mike-basich / Green Building & Sustainable Home Renovation Information & Advice

Carpenter ants are a common pest and nuisance to get rid of in homes
Pest control

Removing insects and rodents from your home, safely & humanely (by preference)

Insects & Rodents, how to show them the door... Below is a list of some of the more common rodents and insects that invade homes, and some ideas on how to rid yourself of the offending guests. We would certainly advocate for the most humane and non-toxic solutions first, but we have included other options if the hi...

Earthship in Taos, New Mexico, shame they don't work in cold climates
Concept and design

Do Earthships work in cold climates?

I'm not the Mike Reynolds who invented the Earthship, I'm the Mike Reynolds who thinks Earthships in Canada and other cold climates are a bad idea. A coincidence of names; just putting that out there so The Garbage Warrior doesn't get hate mail that belongs to me.  Where did the Earthship come from? It first showed up ...

E-bikes and electric scooters- green transportation
Lifestyle, location and commuting

Why you should get an E-bike now

Ebikes or electric bikes - an increasing trend for urban commuting A basic ebike gives a rider about the same experience as a normal bike, just with a bit less effort. You can still ride on bike paths, you’ll still need to pedal, you’ll still get exercise and burn calories (though perhaps a few less).  As an interestin...

Electric scooter for commuting
Commuting

The Scrooser: Electric e-bike / scooter for urban commuting

Enter the Scrooser. The Scrooser is a German engineered electric scooter / e-bike with a top speed of 24 km (15 mph) and a range of 35.5 km (22 miles). It works with an Impulse Drive that is literally kickstarted by it's rider as the engine engages when the scooter reaches speeds over 3 km per hour.  The Scrooser no...

Commuting after Lock-down in the new Covid-19 World
Lifestyle, location and commuting

Green commuting - getting back to work after social distancing is relaxed

All nations want and need to get back to work, and soon, but there's going to have to be a lot of adjustments to how we actually do it. When we start to get back to normal after COVID-19, (the new normal anyway), there will likely be an extended period of time where we are all a little leery of shaking that first hand,...

Moving to the Countryside - How to make it Work
Lifestyle, location and commuting

Moving to the countryside? Here's how that can work...

With so many of us being forced to work from home, this has brought many changes to our economy, our priorities and our lifestyles. Not only is there a sudden interest in how to set up a home office, but other green lifestyle choices are popping up; like growing food at home, and safe transportation in terms of commuti...

Cutting a 110 year old dying pine tree.
Recycled and Reclaimed Materials

The rise of urban logging

It's always a bit sad to watch an old and seemingly healthy tree come down. But if it must, it's great to do something useful with it. This 110 year old pine tree in Chelsea, Quebec that was looming over two homes started to show signs of rot. With a new building project slated to go right underneath it, it was time to...

Sustainable Habits at Home Make a Difference
Lifestyle and environment

Simple and affordable ways to live more sustainably every day

Let's be inspired, every day According to a recent survey sponsored by Google of more than 3,000 Americans by using a type of AI called natural language processing, which is where they cluster and analyze thousands of opinions by theme to identify how people felt about environmental issues.  The keyword for how we feel...

How to REPAIR DRYWALL - jam that sticky white stuff in those holes folks
Walls and ceilings - interior surfaces

How to repair drywall - fill holes, cracks and dents in walls like a pro

DIY drywall repairs are an easy home improvement that pretty much anyone can handle. Cracks and dents in drywall are cosmetic only, so if you completely screw up a drywall repair job, the only real problem would be a fresh dent in your ego. The most common damage to drywall consists of dents, minor cracks and popped na...

Top Ten Home Renovation Shows on TV
Real estate

North America's Top Ten Home Renovation TV Shows

Are you considering buying a first home, a fan of home renovation shows on TV, and so perhaps pondering embarking on your own fixer-upper adventure? If so, you're somewhat in luck! North American television is currently brimming with entertaining and educational programs that showcase the highs and lows of older home r...

How to Build a Beautiful Cedar Deck that Last - Our Top Tips & Photos
Decks, porches and gazebos

Building a deck ? Our Top Tips to make your deck last longer

Deck building tips for a durable deck construction: Meeting setbacks and getting building permits in Canada & US Raised Deck frame specification - make sure the structure is strong enough Which raised deck foundations are best: cement pillars (Sonotubes), screw piles, floating deck blocks What's the best type of d...