Written and published on 25 January 2015; revised
- SUBSISTENCE LIVING
- WATER LIFTS
- SOLAR STILLS
- HOUSING
- SANITATION
- DO-IT-YOURSELF BUILDING AND PROJECT PLANS
- PRIMITIVE TECHNOLOGY
Dear Ones,
Here is information on subsistence living that I found intriguing. For myself, I’ve printed what looked important out.
SUBSISTENCE LIVING
Link: “Subsistence Economy,” in Wikipedia … https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subsistence_economy ..
Link: “Grit: Rural American Know-How” … http://www.grit.com/ ..
Link: “Mother Earth News” … https://www.motherearthnews.com ..
Link: “The Old Farmer’s Almanac” … http://www.almanac.com/ ..
WATER LIFTS
Link: “Archimedes Screw,” in Wikipedia … https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archimedes%27_screw ..
Link: “Egypt’s Nile Valley Basin Irrigation,” by Sandra Postel … http://www.waterhistory.org/histories/nile/t1.html ..
Link: “Noria,” a water lift, in Wikipedia … https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noria ..
Video: “Wooden Water Wheel in Europe,” [Noria], by epSOS.de, 24 April 2015 … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VxMgfRcgp8 … Notice the shape of the buckets, which may be important to the function.
Link: “Sakia Water Pump,” in Wikipedia … https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sakia ..
Link: “Shadoof,” a counterpoise lift, in Wikipedia … https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadoof ..
SOLAR STILLS

Image: “Solar Still,” by Solar_still.svg: Daniele Pugliesi, retouched, no date given, from Wikimedia Commons … https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Puits_Solaire.jpg … CC BY-SA 3.0 Unported, 2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic, and 2.0 Generic
Image: “Solar Still,” by Solar_still.svg: Daniele Pugliesi, retouched, no date given, from Wikimedia Commons … https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Puits_Solaire.jpg … CC BY-SA 3.0 Unported, 2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic, and 2.0 Generic
Here is a variant on this, using a tub, a water glass, a sheet of heavy duty plastic, twine or tape, and plastic tubing …
Image: Homemade, High-Output Solar Water Still … https://i.pinimg.com/736x/cf/a4/46/cfa4461e2f7578c34b3e9dae5ba24e9c–water-still-camping-survival.jpg ..
Here are more references on the topic:
- Link: “How to Build a Solar-Powered Still to Purify Drinking Water,” by Rich M … http://www.offthegridnews.com/grid-threats/how-to-build-a-solar-powered-still-to-purify-drinking-water/ ..
- Link: “Solar Still” … http://www.bionity.com/en/encyclopedia/Solar_still.html ..
- Link: “Solar Still,” in Wikipedia … https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_still ..
HOUSING
Link: “Hut,” in Wikipedia … https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hut … See also the links at the bottom of the page.
Link: “These Quonset Inexpensive Kit Homes Start at Less than $8,000” … http://buildinghomesandliving.com/metal-buildings/these-quonset-inexpensive-kit-homes-start-at-less-than-8000 ..
SANITATION
Link: “Simple Pit Latrines,” WHO … http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/hygiene/emergencies/fs3_4.pdf ..
Link: “Appropriate Technologies on Low-Cost Toilet Technology,” Gramalaya – Tiruchirapalli … http://www.gramalaya.in/pdf/appropriateLowcost_toilet_technology.pdf ..
DO-IT-YOURSELF BUILDING AND PROJECT PLANS
- Link: “Guide to Do-It-Yourself Projects,” by Mother Earth News … http://www.motherearthnews.com/diy/directory-of-diy-plans-zl0z1404zswa ..
- Link: “Projects and Plans,” by Popular Mechanics … http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/how-to-plans/ ..
PRIMITIVE TECHNOLOGY
- Link: “Primitive Technology,” a youtube series … https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAL3JXZSzSm8AlZyD3nQdBA ..
- Link: “Primitive Skills,” a youtube series … https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs8DNFOxYen3kuj87aWKG9g ..
In love, light and joy,
I Am of the Stars
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sustainable living, Archimedes screw, drinking water, low tech water, Nile irrigation, noria, primitive sanitation, primitive water, sakia, shadoof, simple well, solar still, survival skills, water for the world, water lifts, solar stills, alternative housing,