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The lorena is an innovative cooktop design specifically for rocket stoves, aimed at enhancing heat transfer and overall cooking efficiency. It functions by incorporating a metal plate featuring a central hole positioned directly above the rocket stove's burn chamber. This central hole allows for direct heat application to large pots, ensuring rapid heating. Furthermore, the metal plate itself serves as an additional cooking surface, offering versatility for various cooking tasks. The lorena's design seeks to maximize the utilization of heat generated by the rocket stove, making it an energy-efficient cooking solution. Proposed implementations of the lorena often include integration into an outdoor kitchen setting, enhancing its practicality. The sources mention the lorena as an example of the continuous innovation and improvement within the realm of rocket stove technology.
The willow feeder system, developed by permaculture expert Paul Wheaton, offers a "freaky-cheap" and sustainable alternative to conventional septic systems and sewage treatment plants. This system employs a unique method of managing human waste, transforming it into a nutrient-rich fertilizer known as "willow candy." Unlike composting toilets, which rely on decomposition, willow feeders utilize sealed garbage cans to create a dry environment that mummifies the waste, effectively eliminating pathogens while conserving valuable carbon and nitrogen. A small amount of sawdust is added to each can, primarily for aesthetics. After aging for two years in these sealed containers, the resulting pathogen-free "willow candy" is ready to be applied as fertilizer. However, not all plants can handle the high nutrient content of this unique fertilizer. "Poop beasts", such as willow, cottonwood, poplar, and bamboo trees, thrive on "willow candy" and readily absorb its nutrients. The willow feeder system exemplifies permaculture principles by turning human waste into a valuable resource, fostering sustainable gardening practices and minimizing environmental impact. Paul Wheaton, a prominent figure in the permaculture community, has implemented the willow feeder system at his property, Wheaton Labs, and actively promotes it through his online platforms, including permies.com. He often refers to waste as a "feed" for another system, encouraging a shift in perspective towards a more holistic view of resource management.
Made of ancient diatom skeletons, diatomaceous earth is edible to mammals but deadly to insects. De scratches through a bug's waxy exoskeleton coating turning their innards to teeny tiny bug jerky.
The construction of a berm shed, a sustainable and aesthetically pleasing storage solution, involves a unique process that utilizes natural building techniques and earth-sheltering principles. First, the building site is prepared using earthworks, shaping the surrounding land to create a berm, which is a raised bank of soil that will eventually cover a portion of the shed's sloping roof. Round wood timber framing is a common technique employed in berm shed construction, utilizing logs sourced from the property instead of commercially produced dimensional lumber. These logs are carefully selected and placed to form the structural framework of the shed, including the walls and roof supports. Once the timber frame is erected, a moisture barrier, such as billboard material or layers of poly sheeting and newspaper, is installed over the logs to protect them from the elements. Finally, soil is carefully layered on top of the moisture barrier, creating the berm and providing insulation, thermal mass, and a natural aesthetic. The construction process prioritizes using natural, locally sourced materials and minimizing the use of energy-intensive and potentially toxic commercial products, aligning with permaculture principles of sustainability and self-sufficiency.
Hugelkultur, is a permaculture garden bed technique where wood is buried under the soil. It can be built in a variety of shapes and sizes, and can be used for growing a variety of "garden plants". The decomposing wood acts "like a sponge to hold water", making hugelkultur ideal for areas that receive little rainfall. Over time, the wood shrinks and creates air pockets, resulting in a self-tilling garden bed. This "soil on wood" technique helps to retain moisture and nutrients in the soil, which benefits the plants. Hugelkultur is an environmentally sustainable gardening technique because it uses wood that might otherwise be discarded.