I haven’t owned a running car for quite some time now, but as I’m about to move 20 miles outside of town, I’ve been thinking about how I’m going to make what will be at least a weekly commute. Well, today, Cute Overload provided my answer:
Once I am more established in my new home and have completed a couple of other projects (like the predator rehab area and the bicycle-powered washing machine), i’m going to dedicate some time trying to figure out how to build something like this. Can’t be that hard, right?
I’ll be sure to take pictures of the entire process (and probably some video footage) in case I’m successful in my adventure. That way you can learn to build your own without all of my inevitable mistakes. I might try to do one better and make it run on biodiesel. At 100 mpg, I figure i can provide a month’s worth of fuel just by making my own vegan doughnuts (then i have a reason to make doughnuts:).
I really like the idea of getting the maximum result from minimum input. That’s why i’m such a big fan of permaculture gardening. I was excited to see someone put this principle into practice when it comes to saving money. Here are the 20 things that the simple dollar lists for you to do in fifteen minutes or less to save money (i think my favorite is the homemade laundry detergent). Many are common sense, but its good to be reminded.
- Clip coupons from the Sunday newspaper or trawl the internet for more
- Write a grocery list (and stick to it when you shop)
- Check the air pressure in all of your car tires and fill appropriately
- Hang clothes up to dry instead of using the dryer
- Go through the house and turn off all electrical devices you’re not using
- Make your own meal instead of buying take-out or eating out
- Do routine maintenance tasks around your home (change the furnace filter, etc.)
- Make your own laundry detergent
- Replace light bulbs with CFLs
- Install a programmable thermostat
- Plant and maintain a small vegetable garden
- Sell off clutter that you don’t need and don’t use any more
- Read through your community calendar for activities of interest
- Drive at 65 or under, even on the interstate
- Basic hygiene and health: wash your hands, drink lots of water, etc.
- Prepare a meal (or a few meals) to stick in the freezer for easy cooking later
- Take care of small financial tasks that you’ve been putting off (protesting fees, requesting a lower rate on your credit card, switching checking accounts, setting up a 401(k), setting up a Roth IRA, etc.)
- Clean your car’s air filter
- Learn how to sew and mend things like buttons, extending the life of clothing
- Attend a garage sale instead of flying off to the mall
i was recently reading over at bfp’s place about some folks going out and doing some guerrilla art for the dec 22nd day of solidarity. i’m a big fan of guerilla art (particularly street theater) and i remember the days when people would talk about guerrilla art and i’d have no idea what they were talking about. well, the short definition is that guerrilla art is any form of self-expression that isn’t quite legal (it usually has a political connotation, but it doesn’t have to - yes yes, all art is political). it can be anything from elaborate street theater to stenciling on sidewalks to wheatpasting and more.
one of the fastest, cheapest, and least risky forms of guerrilla art is wheatpasting. its easy. you print out some posters, make some wheatpaste, and put the two on a wall. wheatpaste is used because it is very cheap and nearly impossible to pull the poster off once it dries. my preferred method is to put a little under the poster and then to completely cover the poster. creates a crusty force field. so, how do you make wheatpaste?
Prepare 1 cup (2.4 dl) of very hot water. Make a thin mixture of 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of white flour and cold water (just enough to wet all the flour and make it liquid enough to pour). Pour the cold mixture slowly into the hot water while stirring constantly. Bring to a boil. When it thickens, allow to cool. Smear on like any other glue. For slightly better strength, add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of sugar after the glue is thickened. After using a portion, reheat the remaining in a covered jar or container to sterilize it for storage or keep refrigerated. If wheat flour is not available, other flours will work. (from solarcooking.org; there are a lot of different recipes out there)
there you go. i just wanted to make sure folks knew what i and others were talking about when we mentioned wheatpasting and guerrilla art.
