The Human-Powered Home: Choosing Muscles Over Motors

by Tamara Dean

Overview

A complete guide to modern pedaled-powered, treadled, and hand-cranked devices for the home.

What if I could harness this energy? An unusual question for anyone putting in a long stint on a treadmill perhaps, and yet human power is a very old, practical and empowering alternative to fossil fuels. Replacing motors with muscles can be considered a political act -- an act of self-sufficiency that gains you independence.

The Human-Powered Home is a one-of-a-kind compendium of human-powered devices gathered from a unique collection of experts. Enthusiasts point to the advantages of human power:

• Portable and available on-demand
• Close connection to the process or product offers more control
• Improved health and fitness
• The satisfaction of being able to make do with what is available

This book discusses the science and history of human power and examines the common elements of human-powered devices. It offers plans for making specific devices, grouped by area of use, and features dozens of individuals who share technical details and photos of their inventions.

For those who want to apply their own ingenuity, or for those who have never heard of human-powered machines, this book is a fine reference. For those who are beginning to understand the importance of a life of reduced dependency on fossil fuels, this book could be a catalyst for change.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781550923933
Publisher:	New Society Publishers
Publication date:	05/16/2023
Series:	Mother Earth News Books for Wiser Living
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	273
Sales rank:	228,252
File size:	9 MB

About the Author

Tamara Dean is a technical and environmental writer who lives in Wisconsin, where she and her partner David human-power their grain mill, blender, coffee grinder, and assorted electrical gadgets.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Foreword
Introduction
A Note on the Plans

Chapter 1: The Evolution of Human-Powered Devices
 Early Human Power
 The Industrial Revolution
 Compulsory Human Power
 The Bicycle and Its Impact
 Human Power in Appropriate Technology
 Generating Electricity
  David Sowerwine's Village-Scale Human Power Plants
  Raj Pandian's Electricity-Generating Seesaw

Chapter 2: Putting Human Power to Work
 Terms and Measures
 Human Power Generation
 Human Power Potential
 How Do Humans Compare?
  Ray Browning: Improving Health Through Human Power
  Pedal-Powered Concerts
 Elements and Principles of Human-Powered Devices
  Maya Pedal's Bicimáquinas
 Scrounging For Parts
  Bart Orlando
  Working Bikes Cooperative
 Summary: Making Your Own Human-Powered Devices

Chapter 3: Human-Powered Devices for the Kitchen
 Plan for Making a Pedal-Powered Blender
  Frederick Breeden and Just Soap
 Plan for Converting a Hand-Cranked Grain Mill to Pedal Power
 Commercially Available Plans and Devices For the Kitchen
  ChocoSol's Pedal-Powered Cacao Grinder
 Woody Roy Parker's Juicycle

Chapter 4: Human-Powered Devices for Lawn and Garden
 Plan for Making a Bike-Frame Cultivator
  Treadle Pump Designed for Haitian Growers
 Plan for Making a Treadle-Powered Water Pump
 Commercially Available Plans and Devices For Lawn and Garden
  Pedal-Powered Snowplows

Chapter 5: Human-Powered Devices for Housework
  Anne Kusilek's Treadle Sewing Business
 Plan for Converting an Electric Sewing Machine to Treadle Power
 Plan for Making a Pedal-Powered Washing Machine
 Commercially Available Plans and Devices for Housework
  Alex Gadsden's Cyclean

Chapter 6: Human Powered Devices for Recreation and Emergency Preparedness
 Plan for Making a Pedal-Powered Electrical Generator
  David Butcher's Pedal-Powered Prime Mover
 Plan for Making a Pedal-Powered Tool Sharpener
 Commercially Available Plans and Devices For Recreation and Emergency Preparedness
  Jason Moore's Pedal-Powered Laptop Desk
  Eric Hollenbeck and Blue Ox Millworks

Appendix: Further Resources
Notes
Index
About the Author