How to Make Biomass Energy Sustainable Again
Categories:
[Obsolete Technology]
From the Neolithic to the beginning of the twentieth century, coppiced woodlands, pollarded trees, and hedgerows provided people with a sustainable supply of energy, materials, and food.
Image: Pollarded trees in Germany. Image: René Schröder (CC BY-SA 4.0).
How is Cutting Down Trees Sustainabl
...Too Much Combustion, Too Little Fire
Categories:
[Obsolete Technology]
The fire – which we have used in our homes for over 400,000 years – remains the most versatile and sustainable household technology that humanity has ever known.
Illustration: Diego Marmolejo.
The fire – which we have used in our homes for over 400,000 years – remains the most versatile and...
Could We Dredge the Netherlands Without Fossil Fuels?
Categories:
[Obsolete Technology]
For centuries, the Netherlands were mainly dredged by hand, supplemented by animal power, wind power and tidal power. Could it be done again?
1699 scale model of a scratcher rigged with sails. Image: Maritiem Digitaal
The dredging industry has been the backbone of the Dutch economy for centuri...