I’ve long been interested in the tiny house movement and admired the homes and the resolve of those who live in them.  I am particularly fond of tiny houses with wheels, but that is another story altogether.   My family of four has recently moved into a smaller house (all four of us, plus the two dogs are unlikely to ever fit into a tiny house, so smaller will have to do for us) and in the process of doing so, we’ve had to get rid of some of our excess stuff.  We’ve shed furniture mostly, but I’ve also cleared out and passed on clothes and toys to make our home less cluttered.

And that brings me to the inspiration for this blog post.

Firstly, Julie Cohen of Better Than Fiction Productions emailed me the link to a video that she produced for PBS about a lady called Dee Williams who lives in a tiny house.

Watch the full episode. See more Need To Know.

And secondly, I read this morning at Bindu Wiles blog that she is starting a community project called the Shed Project, which has nothing whatsoever to do with sheds (or tiny houses), but fits perfectly alongside the story of tiny houses because it’s all about shedding the bumf that we don’t really need (including excess body weight).

I’m going to be taking part in the Shed Project to see what I can shed. If you’re interested in getting rid of some of your excess, Bindu Wiles will be launching the project in about a month’s time, so add her to your feed reader if you don’t want to miss out.

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Greendrinks.org describes itself as an organic, self-organising network of people interested in green living and/or who work in the environmental field. It’s a great place to meet people who view the environment the way you do. I’ve attended the Newlands meet-up at Josephine Mill before, and met a guy who builds wind turbines in his backyard, an alternative energy expert, composting toilet specialist, artist, blogger and architect. Everyone talks about saving the planet and practical ways that they’re doing their bit.

This Tuesday, 13th July, I’m going to be joining artist Janet Botes to launch ecojunki at the Atlantic Seaboard Greendrinks Meet-up. We’ll be showing some of our own recycled art and crafts, and inviting Greendrink-ers to bring along their own recyclables for a demonstration/have-a-go.

If you’re in Cape Town and want to come along, here are the details:

Atlantic Seaboard Greendrinks
Cape Creative Exhibition Centre, 37, Main Road, Greenpoint
Tuesday 13th July 2010
6 pm for 6.30 pm – till 9 pm
The theme for the evening is greening visual arts and wine making
Time changes for this month : 6 pm for 6.30 pm – till 9 pm.

Eco artist and activist Janet Botes will present the Ecojunki movement and projects in Waste Art.
Bring recycled packaging (paper, plastic) which can be used for a demonstration !

All Capetonian artists are invited to participate in an open discussion about how to green Visual Arts.

Heron Ridge Wine Farm from Helderberg will be presenting their experience of farming the wine biodynamically and offer some wine tasting, which you will be able to compliment for a small contribution with some cheese platters from African Cheese and Wine Tours.

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Swish, swish, swish.  It’s all the rage.  Eco-fashionistas, this is for you.

There are two swishing events happening in the next little while, one in London (UK) and one in Cape Town (RSA).  See their details below.

Incase you can’t read the fine print, here’s a close-up:

For the Cape Town (Northern suburbs) event, check out the Fashion Exchange website or their Facebook page for more info.  Take note that you will need a ticket for the Cape Town event.  Here are the basics:

And for the activist at a loose end next weekend, why not join in with a mass action called by London Rising Tide, London Tar Sands Network and Climate Camp London.

Party at the Pumps Part 2 is taking place just three days before Shell’s AGM, where the company will come under fire from shareholders over its plans in the Canadian tar sands; and a week before the Merthyr to Mayo solidarity bike ride, which will link two communities in Wales and Ireland resisting fossil fuel extraction.

When: Saturday, 15th May
Meet: 1PM at Oxford Circus
Bring: a zone 1-2 tube pass, noisemakers, your friends & family and your
dancing shoes
Oxford Circus meeting point map: http://tinyurl.com/OCnw-SVmap

Shutting down a petrol station for 5 hours on a sunny Saturday afternoon
was so much fun we’re going to do it again. Shell’s Hell – in the tar
sands and beyond – is next in the firing line.

Party 1 had Samba, twin sound systems, a live Ceilidh band, face-painting,
free cakes and 200 people. Party 2 will be bigger and better, with
activists joining us from Brighton, Oxford and beyond.

Watch the video call-out here:

And while there aren’t any protest parties going on in Cape Town on that day, there is this community market, which is well worth supporting:

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