Most think the problem with homeless is money, well not necessarily.
In a lot of cases it is just permission! If you drive around the streets (in and out of towns) you will find loads of small pockets of land which are unused, this unused land can go to great use to site micro homes for people who just cant afford to rent a room let a loan buy a property.
This short video outlines the homeless issue in the US and it just goes to show.... it doesn't need much to start solving problems for people.

New Tiny House owner here. Clashnessie is getting used to the recent addition to our landscape. We are located 100miles NW of Inverness, on the coast road between Lochinver and Kylescu. It is the most beautiful place on the planet.

This tiny house has taken a couple of years to evolve, as, when I first met Mark I told him it had to withstand all weathers, and I mean serious gales, and to be as much off-grid as possible. A far cry from garden rooms and home offices. In the journey of problem solving that he then followed, I can claim to have converted him to the composting toilet (via a trip he made to Glastonbury. - where else!). We hummed and hawed about wind turbines, which would have involved me in seeking planning permission on a subject that has its whole range of sensitivies up here. Instead, and relatively late in the day, Mark found a manufacturer of photovoltaic cells that does the job instead, via 3 pairs of 12v batteries. So I have light, recharging capacity, and, at this time of year in the north, the capacity for microwave cookery. Heating with a solid fuel stove (not wood burning - no wood here) turned out to be impossible, as all available stoves turned tiny house space into a sauna in 10 minutes. More critically, the flue height is such that sparks might come out of the top and land on the cedar roof. So I have a lovely cast iron butane stove, that looks like a solid fuel one, but has the advantage of being on wheels, allowing for different configurations of the space. My hot water is brilliantly provided by a serious boiler that runs on propane and two torch batteries for the ignition system.
The interior space is relatively clear, and I hope to keep it that way, having thoughts about alternative storage solutions. I am determined not to create the caravan or narrow-boat galley look. I have space, and want to keep it that way. I have ordered a Twingle from the Futon Company however, having previous experience of their superior mattresses. This will make a two-seater sofa, a chaise longue, or a single bed for those who can't climb the stairs or do not wish to share a bed with the person who can.
Last night I climbed those stairs and slept in the house myself, deliberating on which way round to sleep. In the end, I put my head in the dormer window, woke at five and rolled over to marvel at the panorama of the dawn over beach, sea and mountains. And today the local builder came to connect the water and gave the whole thing his seal of approval. I value this. There are detractors, who can't wait to see it blow away (it won't - this was a serious consideration in the basic design spec and a no-brainer), or who just think It looks unusual (good!), but it has been embraced by this small community which pulled out all the stops in abysmal weather to get it safely on site. So thank you Mark and Jen for making the journey with me., because there were times...
I'll continue to post developments as the interior space develops and the exterior is landscaped to look less like a sea of rock and mud. Current plans suggests, however, that I'll be up and running in mid August, so if anyone fancies a short cheap flight to Inverness, a hire car, and a break in one of Europe's remote places, do let me know ([email protected]). And calling all astronomers, this is one of the dark places of Europe and Tiny House has spectacular unimpeded views, especially to the North.

Jumping out of bed at 4am is a shock to the system but has to be done to get the Clashnessie Tiny House to London on time.
The streets of London seems very quiet at 7am but an hour later this bridge was bumper to bumper!

Today, we are filming for Channels 4's "Gadget Man" staring Richard Ayoade (He's the one who looks like he's been Tangoed!

By 7.15 most of the film crew had arrived and started unloading vans with camera gear, props and all the gadgets needed to film the program.
The best part was a brand new Land Rover (with 75 miles on the clock) supplied for me to tow the 3 ton Tiny House past famous landmarks which will be used as part of the program, Awesome.

Once it has all been edited, the program is due to be aired in August on Channel 4, be sure to watch :-)

Bespoke Barn style garden cabin attached to the house. Kew, Surrey.

Its all about our children, our children's children and our children's children's children.

22 years ago, 12 year old Severn Cullis-Suzuki Silenced the World. Her speech was given at a U.N. assembly in Brazil. What has changed since then? Not much!

Speechless aren't you ? So was I

So what now?

This planet (Earth) is 4.567 BILLION years old and we (humans) have been living here for 250,000 years (roughly). We have managed to wreck this place in only 150 years and the last 20 years have been the worst.
Stephen Hawking recons we have about 100 years left on this planet before it has had enough of us.

You can help...  spread the word...

Please "Like" my Facebook page, "Follow" me on Twitter or "SHARE" this before you go.

You may have seen the progress of our latest build which I am pleased to say is now finished and has been delivered to Freshwings Camping, Pickham Farm near Hastings. Anne & Tim, the new owners will be adding all the finishing touches and the "Cosy Cottage" it will soon be open to the public where you can stay in it for the weekend or a short summer break. If Glamping in the UK, choose Freshwinds Camping, Near Hastings.

If you go to stay at The Cosy Cottage, we would love to see some photos or video of you enjoying your stay.
Tag us on Facebook or Twitter.

Poetry Potting Shed with Michael Rosan!

In all it’s glory, the Poetry Potting Shed began its first day of residence in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park with a fantastic turnout of sunshine and school children, all listening and participating in an array of poetry, riddles & storytelling with the famous children’s storyteller Michael Rosan.

With his charm and warming personality, Michael Rosan had everyone gleeing with joy, definitely a hit with the school children, who found themselves playing along with his activities seamlessly.

Interiorly designed by Paul Burgess the shed also aesthetically embodies the poetry from those who visit, accumulating more throughout the course of it’s stay, from the chalkboards, to the windows, & even sound recorded to be played inside the shed.

Kevin Holland gives you all a quick tour of our Solar Powered, Tiny House Kit.
Once you have the kit, you can add to it, customize it and be proud of it. Its amazing what you can do if you put your mind to it and we can help you do just that.
We can supply all the extras (composting wc, solar power kit etc) that you will need to build....
....THIS:

The shower is powered by two Duracell Batteries and a bottle of gas much like a BBQ. A small boat pump can feed the burners that will heat the water very fast. A thermostat is recommended to tone the heat down as it can achieve Temperatures too hot to handle. The system can also be connected to a garden hose which will eliminate the need for the pump and mains pressure turns the unit into a power shower, better than a Triton electric shower unit.

Also in the shower/wet room is a composting toilet. With plenty of off grid WC’s on the market, the eco-toilet is by far the best I have seen. A small fan is fitted which removes all odors and helps to dry out the solids. Two options are available, 12v and 24v depending on the tiny house electrical set up.

The Tiny House will be rolling out of our workshop in the next few days and will be towed to Hastings when it will be rented out for short breaks on a farm.

I will update you all when it has been furnished and the kitchen installed.

For information about the Solar Kit or any other product, please email me at: [email protected]