Zero Waste
Zero-Waste Home- by Bea Johnson
Famously known as the movement’s initiator who invented the term “Zero-Waste living,” Bea and her family have lived a zero-waste life since 2008. Her book focuses on helping you do the same.
101 Ways To Go Zero Waste – by Kathryn Kellogg
The founder of the blog Going Zero Waste, where she promotes zero-waste sustainable living into a step-by-step process.
Garbology: Our Dirty Affair With Trash by Edward Humes
It may sound like the opposite of a page-turner but Edward Humes’ history of trash and present-day challenges is a fascinating look at what really is “away.”
Humes explores ways to reduce our reliance on trash and highlights what others are doing in the movement toward a healthier relationship with waste.
Read Garbology by Edward Humes
Permaculture
Permaculture: A Designers’ Manual- by Bill Mollison
The founder of Permaculture, Bill, was the most experienced Permaculture teacher and designer.
He had been extremely passionate about the environment for over 40 years. His many roles included: scientist, naturalist and University professor.
Later he became a vigorous campaigner against environmental exploitation which lead him to develop Permaculture as a positive solution.
Permaculture (For Indian Context)
Agroecology in Action: Extending Alternative Agriculture through Social Networks (Food, Health, and the Environment)
Agroecology in Action shows that agroecology can be put into action effectively only when networks of farmers, scientists, and other stakeholders learn together.
Farmers and scientists and their organizations must work collaboratively to share knowledge―whether it is derived from farms, laboratories, or the marketplace.
This sort of partnership writes Warner, has emerged as the primary strategy for finding alternatives to conventional agrochemical use.
The Natural Way of Farming- The Theory and Practice of Green Philosophy
Examines the state of modern agriculture and describes organic no-tillage agricultural techniques based on the interrelatedness of all nature.
Permaculture Design: A Step-by-Step Guide
This book provides a step-by-step guide to permaculture design, specifically tailored to Indian conditions. It includes case studies and examples from the Punjab region as well.
In this unique, full-colour guide, experienced permaculture teacher Aranya leads you through the design process from beginning to end, using clear explanations, flowcharts and diagrams.
It is based on course worksheets which have been designed, refined and tested on students over time. Linking theory to practice, he places the ethics, principles, philosophies, tools and techniques directly into the context of the process itself. While written for anyone with a basic grasp of permaculture, this book also has plenty to offer the more experienced designer.
Natural Buildings
The Hand-Sculpted House – by Lanto Evans, Michael G. Smith, Linda Smiley, Deanne Bednar.
A Practical and Philosophical Guide to Building a Cob Cottage: The Real Goods Solar Living Book.
The authors have built a cob cottage the way others create a natural garden. They use the oldest, most available materials–earth, clay, sand, straw, and water–and blend them to redefine the future (and past) of building.
The book talks about various aspects of building with cob, both technical and philosophical.
The Cob Builders Handbook- You Can Hand-Sculpt Your Own Home – by Becky Bee
Becky Bee’s manual is a friendly guide to making your earth structure, with chapters on design, foundations, floors, windows and doors, finishes, and making glorious cob.
“I believe that building with cob is a way to recreate community and experience the joy of working together while taking back the right to build our own homes and look after our Mother Earth.”
She loves doing something that makes sense in a world where many things don’t.
The Cobber’s Companion- How To Build Your Own Earthen Home – by Michael G Smith & Deanne Bednar
This book tells you how to: Build with cob, a traditional mixture of earth, sand and straw.
Selection of building materials and determining the best mixture for a given soil.
They sculpted out a personalized house with built-in seats, counters, shelves, and niches. They evaluated natural alternatives for roofs, floors, plasters, and insulation. And most importantly, how to avoid the costly mistakes made by many novice builders.
Read The Cobber’s Companion by Michael G Smith and Deanne Bednar
Building With Cob: A Step By Step Guide – by Adam Weismann & Katy Bryce
‘Building with Cob’ shows how to apply this ancient technique in various contemporary situations, covering everything from design and siting, mixing, building walls, fireplaces, ovens and floors, lime and other natural finishes, and gaining planning permission and building regulation approval.
It also explains in detail how to sensitively restore an old cob structure. This book is a step-by-step guide, lavishly illustrated with over 300 color photos and 85 diagrams.
Wattle and Daub: Shire Library – By Paula Shine
Wattle and daub are possibly one of the oldest building methods globally. Today, it can be seen as in-fill panels between the timbers of ancient timber-framed buildings throughout Britain.
The book clearly and concisely illustrates the method, making it an easy and perfect guide explaining how to build with wattle and daub book packed with loads of information and great photographs.
The history of wattle and daub and some reconstructions are covered, but more importantly, Paula Sunshine shows a step by step construction of a Wattle and Daub wall!
Weaving Walls – by Thannal Natural Homes
Weaving walls book is a compilation of the work of Thannal Channel documentation at the Sukrushi wattle and Daub cottage. This book intends to make interested individuals familiar with the world of natural building and make them aware of the possibilities of using locally available materials.
It is an illustrated manual for all those who wish to take on an experiment with hand-building their own home.
This step-by-step guide will help the user understand the basics of natural materials and the in-depth processes of making a natural building using cob, wattle & daub, stone, lime, and bamboo.
This book results from a need for the commoner who wants to build his own natural, cost-effective home, making it easily accessible.
