The Liters of Light project brings free daytime illumination to dark shanty homes using recycled plastic bottles filled with water and bleach. This simple solar lighting solution requires no electricity, costs almost nothing to install, and provides up to 60 watts equivalent of clear light for families who previously relied on expensive and dangerous kerosene [...]
Off-Grid Living
DIY Solar Cooker: Water Lens Design for Off-Grid Cooking with Dan Rojas
This DIY solar cooker uses a simple water-filled lens to concentrate sunlight for cooking without any fuel. Created by Dan Rojas of Green Power Science, the design demonstrates how clear vinyl, wood, water, and sunlight combine to create enough heat to fry eggs and cook food entirely off-grid. Solar Cooker Design Designer: Dan Rojas (Green [...]
LaMar Alexander 14×14 Off-Grid Solar Cabin: 400 SF Built for Under $2000 in Utah
LaMar Alexander of Simple Solar Homesteading built a 14×14 off-grid solar cabin in Utah with a full loft for just under $2,000 in new materials. The 400 square foot home (including loft) operates entirely off-grid with 600 watts of solar and 400 watts of wind power, providing all modern conveniences, including WiFi, TV, microwave, washer, [...]
Composting Toilets and Humanure: Complete Guide to Off-Grid Waste Management
Composting toilets transform human waste into usable soil through natural decomposition, eliminating the need for plumbing connections and saving significant water. This guide explains the complete process from collection to finished humanure, including urine separation, odor control with sawdust, and the one-year composting timeline that kills pathogens and produces garden-ready material. System Components Toilet Unit: [...]
Off-Grid Island Living: Solar-Powered House on Little Deadman’s Cay Bahamas
Little Deadman’s Cay in the Bahamas hosts a single off-grid house on nine and a half acres of private island. The property runs entirely on solar panels and a windmill, offering a unique experience that blends camping simplicity with permanent shelter. Amenities are basic: gravity-fed outdoor showers and no internet or television, replaced by reading, [...]
Passive Solar Cob House: Natural Building Thermal Mass Design by Michael Smith
Michael Smith demonstrates passive solar design principles using cob and straw bale construction. The technique uses thermal mass in clay walls and floors to store temperature – coolness in summer, warmth in winter. Strategic window placement captures solar heat during cold months while the massive walls retain temperature throughout daily cycles. Design Principles Teacher: Michael [...]
Cordwood Cabin Retreat: Rustic Tiny House Built with Recycled Materials
This cordwood cabin retreat demonstrates how natural building techniques create beautiful, functional tiny spaces. The unique structure features cordwood construction with decorative bottles, large windows, and a matching outhouse companion building. Design Details Construction: Cordwood with decorative bottles Materials: Recycled and reclaimed Purpose: Writing, reading, and day retreat Features: Large windows, custom screen door, built-in [...]