I'm planning on building a getaway up in the mountains, and i was thinking these idea's might nature friendly?

Question

I have 5 acres and a stream running through it and i was thinking of building a wooden shed with 2 dynamo's with paddles on them next to the stream and those dynamo's would charge up 8 12 volt deep cycle marine batteries that i would use for electricity, also i was going to put in one of those Envirolet composting toilets but i'm not sure how good they would work, so would this be a good start for an eco-friendly cabin and what else could i do to make it even more eco-friendly?

Answer 1

I think that's agreat idea. If you don't build it someone else will, and they will probably not go green. The more people that go gren the mre people that follow...

Answer 2

There are lots of really good websites on alternative technologies which should help and give you lots of ideas and information.

Good luck.

Answer 3

Hate to tell you but your ideas are more than likely illegal.

Environmentalist have gotten almost all dams, bridges, waterwheels, and such devices made illegal here in the U.S.A.  Make sure you check your local state and county laws BEFORE you set it up.  

If it is illegal, you will probably be facing whopping fines of $10K or so if you are caught.  After all, you might kill a fish.  Be sure to thank an environmentatlist next time you see one.  Here in Idaho, you cannot even put a paddle wheel in the irregation canals where there are NO fish....that's how warped the laws are.  Wouldn't it be great to get double use of the irregation water?  Use it to generate energy with it's flow, and to water the crops...how "green" would that be?  

Composting toilets are EXTREMELY difficult to get approved.  You might concider a normal toilet/septic tank, but add a solar room on the south side of your cabin.  You could grow many plants in that room, even in winter.  You can also run the grey water from your cabin through the built in planters in your solar room.  Grey water is the water from your sink, shower, and washer if you have one.  That gets a double use out of much of the water you use.

You state you purchased the land in an area where a forest fire went through.  Make sure you put a metal roof on you cabin, and keep it clean and clear of pine needles, leaves, pinecones, ect.

Are burned trees still standing in the area?  Again, thank the enviromentalist.  They tie up timber salvage opertations in court.  They only have to tie it up in court for 4-5 years, and the timber is worthless to the lumber companies.  If they had allowed the timber salvage to happen, new trees would have been planted after the harvest.  Waiting for a forest to regenerate on it's own will take much longer than a human lifetime.

Are you a handyman type of guy, and going to build the cabin yourself?  You might want to look into straw bale construction, or (if you have a very good back) concider rammed earth construction.

Straw bale is fast and fairly easy to put up.  Best of all the adobe that goes over the straw bale makes it very fireproof.

Rammed earth is completely fireproof, and also bullet proof.  If you live in, or near woods, you will probably be dealing with idiot hunters at some point.  95% of hunters are great people, who know what they are doing, and wouldn't dream of shooting something, until they are POSSITIVE of what it is.  It's that 5% that will shoot at anything that twitches that are dangerous.  Like shooting a snowy white alpaca, that was standing next to its bright red barn, in its well fenced corral?!  (Happened to a friend of mine....the hunter thought it was a deer!)

Having a wood burning stove is an excellent source of heat.  Be sure you stockpile and stack your wood, before the rains and snows set in.

Concider a wind turbine, to generate your energy, or investing in solar panels, if you have a tree free area.  A skystream 3.7 would more than supply the energy needs of a cabin.

Since you are planning a garden, fence it WELL, right from the start.  If you live in an area of forrest, you probably have more deer around than you know.  Deer will happily come and eat your garden in the night.

Concider adding a small flock (like six or so) of free ranging hens.  They will help control bugs for you, and give you protien, via some really healthy and delicious eggs.  If you have a dog, or a cat, you can also suppliment their diet with some scrambled, or hard boiled eggs.

Hot air rises.  Concider installing a ceiling fan, so you can blow the hot air from your wood stove back down.

Since you are a guy, "mark your territory" outside as much as possible.  Wild animals are fairly respectful of this.

If you have a lot of brush to clear (especially if you have poison oak, or poison ivy), concider a few goats.  They will happily do the job for you.  Goats actually make wonderful companion animals, just as dogs do.  Or if you don't want them to be pets, get a few that have not been bottle raised, nor handled very much.  They will be shy of you, and you will not get too attached to them.  When they are done clearing the brush for you, you can have them butchered.....goat meat is delicious.

Most important though is have fun with your endevores, and take lots of pictures so you can see your progress.

~Garnet

Permaculture homesteading/farming over 20 years

Raising meat goats since 1999

Answer 4

I'D MAKE SURE YOU HAVE SURE YOU HAVE A SAFE STONE ROOF WITH THE EXCRUIATING HEAT THATS COMING

Answer 5

Make it eco friendly by not building it and staying home.

Answer 6

If you were really "nature friendly", you would live in the city and leave your five acres be.

Answer 7

Make sure you use biodegradable soap with no phosphates to wash dishes.  Use a porta-potty and empty it properly in the city, outhouses are only good if they can be pumped out and have their waste treated before being put back in the water supply.  I'm not sure about the envirolet composting toilets as we don't have them here.  A lot of the wood that hardware stores sell is treated with chemicals so it lasts longer, but these chemicals are toxic and pollute the water, so please buy untreated wood, I think cedar is supposed to last long, it might cost a bit more but it is worth it.  Don't leave or bury your garbage up there you can bring it back with you when you leave and throw it out at home.  That is what we do, we just put it in two bags so it doesn't leak and that way the animals don't get into the garbage and cause a mess.  There are lanterns you can buy that don't take batteries they just have a crank handle and to charge them  you just turn the handle every so often, this may not help too much up there but you don't need to worry about little batteries and you don't need electricity for light you can use it for other things, plus the lanterns are really cool.

Answer 8

Love your ideas!  Go to the bookstore or library for more ideas -- I know there are some really great magazines and other resources availble.

Answer 9

What about the plants, animals and insects you will displace or disturb?    Is that being "nature friendly"?  Have you thought about  that?