With housing prices slumping all over the world, Gerd Niemoeller’s invention, The Universal World House, couldn’t have come at a better time. Primarily designed for refugees and migrants in the third world, the prototype costs just $5,000 for 36 sq.m, weighs a mere 800 kilos and can be set up virtually anywhere.

Gerd Niemöller said recently in Der Speigel:
” From the very beginning, our goal was to create practical, environmentally sustainable, and, most importantly, cheap living quarters for the slums of the Earth….Now, that is possible.”

So if it’s paper, will it blow away? And what exactly is it made of? Well, the answer is NO, it won’t blow away. It’s made of resin-soaked cellulose made from recycled materials – cardboard and newspapers. The material actually resembles a honeycomb and is extremely resilient to the weather when an air vacuum fills each of the units. Its being flexible also means it is virtually earthquake-proof!

Niemöller’s company who patented the house reported that thousands of orders have already been made, mostly from Africa, through organizations like World Vision. The paper house is a much better alternative to the tin and plywood shanties seen in many developing areas of the world, especially as it used recycled materials. According to an article in the London Times, it was built so that families can slaughter their dinner on the veranda, and conveniently hang the meat out to dry in the bathroom’s line:

“The house has eight built-in single and double beds and a veranda with a sealed-off area housing a shower and a lavatory. It has been designed together with the German development aid agency GTZ, and with the architect Dirk Donath, from the Bauhaus University in Weimar.

Apart from the sleeping area, there are shelves, a table and benches. It has been designed so that a family can slaughter an animal on the veranda, wash it in the shower and hang it, along with fish, on an integrated washing line. The whole wall of the kitchen can be tipped open to let air in and to blur the distinction between inside and outside. “

Surrounding your home with chemical-fighting houseplants is a wonderful thing to do for your family – not only does it rid the air of some major toxins (like I mentioned in my post), but it also makes the house much more attractive.

Just one large houseplant produces enough oxygen (through photosynthesis) to clean about 100 square feet of space, so depending on the size of your rooms, it is easy to work out how much you need. An average size home or apartment, for instance, will need just one large plant (like the easy-to-care for spider plant pictured above) in the main living area.

Here’s a quick guide to what plant does what:

Plants that remove Formaldehyde:
The philodendron, spider plant, and golden pothos

Flowering varieties that remove Benzene:
The gerbera daisy and chrysanthemum (mum)

Plants that remove Trichoroethylene:
The peace lily and the chrysanthemum are the most effective. Also useful are English ivy, Chinese evergreen, bamboo palm, snake plant (mother-in-law’s tongue), and several types of dracaena, including marginata, corn plant, and Janet Craig.

Tips On Caring:
- Most of these houseplants are relatively easy to grow in moderate to bright indirect sunlight or under florescent – Avoid windows or glass doors where sunlight shines directly on the plants, except for flowering mums and gerbera daisy, which thrive in sunlight. Ivy, palm, philodendron, spider plant, and dracaena are all susceptible to spider mites.
-To prevent infestations, mist often and avoid hot, dry air. The pots may be set in trays of pebbles in water to provide moisture around the plants.
- Make sure the bottoms of the pots are above the level of the water.
- Beware of overwatering any plant, the most common cause of houseplant deaths. Golden pothos, Chinese evergreen, and snake plant should not be misted and should be allowed to dry out between watering to keep the roots healthy.

To learn more about how houseplants can clean the air around you, a good book to read is How To Grow Fresh Air: 50 House Plants That Purify Your Home Or Office“>How To Grow Fresh Air: 50 House Plants That Purify Your Home or Office.

Effects Of Cell Phone Radiation With Green Planet Armour

For years, my spouse, an anti-technology dinosaur, has been preaching the danger of cellphones. He’s always owned one though (pre-paid), rather begrudgingly, never turning it on unless absolutely necessary, much to my annoyance. Well, the other day he told me it was time I did some research on the dangers of cellphones and do a post on it on YURTO as he reckoned most people use their cellphones at home even if it was invented for use outside of the home.

What I found was basically that cellphones emitted radiation, which when given in large doses, is indeed dangerous. In fact, I read this very disturbing article in the UK Telegraph, wherein a noted brain specialist says that “mobile phones are more dangerous than smoking” and was the reason for the rise in brain tumors.

Mobile phones could kill far more people than smoking or asbestos, a study by an award-winning cancer expert has concluded. He says people should avoid using them wherever possible and that governments and the mobile phone industry must take “immediate steps” to reduce exposure to their radiation.

The study, by Dr Vini Khurana, is the most devastating indictment yet published of the health risks.

It draws on growing evidence – exclusively reported in the IoS in October – that using handsets for 10 years or more can double the risk of brain cancer. Cancers take at least a decade to develop, invalidating official safety assurances based on earlier studies which included few, if any, people who had used the phones for that long.

