Humanitarian

Homeless in a Boom State

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WILLISTON, N.D. — When Joey Scott arrived here recently from Montana, he had no trouble finding work — he signed almost immediately with a company working to drill in the oil fields. But finding housing was another matter. Mobile homes and so-called skid shacks line up in a mobile home … Read more

Midget Bushtrekka Bicycle Shelter

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Lauren an avid cyclist discovered this cool little shelter at Target and thought you might be interested in it. I think this fits in with the homeless shelter area of our discussions but could also be used in many other ways too. At $849 it is not the cheapest shelter out there but it is very unique and may be what you are looking for.

Innovative and unique, the Midget Bushtrekka Bicycle Camping Trailer is perfect for the cycling/camping enthusiast. With 120 liters of storage capacity, you can go days without having to resupply.

Constructed of high-strength aluminum and 600-denier ripstop nylon, the Bushtrekka is one rugged trailer. This one-of-a-kind pivoting wheel set and alloy wheels make for a comfortable ride over most terrain.

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The PeePoo Sanitation Alternative for Tiny Houses?

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In the world today, 2.6 billion people have no access to basic sanitation. Human faeces contains infectious and lethal pathogens, causing diseases such as cholera and diarrhea. The situation could be described as an ongoing emergency.

Designer and concept inventor Anders Wilhelson and codesigners Peter Thuvander and Camilla Wirsen together with peepoopeople have codesigned the peepoobag as a sanitation solution that aims at solving this global problem.

The peepoobag is a personal, single-use toilet that sanitises human excreta shortly after defecation. All this is done within a high performance degradable bioplastic bag coated with urea. It requires no water, and after use as the bag breaks down and disintegrates, the treated faeces become fertiliser with a high market value. its design is adapted in every way so that it might be manufactured at as low a price as possible and sold to the groups with weakest purchasing power in the world.

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Cadillac of Homeless Shelters

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My name is Paul Elkins. I live in Stanwood Washington USA with my lovely wife Mary and our two dogs. In my spare time I play in my shop creating a host of toys and things that roll, mostly. They all start as and idea that gets transfered to paper. I’ve been doing this idea hatching thing since I was a kid. I recieving my first serious sketch pad on Christmas morning when I was 8 years old.

My original intent was to design and construct a simple, light weight, water tight insulated box on wheels geared for the northwest climate that an urban street person could reside in (with all the comforts of home of course) and have an area to display and sell handmade wares.

Wayno is demonstrating the proper way to push the shelter. All 225 pounds of it, empty.

Many homeless people are actually more creative than you might think, and not all want to beg or go rummage around in trash cans all day for a living. Homeless people have pride too! Also, this I think would make a better connection with the public.

So, what started as something that was suppose to be simple and cheap, well, let’s say I got a bit carried away…

What we have here is the Cadillac of homeless shelters…

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Codding’s Rapid Deployment Structures

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This past week I had the opportunity to connect with Bill Kastrinos of Tortoise Shell Homes who is also involved with Codding Steel in Rohnert Park, CA. Following the Haiti earthquake Codding and Bill have worked together to design these Rapid Deployment Structures and I had the privilege of seeing the first 12′ x 12′ prototype.

Codding is in the process of working with United Way to set up a way for people to donate directly for these structures for help in such places as Haiti and Chile. The current cost for this unit is around $5000. You can learn more by visiting the Codding’s Rapid Deployment Structures web site.

Codding’s Rapid Deployment Structures (RDS) provide the lightest, strongest, and safest materials able to withstand the harshest of elements.

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Shelter 2.0 – Shelter for the Masses?

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Robert Bridges from Shelter 2.0 contacted me after I ran the Haiti Earthquake and the Tiny House Community article last week to let me know about a shelter he and a friend Bill Young have designed.

Robert says: “It easily assembled as every part is CNC cut and there are very few different pieces. The tarp can be removed once it has been set up and then made more permanent by either sheathing with two layers of 1/4″ ply covered with a rubber membrane or some sort of metal or shingles.”

Over one million people will go to sleep this year without proper shelter, and in the wake of our country’s current economic situation and the continual growth of tent cities here in America, it is the mission of Shelter 2.0 that everyone should have the right to a roof over their head and a floor under their feet.

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