Home & Garden > sustainability

A superb guide to the healthy and natural way to make the things we use every day in our homes and gardens. Contains a wealth of information on ways to save money, and easy to read and helpful advice on how to make your lifestyle more natural and sustainable.

Did you know that some baby wipes contain a substance which is banned for use in products which are inhaled? How many times have you wiped your baby's nose with a baby wipe? Find out how to make your own baby wipes and 84 other natural products to keep harmful toxins found in everyday products away from your baby. Step back in time and learn how our grandmothers cared for their babies in this easy to read, highly entertaining and thoroughly researched guide to the sometimes nerve-wracking business of having babies.

When it was published in 2005, Spotless immediately became a massive bestseller, and the success continued with Spotless 2. Packed with advice and solutions to stains, cleaning and household problems for every room in your house, these books were embraced by hundreds and thousands of readers all over Australia. Now, for the first time, both these classic household companions are available in one beautiful hardback edition. This handsome book will see you through many a domestic crisis, and its durable format means that it will beco... read more

From soaps, shampoos and fragrances to household cleaners and bug repellants made with natural ingredients, anyone can make a difference in the environment and their personal health. This book provides 101 recipes, with step-by-step photos, for consumers who want to make their own eco-friendly products. Personal products include bath soaps, perfumes, salves and ointments. Products for the home include window cleaners, laundry cleaners and insect repellants.

The honey bee is a miracle. It is the cupid of the natural world. It pollinates crops; making plants bear fruit and helping farmers make money. But in this age of vast industrial agribusiness, never before has so much been asked of such a small wonder. And never before has its survival been so unclear - and the future of our food supply so acutely challenged. In steps John Miller, or rather in he bounds. Miller tasks himself with the care and safe transportation of billions of bees. He is descended from N.E. Miller, America's first... read more

With the textile industry able to make cloth more quickly and cheaply than ever before, why make your own? The answer is simple: nothing could be more different and unique than hand-made textiles. Weaving your own textiles for use in clothing or furnishings is a rewarding and satisfying activity - with the added benefit of knowing that the whole process can be done just as well by hand, using almost no energy but your own! This book looks at where different fibres come from, how to grow and harvest your own vegetable fibres, and ho... read more

Bicarbonate of soda is far more than a baking ingredient - it can be used in all manner of household tasks including cleaning, laundry, animal care, and health and beauty. This is the essential guide to maximizing the potential of this cheap, environmentally-friendly and multi-purpose product. Tips range from removing baked-on food from pans to making your own facial scrub, from getting stubborn stains out of your clothes to shampooing your dog. "Bicarbonate of Soda" also gets the kids involved, with some fun science experiments an... read more

How New Zealanders can tackle climate changeClimate change has become one of the central issues of our time, yet it is an issue weighed down by messages of doom and gloom and a pervasive sense of helplessness about how we should effectively respond. This book offers a positive response by presenting solutions from a range of New Zealand experts, all of whom show how we can rethink our current practices, mobilise people and put in place new ways of doing things that will help create a carbon neutral society here in the South Pacific... read more

As Carol Wilson shows in this practical and inspirational book, there are several different methods of preserving fruits and vegetables and all give delicious results. Jams, jellies, fruit butters and curds, bottled fruits, chutneys, pickles and salted vegetables are all practical and economical ways to preserve seasonal produce. And you don

Offers safe and effective alternatives for cleaning agents, spot removal and general cleaning around the home. By using non-toxic products to clean and remove stains, you are putting your family and the environment first. We all want clean and hygienic homes, yet many of us are concerned at the high level of chemicals being used. This guide shows you real alternatives!

Vinegar may not be the first thing that springs to mind when you need to get rid of a stubborn wine stain or soothe a tickly cough, but this ancient cupboard staple is regaining its rightful place as a cheap, versatile solution to many household tasks. This invaluable book has sections on how to use vinegar in the laundry, DIY, gardening, health and beauty, pet care and of course in the kitchen. Hundreds of hints, tips, advice and recipes are provided in a clear, accessible style.

Plastic built the modern world. Where would we be without bike helmets, toothbrushes, babies bottles and pacemakers? But a century into our love affair with plastic, we're starting to realise it's not such a healthy relationship. Plastics draw on dwindling fossil fuels, leach harmful chemicals, litter landscapes, and destroy marine life. As journalist Susan Freinkel points out in this engaging and eye-opening book, we're nearing a crisis point. We've produced as much plastic in the past decade as we did in the entire twentieth cent... read more

What could be better than enjoying a glass of delicious home-brewed organic beer? This book includes everything you'll need to know to brew a variety of beers at home, from the equipment and techniques needed to a few inside secrets from a professional brewer. In this timely book, John Parkes demystifies the brewing process and explains in easy-to-follow terms how anyone can produce delicious beer with the help of just some basic equipment and a few key skills. Those new to home brewing will love the easy-to-follow instructions and... read more

Water is one of our most precious resources and today we are faced with the challenge of how we can make the most out of it. We know about recycling our bottles and cans and kitchen waste, but how much do we know about conserving water? Do we know how much water we use daily? Do we know how much we waste? With many practical water-saving and water-gathering tasks for the home and garden, How to Harvest Water shows us how we can do our bit for the planet. With the arrival of smart water meters and a general increased interest in gr... read more

What could be more wonderful than being able to soothe your own and your family's aches and pains naturally?
Here Melissa Corkhill gives advice for treating common conditions and illnesses at home using remedies provided by Mother Nature. In this book you'll discover how to treat non-serious complaints, such as coughs, colds and sore throats, as well as suggestions for easing the strain of more permanent conditions like eczema, arthritis and asthma. Packed with easy-to-follow recipes using herbs, essential oils and ing... read more

As life gets busier and backyards get smaller, it is a challenge to grow food and live more sustainably. Janet Luke shows that it can be done. She calls it Gurbing or Green Urban Living - a way of working with nature to create a productive urban garden. There are no hard and fast rules, and it might just be a worm-farm on an apartment balcony or some herbs in pots but the basic principles are the same. This book evokes some of the methods used in traditional Kiwi backyards, with modern concepts like recycling, organics and using wa... read more

Making Your Home Sustainable is a practical and easy-to-follow guide for homeowners, builders and architects who are concerned about the effects of climate change and environmental degradation and want to do something about reversing the trend.

Everything you need to know about honey, how it is made and the history of its uses, plus a section dedicated to culinary recipes, health and beauty. This book is a celebration of one of Nature's most powerful ingredients and how to use it for health, beauty and cooking. It includes a history of honey bees, and hints and tips on the art of bee-keeping and features a directory of honeys and many delicious ways to try them out in the kitchen.

Lemon juice is an unexpectedly good cleaning agent and odour-eater. If you are looking for an economical and environmentally-friendly way to clean around your house then try this magical, readily-available juice. This practical guide is packed with hundreds of tips for every household.