Obviously, the mobile phone people has dismissed the professor’s claims as baloney, and a large study in the UK has shown little evidence, BUT it also said:

Professor Challis, emeritus professor of physics at the University of Nottingham, said: “It all sounds pretty reassuring and that is good. But we cannot rule out the possibility that cancer could appear in a few years. The epidemiological evidence is not good enough and most cancers take longer than 10 years to develop.

So I am inclined to agree with hubby, but am not quite prepared to give up my phone (what if there was an emergency with the kids while I was out?). Luckily, there is a company addressing this, and their product is something we should all get, short of giving up your portable.

Green Planet Armour is a nifty little product you can easily connect to your electronic device which uses nano technology to combat the ill effects of radiation. Check out their website today.

Enter “Eco Balls”, amazing little balls which, when thrown into your wash, do all the work your regular soap does (and claim to kill bacteria too) without any chemicals, detergents and the like. When you work out what you save on soap, the savings are enormous, with something like 6 cents a load with the balls, to approx. 80 cents with detergent, more depending on what brand you buy. You can buy kits which come with refills, stain remover (it doesn’t do that great with heavy stains) as well as dryer balls for “fabric softer” role.

So does it really work? While I wait for my order to arrive, I found a good review worth checking out. The verdict? Some liked it, others were disappointed with its cleaning power. There was also one complaint about how the ball came apart and broke her washing machine. Either way, its a product I think worth trying out for yourself -because I think eliminating detergents would be a great thing.

I did not fail to see the irony there. On the one hand, I would be helping the environment by contributing to the use of less paper. On the other hand, I would be patronizing this fast food chain, which I doubt employs the greenest practices we can think of. Still, the idea of not receiving sheaves of paper every month to find out exactly how much I owe the telephone company appealed to me.

You see, I already checked my billing statement online anyway. Ever since they introduced the feature of being able to do this, I took up on the offer immediately. I hate waiting for bills to come through the post – I’d rather know how much I owe right away. I do not need the hard copy to pay my bill anyway since I use an online payment facility. So enroll I did, and this month is the first wherein I did not receive a hard copy of my bill. It’s a small thing, but with millions of people doing it, the impact is significant. Why not go the paperless way when you can?

3rd Whale Mobile. Alright, that sounds like the popular iPhone app, doesn’t it? Yup, you’re right. It is a hit app for that phone, but the people behind 3rd Whale Mobile have decided to go Android as well. This app gives you info on green businesses in North America plus tons of tips and other info on going green.

EpiCollect. I like the whole idea behind this app: you allow ecologists to access some data from your phone that will help them in their studies. It’s a prime example of what is now known as “crowdsourcing.” I think it’s a great way to do your part while enjoying technology.

GreenYou. Calculate your own carbon footprint with this app. More than that, you can also use it to create your customized plan to lessen your carbon footprint. Now you have no excuse!

iGreenCircle. This one is still a “baby” in that it hasn’t taken off yet. Think about it as something like Facebook, but for green-minded people. I’d join it as early as now and see how it goes.

If you think about it, camping is actually a great way to go on vacation and de-stress. It not only gives you time to totally enjoy nature but it is also a great alternative to the usual trip that puts a lot of stress on the environment.

One thing that you should always bear in mind when going camping is that you have to prepare to leave as little impact as you can. This is actually easier than it sounds. The little things that you do – or don’t do – can make a huge difference in maintaining the camp site.

For example, bring enough trash bags with you so that you do not have to leave any garbage behind. Cigarette butts, water bottles, tin cans, toilet paper, etc. – all these things should go into a receptacle that you can bring along with you. This way, you can dispose of your trash properly.

You should also bring environment-friendly soaps, shampoos, and cleansers. For sure you have to have these things for personal hygiene purposes. However, do make sure that you do not use products that can harm the water supply in the area. After all, you would want to have a clean campsite to go back to.

What other things can you do to keep your camping weekend fun and green?

Halloween is around the corner! Have you taken steps to make sure that this holiday is an eco-friendly one? If you didn’t know this already, fun holidays like Halloween are some of the most wasteful times of the year – think of the amount of new costumes, decorations, candy, and pumpkins consumed…..then the waste that comes afterwards? Fear not, your family can still have a terrific Halloween while still caring for Mother Earth. Plus, you can save money too. That’s another great reason to go green- it’s definitely good for the budget!

Read on for my very easy, tried-and-tested tips:

1. Decorations
First off, the most obvious and easiest thing you can do is RECYCLE!! Your old decorations, I mean (this goes for costumes too, but more on that below). Last year, I had this in mind, so I made that extra effort to carefully store all my decorations to minimize breakages and maximize use for years to come in spite of 3 children under 9 and their rowdy Halloween parties. I purchased a few of those large plastic, airtight boxes, which may not seem so green an idea at first, but when you think of the durability and protection against the elements, it made sense. In the past I used old cartons, and lost a lot of things because of bugs, damp and rain.

