MNN - Mother Nature Network

​Grist breaks out the kosher salt and white vinegar for a DIY house-cleaning sesh. Elisabeth Kwak-Hefferan has her reservations going into it — "I’ve heard about people using homemade cleaning concoctions for years, but I dismissed the practice to those much crunchier than I am (you know, dreds, sarongs, an open box of baking soda on the sink where others have toothpaste)" — but is delightfully surprised — " I’ll never go back" — with the results. 

 

Apartment Therapy takes copious notes at a talk given by tiny house demigod Jay Shafer at South by Southwest 2012 on the art of downsizing, multi-tasking and simplifying. One lesson learned: "If you are living in a small home, live well. In order to make it all work in such a tiny space, everything needs to be well-designed, and Jay suggests using quality materials. After all, while those quality materials might cost a small fortune in a 1,000 square-foot home, it's a pittance when using it for a home that's a few hundred sq ft. It's about quality and good design sense, not quantity."

 

Jetson Green takes a moment to admire the Net-Zero Solar Laneway House in beautiful Vancouver, B.C. Built for $320,000 (not too shabby in uber-pricey Vancouver) by Lanefab, the 1,020-square-foot contemporary home features LED lighting, an energy monitoring system, a rooftop solar array, rainwater harvesting and SIP construction. That's the home pictured up top.

 

The New York Times sits down for a tutorial on how to make a lovely, Noguchi-inspired hanging lamp from a pair of old bicycle rims, ribbon and ripstop nylon. Andrew Wagner, former editor-in-chief of dearly departed ReadyMade, and architect/designer Jen Turner provide the step-by-step instruction.

 

TreeHugger wrangles up "5 Fun Faucets That Help Save Water."

 

The Brooklyn Paper is fascinated by the indoor micro-farming techniques of artist/professor Jenna Spevack. Long story short, she's taken to growing greens in, on, under, and around ordinary household furniture. Remarks Spevack: “You can have salad all year long. It’s quite a lot of fun to grow your own food. It’s sort of like no-work farming.” Click here to find out how you can support Spevack's upcoming galley exhibition.

 

Contemporist shares photos of two rustic hillside ADUs — one topped off with a lovely n' lush green roof — used for yoga, art, and stashing overnight guests in Mill Valley, Calif. Take. Me. There. 

 

The San Francisco Chronicle examines the curious — and somewhat horrifying — case of how radioactive metal tissue boxes made from contaminated scrap metal wound up at Bed Bath & Beyond stores earlier this year.

 

Curbed pages through the latest issue of Country Living to discover that "Greenhouses: so hot right now!"