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In the right hands, a chain saw can do in a weekend what might take the woodcutter of yesteryear an entire summer. And yet, no machine is more dangerous. Most rural homeowners have a chain saw, but most saws are purchased with very little in the way of detailed information about safe operation and maintenance. Now Dave Johnson, a lifelong man of the woods, has written a book that will turn your fear into healthy respect, and turn your chain saw into one of the most productive tools in your shed.

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From the beginning of history, every civilization has used earth to create beautiful, durable and affordable shelter. Author, engineer, and earth builder David Easton hosts this thirty-minute documentary on the history of earth construction and the refined techniques now in use. See for yourself the beauty, strength and logic of building with earth.

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Planting the wrong plants (like male trees that produce large amounts of pollen) has caused our cities to be overloaded with pollen. This book tells which landscape plants to choose for allergy free gardening.

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Before you build your home, read this definitive guide to designing with the sun in mind by Mother Earth News contributing editor Dan Chiras. Learn how you can cut your energy bills in half by choosing the best passive solar heating and cooling techniques.

Passive solar heating and passive cooling — approaches known as natural conditioning — provide comfort throughout the year by reducing, or eliminating, the need for fossil fuel. Yet while heat from sunlight and ventilation from breezes is free for the taking, few modern architects or builders really understand the principles involved.

Now Chiras, author of the popular book The Natural House, brings those principles up to date for a new generation of solar enthusiasts.

The techniques required to heat and cool a building passively have been used for thousands of years. Early societies such as the Native American Anasazis and the ancient Greeks perfected designs that effectively exploited these natural processes. The Greeks considered anyone who didn't use passive solar to heat a home to be a barbarian!

In the United States, passive solar architecture experienced a major resurgence of interest in the 1970s in response to crippling oil embargoes. With grand enthusiasm but with scant knowledge (and sometimes little common sense), architects and builders created a wide variety of solar homes. Some worked pretty well, but looked more like laboratories than houses. Others performed poorly, overheating in the summer because of excessive or misplaced windows and skylights, and growing chilly in the colder months because of insufficient thermal mass and insulation and poor siting.

In The Solar House, Chiras sets the record straight on the vast potential for passive heating and cooling. Acknowledging the good intentions of misguided solar designers in the past, he highlights certain egregious — and entirely avoidable — errors. More importantly, Chiras explains in methodical detail how today's home builders can succeed with solar designs.

Now that energy efficiency measures including higher levels of insulation and multi-layered glazing have become standard, it is easier than ever before to create a comfortable and affordable passive solar house that will provide year-round comfort in any climate.

Moreover, since modern building materials and airtight construction methods sometimes result in air-quality and even toxicity problems, Chiras explains state-of-the-art ventilation and filtering techniques that complement the ancient solar strategies of thermal mass and daylighting. Chiras also explains the new diagnostic aids available in printed worksheet or software formats, allowing readers to generate their own design schemes.

About the Author
Daniel D. Chiras is the author of The Natural House. He holds a Ph.D. in physiology and teaches courses on sustainability and environmental health at the universities of Colorado and Denver. He is the author of five college and high school text books as well as other books on global environmental issues. Chiras is also an avid musician, organic gardener, river runner and bicyclist. He lives with his family in a passive solar/solar electric, straw bale and rammed tire house in Evergreen, Colorado.

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Readers familiar with Barbara Kingsolver will find that Small Wonder, a collection of 23 essays, shows the same sensitivity and thoughtfulness, the same rich knowledge of and love for the natural world, as her spellbinding novels. She writes about genetic engineering, gardening, motherhood and much more.

Many of these essays were written (or rewritten) in response to the events of September 11, which threw into relief the growing social and economic inequities that are so little remarked on in the American media. These are political essays, although Kingsolver is not a natural rhetorician; her prose is too supple and inclusive. She has a rare gift for apt allusion and for the elegant use of facts and figures. It is easy to imagine the speechwriters and activists of the next 10 years dipping into Small Wonder for inspiration and the perfect phrase.

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This hands-on guide for converting a gas-powered car to electric has all the information you need to choose a donor car, and successfully make the conversion. It also includes how to drive, charge and maintain your electric car.

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Step-by-step illustrated instructions, informative charts and a host of delicious recipes make this an indispensable kitchen reference. Covers freezing, canning, drying and pickling produce fresh from the market or garden.

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Roy takes the reader on a tour of ancient sites, then recounts the process of building his own circle. Chapters describe contemporary circle-raisings where the latest (and most ancient) techniques of stone movement are employed by colorful neo-Stone Agers.

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Rob Roy visited England's Stonehenge in 1966 and knew that one day he would have to build his own stone circle. In August of 2000, Rob invited English stone builder, Ivan McBeth to Earthwood to co-instruct a Megalithic Workshop. All aspects of building were covered during the four days, including design, sacred space-making, and construction with tools available 5000 years ago. Save 10% when you purchase Stone Circles Book and Video Set! Item #1502 for only $57.60.