these these co-op’s connect the end user of energy, alcohol for fuel, drivers, with farmers who would become local energy producers!  This is a great idea.  One that I will help to promote.  There are SOOOOO many offshoot ag business possibilities, worth MORE then the alcohol.  Check it out, and I’ll be talking more about it in the days ahead.

I’ll like to take some of the ideas that Geoff presents, and add them to what David talks about.  Why NOT, try to have at least ONE farmers co-op started in EVERY county in America?  A goal that I have is to set one up where I will be moving to, hopefully later this year.  The co-op won’t get started, buy my move will.  Then put together the information gathered from getting it started, then help others to do the same.  If interested, let me know and please, please, help to let others know.

That’s it for today.  Hope you enjoyed the video.

Tom

Most of us, well, at least myself, normally think about having land in the rural countryside, when we think about becoming more self-sufficient and sustainable.  This family that I’d like to report about, only have about 1/5th of an acre!  Live in a big city.  They have been doing this for quite awhile.  I only recently learned about them.

I think you will be inspired by them, just like I have been.  Enjoy these videos about what they ARE DOING!

The Dervaes are living the green life in Pasadena, Calif.

Living a Path to Freedom – uprisingradio.org

In Pasadena, the Dervaes family has transformed their residential lot into an urban homestead on which they generate more than half of their own food by literally growing it themselves, and 70% of their own energy via solar panels on their garage … And indeed tens of thousands have already been inspired by the food and energy independence such a life style offers. But, it’s not easy – as I found out yesterday when I spent the afternoon with Jules Dervaes and his family, …

http://www.pathtofreedom.com/

Grow your own food, make your own fuel

Off-grid has been covering the Dervaes family’s eco lifestyle in Pasadena for years. Now the family is becoming famous – they are California’s leading off-grid ambassadors. … Anais Dervaes says her family has been living green way before green was in. Their home is paid for and they live on about $25000 a year. What they don’t sell, they eat. “Anything that can be cooked in a normal oven can be cooked in a solar oven,” says Anais. “And here we have some homegrown …