Building with Stabilized Mud – by K.S. Jagadish.
Building construction using stabilized mud has been in vogue in different parts of the world for nearly six decades. However, the desirable practices have not been placed on a firm footing due to the sporadic nature of the constructions. The situation is complicated due to the highly variable nature of soil as a construction material.
This monograph is an attempt to summarize the best practices for the use of stabilized mud. The book talks about Materials selection, Compaction of Soils, block manufacturing process, wall construction with mud blocks, cost analysis and Spread of Stabilized Mud Construction in Karnataka and India.
The Rammed Earth House – David Easton
The Rammed Earth House is a beautifully illustrated example of how the most dramatic home design and construction innovations frequently have their origins in the distant past.
By rediscovering the most ancient of all building materials, earth forward-thinking homebuilders can now create structures that set new standards for beauty, durability, and efficient use of natural resources.
Rammed Earth Construction: Cutting-Edge Research on Traditional and Modern Rammed Earth – By Daniela Ciancio and Christopher Beckett
The book talks about the evolution of the rammed earth building by unleashing both traditional and modern techniques. It discusses various topics, including the entire construction procedure, material characterization, durability assessment, and soil suitability.
The book also briefs the thermal performance and seismic design of rammed earth structures. The reader shall remain a valuable reference for academics, engineers, and practitioners to describe the state-of-the-art in rammed earth research and understanding.
Read Rammed Earth Construction by Daniela Ciancio and Christopher Beckett.
The Adobe Book – By John F. O’Connor
A fully illustrated, detailed how-to cover every construction phase from soil and blocks to heating, electricity, plumbing, interiors, exteriors and landscaping. O’Connor was a civil engineer with considerable knowledge of adobe construction.
Adobe: Build It Yourself – By Paul Grham McHenry Jr.
This book explores the depths of adobe and enables the reader to build their own home intelligently and realistically. With an emphasis on adobe construction, the author describes the planning of every aspect of one’s home, from the financing to the foundation, the floors to the fireplaces.
The prospective builder must be prepared for an extended period of frustration, doubt, worry, and hard work. Still, the helpful ideas found on the pages of this book will encourage readers to build despite the challenges.
This book intends to help bridge the gap between architects, builders, artisans, and unskilled but determined individuals who want to build their own homes. This book outlines the technical aspects of adobe construction with several pictures and figures to simplify production.
The Owner-Built Adobe House – By Duane Newcomb
This book remains a helpful guide that will help you build your own adobe house almost anywhere in the country, even in areas not usually considered “adobe country.” Duane Newcomb takes you through every step of the process, from selecting a site, obtaining building permits, drawing plans, excavating, and making bricks to adding kitchen cabinets and finishing the interior.
The Owner-Built Adobe House details every aspect of various types of adobe houses. It includes information on plumbing, electricity, heating and cooling, fireplaces, flooring, and the framing of windows, doors, and roofs.
With sixty-six detailed drawings and photographs accompanying the instructions, this book is the essential manual in the field and is invaluable to both the novice and expert homebuilder.
Adobe Houses for Today: Flexible Plans for Your Adobe Home – By Laura Sanchez, Alex Sanchez
Adobe Houses for Today features 12 plans for compact, beautifully proportioned adobe homes in modern and traditional styles. The richly illustrated text shows how the basic houses, designed for today’s smaller families, can be expanded and adapted to fit readers’ budgets, family sizes, style preferences, and building sites.
The book’s heart details the plans, using them as examples of design techniques that increase livability and control costs in any house. The text in this-* book and its minimal-cost construction drawings are valuable, enjoyable tools for those buying, building, or re-modelling a house.
Read Adobe Houses For Today by Laura Sanchez and Alex Sanchez.
Earthbag Building: The Tools, Tricks and Techniques – By Kaki Hunter and Donald Kiffmeyer
Earthbag Building is the first comprehensive guide to all the tools, tricks, and techniques for building with bags filled with earth-or earthbags.
This profusely illustrated guide first discusses the many merits of earthbag construction. It then leads the reader through the key elements of an earthbag building: Special design considerations, Foundations, walls and floors, Electrical, plumbing and shelving, Lintels, windows and door installations, Roofs, and arches and domes, Exterior and interior plasters.
With dedicated sections on costs, making your specialized tools, building code considerations, and a complete resources guide, Earthbag Building is the long-awaited, definitive guide to this uniquely pleasing construction style.
Building With Earth: A Guide to Flexible-Form Earthbag Construction – by Paulina Wojciechowska
Using inexpensive, recycled, or salvaged polypropylene tubing or textile grain sacks, relatively inexperienced builders can construct a tree-free retreat, studio, or full-time home. This book gives detailed instructions on earth architecture, design and siting, and building of foundations, roofs etc.
Read Building With Earth by Paulina Wojciechowska
Mud Ball – How I Dug Myself Out of the Daily Grind – By Atulya K Bingham
“Despite having very little money, almost no building experience, and endless naysayers who told her she would fail, Atulya K. Bingham completed her lovely earthbag home.
Her personal, inspirational story shows how anyone can build their own sustainable home with earthbags.” Dr. Owen Geiger, Director of the Geiger Research Institute of Sustainable Building, author of the Natural Building Blog and Earthbag Building website.
Read Mud Ball by Atulya K Bingham.