101 things that you want in the selfsufficientish book

[Andy Hamilton]

Although we have a brief outline of what each of the chapters of our book we might have missed something that you would love to have in there. We try to cover every aspect of our lives and how to live them in a selfsufficientish way. For example we have solar ovens in the kitchen section, where to buy organic fairly traded duvets in the bedroom section and overland travel in the holiday section.

So what would you like to see in the book.

[Martin]

suppose I'd better put my hand up to contribute some jottings on "practical, affordable renewable energy"

[Boots]

What does

where to buy organic fairly traded duvets

have to do with self-sufficiency? I can't even see an ish element to this....

Wouldn't it be more appropriate to have ways to make your own or ways you can recycle them to prolong their usefulness? I definately am not interested in a book full of ads. The way I see it, advertising is the thing that moved folks away from self sufficiency in the first place.

I will have to go back and check that post about overland travel, cos I skipped it and am not sure what that's about.

To me, a good book on self-sufficiency would have lots of how to's... How to reduce, recycle, reuse, produce, build your own/DIY...that kind of thing.

[Martin]

good heavens! - I'm in accord with Boots!
I think you've got to be very careful about "plugs" - if people think you're just giving links to your mate's businesses after people have had to cough up a hefty wedge for the book, they'll smell a rat!
"Self Sufficency" should be just that - "make your OWN recycled duvet from recycled loo roll"
And while up on my "advertising" soapbox, I have no problem with banner ads on a site, per se, but to give one's fate over to Google is a highly questionable practice - I've spotted many ads up at the top of this site for companies who should be run out of town! If you're going to do any advertising at all, take charge yourself, don't "farm it out"

[Boots]

good heavens! - I'm in accord with Boots!

Don't worry folks, we're pencilled in to tango again next week.

[Andy Hamilton]

Ahem, will explain the bit about Duvets. Its not about advertising and plugging people - it is to open up the ideas that there are organic and fair trade ideas out there, there will be different levels that people will go for.

The people who will never make their own duvet might buy one that is kinder to environment instead.

There is no way the book will end up being full of ads, what the point of that - It will be full of ways to reduce, recycle, reuse, produce, build your own/DIY...that kind of thing.

And while up on my "advertising" soapbox, I have no problem with banner ads on a site, per se, but to give one's fate over to Google is a
highly questionable practice - I've spotted many ads up at the top of this site for companies who should be run out of town! If you're going to do any advertising at all, take charge yourself, don't "farm it out"

Advertising on the site is a seprate issue really, open up to suggestions in the suggestions area of the site. We can stop certain companies from advertsing on here if you let us know what they are.

[red]

I think a lot of 'how things can be reused' would be good - particularly things that cannot be recycled.

[Tay]

I'll second Red's comment. It would be especially good if an emphasis was placed on 'how these things that can't be recycled in the conventional way CAN be used in your self sufficientish lifestyle'. So things like drilling holes into the bottoms of large paint tubs, old buckets etc and using them as plant pots. Cutting up old plastic containers (bottles etc) and using those as seed pots. Using old mustard tins as seed holders etc. This is rather than 'reuse this old plastic pot and use it as a pen-holder', if you see what I mean...

[Dendrobium]

I'm in agreement here too, it's ways to reuse/remake things I'm interested in - I love the 101 uses section, any ideas I can use -and gives me an excuse to hoard all that junk that I KNOW will be useful in someway, I just haven't figured out what yet!

[Andy Hamilton]

I have been working on some of the book today and there are a whole bunch of DIY projects from household rubbish going in.

[Dendrobium]

Cool!!! Now I can keep all my rubbish just in case there is something in the book I can use it for! ooops, actually I've already been doing that for years already!

[Andy Hamilton]

One that I have just found out about and is very easy is the insect hotel. Get an empty margarine tub, make holes in the lid with a knitting needle and fill it with straw. Now chuck it under a bush and you have a place for ladydirds, lacewings or other benefical insects to live in winter.

[Annpan]

Boots wrote

What does

Quote:
where to buy organic fairly traded duvets


have to do with self-sufficiency? I can't even see an ish element to this....

I have got to agree here, you should point people in the right direction, e.g at the bottom of your 'make your own duvet' article put in a comment such as :-
"If you lack the time, capabilities or inclination to make your own please try the stockists listed in the back of the book to find yourself an organic fairtrade duvet"

I would really like to see a selfsufficientish book / textbook rather than yet another "we're going to make you feel guilty - organic / fairtrade catalogue"

Maybe you should decide what is the definition of Selfsufficientish and stick firmly to that.

By all means praise and steer towards organic, fairtrade, non-GM (God knows we all do what we can) but please, please, please don't go on about it. For some of us selfsufficientish is about sustainability to the best of our abilitys (and often for financial reasons) we all know the benefits of organic and fairtrade but lets face it, it is not always financially viable.


Hey is there room on this soap box for all of us???

Ann Pan

[red]

self sufficiency is not always also about caring for the environment or even giving your livestock a good life. some of John Seymores book makes me wince.. (for example I dont think you should keep a single cow, or keep it tethered)
I guess it comes down to what you plan for your book - is it just about being SS or is it also about making ethical purchases whilst being SS?

to take the duvet as an example.. personally (and you did ask what we wanted) I would be looking for ideas such as 'don't buy a new one, look in charity shops for a second thin one and put both in the one cover (ok I have no idea if that would work this is an example)

[Andy Hamilton]

The book will mirror the site in the respect that it doesn't just cover tips on selfsufficiency but ethical living too.

When offering alternatives we will offer practicle advice on how to make your own, repair or freecycle items. Then a hint at the - "If you lack the time, capabilities or inclination stance." - there is no way it will become a fair trade catalouge, that would be really dull to write. I hope that there will be so much stuff in there that you can do and do cheaply, that there will be no time for feeling guilty.

There are indeed enough books out there that preach at you about ethical living and we won't become one of those. It will be a text book and it will be packed full of things that you can actually do. Just like the site is really.

There is going to be a livestock section and it is stuff like you have mentioned red that is really useful for me to hear. I am writing the livestock section as Dave is vegetarian (seems fair) and will have to do a lot of research for it, do you think that welfare is an issue I should cover in some depth?