Thriftopedia.com » Self Sufficient Thrift-opedia http://thriftopedia.com Fri, 11 Sep 2009 18:28:34 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Go Green with a Reel Mower! http://thriftopedia.com/2009/04/23/go-green-with-a-reel-mower/ http://thriftopedia.com/2009/04/23/go-green-with-a-reel-mower/#comments Fri, 24 Apr 2009 01:04:30 +0000 admin http://thriftopedia.com/?p=333 My husband and I recently invested in a Reel Mower. He was really skeptical about how well it would work. He is now convinced it is one of the best “green” investments we have made. We LOVE it!!

If you have a small to medium yard or area to cut, we highly recommend switching from a gas or electric mower to an Environmental Elements Reel Mower.

This is a FANTASTIC way to save gas AND reduce your carbon footprint.

TIP: Make sure you rake your yard before mowing to remove sticks (especially the first time). LOL

]]> http://thriftopedia.com/2009/04/23/go-green-with-a-reel-mower/feed/ 26 Solar Heating http://thriftopedia.com/2008/10/10/solar-heating/ http://thriftopedia.com/2008/10/10/solar-heating/#comments Fri, 10 Oct 2008 07:38:27 +0000 admin http://thriftopedia.com/?p=257 Did you know that one third of the energy we produce goes to one thing? That one thing is heating water. When it comes to heating water we usually say, “Hmmm… should I heat my water with gas or electric?”

What most people don’t realize is that there is a third alternative that is right above your head, the Sun! Although this method involves an initial investment, you can heat your water through solar heating. The sun has been providing the Earth with heat for billions of years now and will do so long after we’re gone. Why not tap into that heat to help heat your home?

]]> http://thriftopedia.com/2008/10/10/solar-heating/feed/ 2 Get into Gardening http://thriftopedia.com/2008/08/23/get-into-gardening/ http://thriftopedia.com/2008/08/23/get-into-gardening/#comments Sat, 23 Aug 2008 19:06:36 +0000 admin http://thriftopedia.com/?p=130 To become self sufficient one must plant a garden. The easiest way to do this is to simply grab a shovel, a hoe, some seeds and a hose. Make some rows yourself, which is great exercise, and search the net for tips on growing and what to grow. You can greatly supplement your diet with items you grow yourself even if you have just a small parcel of land to work with. If you have a large one you can grow all you need for yourself and your family (this is very time consuming however).

]]> http://thriftopedia.com/2008/08/23/get-into-gardening/feed/ 2 The Chicken and the Egg http://thriftopedia.com/2008/08/21/the-chicken-and-the-egg/ http://thriftopedia.com/2008/08/21/the-chicken-and-the-egg/#comments Fri, 22 Aug 2008 04:38:29 +0000 admin http://thriftopedia.com/?p=66 Chickens.  These are the ultimate in self sufficient farm animals.  If you’ve ever thought of raising poultry or farm animals you can click here.   Growing up my mom and dad kept 10 to 20 chickens in a coop on the back of our property.  My dad would plant a row of corn to feed them and we kids would grind the corn using a hand grinder to make feed.

What did this do?  Well, for the initial cost of investment we got all the free eggs we ever wanted.  Add a rooster to the mix and you never have to buy another chicken.  Problem with roosters is that you’ll find out that cockle-doodle-doo thing is not just in cartoons!  Yep, they do it at dawn too if you’re a late sleeper.

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