This week we have Earth ships, moon voyages, urban gardens and healing with pets. Enjoy!

Earth Ships Take Off

My favorite design by pinnaclehouse.com

Earth homes and earth sheltered homes are having a renaissance.  I’ve visited a couple of earth sheltered homes, one was a concrete home built into the side of a hill, and the other was an earth home built above ground with tires and lots of dirt. They both felt cozy, quiet and solid. Here’s a fun post about a collection of earth sheltered homes with some wonderful designs. Maybe I’ll find my next home!

Re-Thinking Philanthropy

Peter Buffet recently wrote an article for the NY Times calling for new models of philanthropy.  He feels we need more humanism and new models of addressing the world’s big problems. Personally, I notice how corporate donations are managed much more like an advertisement than a gift. Every donation has to be named, scripted and repeatedly acknowledged.  I really dislike the ‘branding of giving’ and am glad to see the lively discussion his article has created.

Urban Farming

Urban farming is a growing field with many creative solutions. Singapore is one of the most crowded cities with very little land. The picture above is a small scale idea, while Jack Eng has created a new twist for large scale vertical farming. He uses rotating racks run by a water wheel that move trays of plants, alternating between sunlight and mineral rich water. This is a very space, energy, water and cost efficient way to grow plants that may be the future of farming.

Innovations for Sustainability

Here’s a list of 10 very interesting innovations that are being developed in the world of sustainability. They range from plastic eating enzymes, to mushroom based packaging. My favorite is using flax to replace cotton for clothing and in the process using less water, land and chemicals.

The Circle of Giving

I’m not really a cat person or a pet person, but I was moved by this article on caring for a cat.  Anne-Marie Bauer tells a touching story of how being gifted a cat, Ali, turned her life around. By having to take care of this cat, she started caring in general and taking better care of herself too. She went from stressed, depressed and run down to happier, concerned for others and taking care of herself. She learned how giving to others is really giving to yourself and acknowledging the circle of life.

Thatch Havens

These thatch homes are wonderful. I’ve always wanted to build and live in a simple home made from natural materials. Look at this great collection on Natural Homes. They remind me of Hobbit houses. How about you?

A Bigger Perspective

Ever since we flew men and women to the moon, we have gained a new and bigger perspective of earth and our place in the universe. Astronauts and philosophers have described this as the “overview effect.” This short film features gorgeous photography and commentary to help us grasp the unity of life.  Similar to looking at a star filled sky, it opens me to the beauty and awe of the vast world we live in. Sometimes perspective is everything. Enjoy!

What’s new and inspiring in your life? I’d love to hear from you.