apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I'd like to know more about raising rabbits for food. My husband and I are trying to be more self sufficient with our food. We have a serious garden now, and will be raising chickens this year. I've seen a few articles about rabbits, and thought that would be another way to increase our own food production.

I would just like to learn where I can buy the bed linens and curtains in the pic on the lower right side..Thanks

I would love to see some articles, pictures, DIY instructions, etc. about hydroponic or aquaponic systems for growing plants (edible or not) indoors year-round.

And I would love to see more inspiring examples of creative reuse.

Finally, I feel passionately that "green" must go beyond just "environmentally friendly" this-and-that-expensive-shiny-product, but to really mean "sustainability" in a triple-bottom-line sense: good for the economy, environment, and social equity. Maybe some features on affordable housing, rebuilding in New Orleans or Haiti, community gardening, and products that improve people's lives. A couple of design-centered ideas to start:
- Project H Design: http://projecthdesign.org/ humanitarian product design organization. The director and author of the accompanying book "Design Revolution" was on Colbert last week! They have a roadshow touring the country in the coming months.
- Archeworks: http://www.archeworks.org/ Chicago-based alternative design school where students partner with local nonprofits to address social and environmental issues through outside-the-box design.

This summer I am planning on buying a home, so I would love to see some serious DIY projects. Refinishing floors, making your own countertops, painting tile, etc. Gotta keep it on the cheap! :-)

I would also love to hear more about gardening (starting one) and edible landscaping.

And boy oh boy would I love to learn more about chickens. (most important being how to keep snakes away due to the fact that here in Arkansas we have super poisonous snakes EVERYWHERE!)

Thanks for asking!!!!

Can't think of anything! Keep up the good work. :D

Eek! I might avoid the raising rabbits for food special. Me and my husband raise a rabbit for friendship.

I'd like to explore non-toxic – to humans and pets – ways to treat bugs (flies, mosquitos, ants, aphids, spiders) in the garden and home.

I'd like to learn about more gardening options for apartment dwellers. For instance how can I mount window boxes outside my 3rd floor brick apartment window??? Also info on CSA farms. Oh, and cheese making. I guess a lot to do with being more self sufficient regarding food.

Affordable DIY projects are always great too. I mean I'd love to learn about clever ways to use little solar panels, but it doesn't matter does it if I can't afford them.

Thanks, everyone, for your suggestions! Keep 'em coming!

i'd like some how to's on making your own cleaning products, especially for getting stains out of clothing and upholstery. drycleaners and cleaning machines give me the creeps....

I like elementarian's suggestion about profiling organizations!

I always love hearing about entrepreneurial projects, companies, and behaviors that are making the world more sustainable, because then I can support them, shop with them, and adopt those habits.

It also gives me inspiration for places I'd like to work or businesses I'd like to start. So although it's not exactly how-to for the home, it's how-to for my life!

Oh, and I like wyzwomyn's suggestion too - maybe this is the year I'll finally start making my own cleaning products!

oh yes, I totally need gardening help for apartment dwellers! also, how to not kill my apartment garden. (I can't grow rosemary to save my life.) and none of the community gardens in my city are a reasonable walking or biking distance. and composting in an apartment. worms? I doubt I could convince my husband that we need worms in our 500 sq ft apartment.

adding to the tally for apartment friendly gardens, cleaning products, and maybe more posts about living paper-free, plastic-free, etc. like that recent paper towel-less kitchen post. and another big nod toward elementarian's suggestions.

I also like the idea of profiling companies - I have been able to "discover" and support several companies do to excellent coverage from this site. Also, I'd love to see more budget-friendly, organic clothes lines/options covered. And it would be really cool to see a regular feature on sustainability or environmentally friendly practices in hobbies (painting, sewing, scrapbooking, gaming, etc.) for those of us who love our hobby but feel guilty about the waste involved.

I would love to see more info on edible gardens in the southwest! Most of the gardening posts on here are geared towards those who live in naturally green places, which is great and all, but the info provided is not often applicable to cultivating a seasonal garden in the desert (I'm in Arizona.)

I also second buda's request for more ways to get rid of pests (roaches, crickets and scorpions especially!) with methods that are non-toxic for pets and children.

Akbuilt, I understand your request about organic clothes, but Re-Nest (as with all of Apartment Therapy) is purely home-based, and we don't cover fashion of any sort.

PLEASE: Composting in an apartment.

If you have already done this, could you re-post? I did a search and couldn't find much...

Thanks for asking!

Hurray, AT is getting back to solutions for real people. Isn't that what AT used to be about?

I'd like to see more CHEAP, CREATIVE DIY and CREATIVE REUSE - That, to me, is what green is all about. Green living is not about spending a fortune for some expensive gadget. I want to know how real people are solving problems on a shoestring budget. Need I mention the state of the economy and job market these days....

Some ideas:

How to re-grout my bath tub
How to install track lighting (I know, but it the best option for the space)
How to install a new pedestal sink

I'd love to get some basic hacks for growing plants in a dim apartment - our windows are small and direct light is rare. How do you maximize small windows? Northern exposures?