If you need new decorations, do make them yourself, and this doubles up as a great weekend, playgroup or after-school activity you can do with the kids. Use items like old cereal boxes, milk jugs and so on. Look in thrift shops for extra supplies. There are loads of things at home that we no longer need and can use. Kids love it when one thing transforms into another- especially when they do it themselves!

2. Costumes
Apparently, every year, millions of Americans, young and old, spend a whopping $5.77 BILLION on new costumes which will rarely get used again. Great for the retailers, not so great for the environment. This year, do your bit by NOT buying.

This is easy for parents with same-gender kids like me. For instance, my younger son now has all his older brother’s costumes to use (long may this last). My daughter, on the other hand does not have any hand-me-downs so we’ve been looking for some DIY ideas form stuff we already have at home. Good for your kids imagination, creativity, and for the environment! Homemade costumes are more interesting anyway, and it enriches the experience for both parent and child. If you aren’t a parent, don’t let it stop you from getting creative too. Non crafty nor good with your hands? Enlist help from a friend who is!

3. Trick or Treating and Parties
Before heading out to the warehouse shopping club and stocking up on huge bags of candy, think about greener alternatives for the trick-or-treaters. Like healthy snacks or fruit? Last year, one house in our neighborhood doled out small cups of juice instead of candy, while another gave out biscuits- a welcome respite for tired trick-or-treaters!

If you’re planning a Halloween party, the aptly named Green Halloween has some terrific tips on how easy it is to be eco-friendly and still have all the fun. I do wonder though how organic tea and agave sticks will go down with my kids……

For more inspiration and instructions, the Internet is brimming with great ideas on how to make this year an eco-friendly Halloween.

Here are some of my favourites, worth checking out:

Eco Friendly Crafts from Kiwi Magazine- The Kiwis show you a great way to spend an afternoon with the kids, using things from the rubbish bin at home. Easy and with good photos.

4 East Tips From Planet Green – Simple things we can all remember and do to make it this Green Halloween.

365 Green Halloween – The folks who enjoy Halloween all year round also have some cool ideas on how to go green this 31st. Ideas for treat bags, costumes and more abound.

4 Ways To A Green Halloween Costume- The most fun thing about Halloween has got to be the costumes, right? This article has 4 of the best ideas I’ve seen around. Sure to inspire, and will definitely get your kids to stop whining about buying that pricey costume from the web.

Buy Green This Halloween - If you must shop this Halloween, then forgo the cheap plastic stuff and buy something made from sustainable material, of good quality and made through Fair Trade. Not only are they good on party tips, but the non-profit Green Halloween also rounds up some great things like that, like this very cool Fair Trade Trick or Treat Action Kit and adorable Alpaca Animal Mask and Tail Sets.

Those people should sit up and pay attention now. Have you heard about what happened in the Philippines? They received immense amounts of rain, thanks to tropical typhoon Ondoy (International name Ketsana). Overnight, the city roads became rivers. Their actual rivers overflowed, dumping water into the communities. Even today, countless people are struggling to regain a semblance of the life that they once had. Just take a look at the major news web sites and you will see with your own eyes the havoc that this typhoon brought upon the country.

Some say it’s because of the dams that were opened. Others say that it was simply the rain. I think that it can be a combination of both, that global warming is starting to make its effects felt in a more radical way. Oh, we’ve felt the effects of the degradation of the environment for many years now. The climate change all over the world can hardly be ignored. But when lives start being messed around with, I think more people are going to notice.

What do you think? Is global warming a myth or has it cost you anything yet?

If you’re looking to help the victims of typhoon Ondoy in the Philippines, here is a link to the PayPal account of the Philippine National Red Cross. They would surely appreciate your help.

Well think again. You may not be aware of it but the chemicals in some hair products can be awfully harmful to the environment. Would you really want excellent looking hair at the expense of the environment?

Here’s an alternative – using natural products that work just as well, maybe even better. I found a formula to make your hair look fuller and to get rid of the effects of the sun and wind.

Big Body Hair Rinse
2-4 tablespoons dried nettles
1 cup purified or distilled water
3-5 drops lavender essential oil (optional)

1. Combine herbs and water in a stainless steel or glass pan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, covered, for half an hour. Remove from heat and let cool, then strain out the liquid and discard the spent herbs.

2. After shampooing, gently towel-blot your hair, then wrap a towel around your neck. Leaning over a sink or basin, apply the rinse with a spout bottle. For extra potency, pour over a basin so the rinse won’t drain away, then pour the collected liquid through the hair to use every drop. Do not rinse out. Blot hair dry with a towel.

I think that you can buy nettle tincture from the drugstore to make things easier for you. I mean, who would have the time and means to go walking around looking for nettles?