If you aren’t already familiar with it, Instructables is a website that offers step-by-step instructions on creating all kinds of DIY projects, ranging from relatively easy crafts to complicated robotics projects. While they are focusing on green projects for this current contest, they regularly have all manner of do-it-yourself projects. The site’s focus is on not just making things, but on showing other people how to make the cool things you have made, and how you did it.

There are many green projects on the Instructables site, beyond those that are already entries in the current ‘Go Green’ contest. Anything that you can create, and more importantly, that you can show someone else how to create, is a candidate for this contest:

"You can reuse vintage floppies, make your own cloth grocery bags, build some recycled modular shelving, a sun jar, a solar heater, or a wind generator. Move onto solar energy, worm compost, or even ditch your car for an electric bike!
Need more ideas? Check out TreeHugger’s great list of simple ways to Go Green, and the green coverage on PopSci.

"So, reduce, reuse, repurpose, recycle, and rebuild, then show us what you are doing to make your life a little bit greener!"

The contest is open through August 19, 2007. If you have submitted an entry to the contest, be sure to let us know about it in the comments.

After the competition results are announced, we are planning to feature some of the most appealing finalists as part of our Weekly DIY series here on Green Options. The top prize winner is going to be featured in a brief write-up in Popular Science magazine. But we are going to offer our own Green Options highlights and a bit more coverage to some of the most intriguing projects we see, as well.

Now, if you are thinking to yourself, "I can't solder copper pipe; this is too advanced for me!" don't worry. This project requires nothing more than some straight copper pipe, some copper connectors (tees and elbows), and some strong two part epoxy. I also used a couple of steel reinforcing bars (rebar) to help fix the trellis in place. The only tool you'll need is a pipe cutter or a hacksaw to cut the pipe into the size you need.

I can't offer you process photos for this project as I have for some other DIY projects, because we completed this several years ago, and we didn't take pictures of it at the time it was going up. However, I do have a picture from last summer so you can see how it has aged into place, and how the roses have climbed all over it.

This list is for the trellis as diagrammed below. (The diagram and the photo do not match; many variations are possible.) You can adjust the design and get much more decorative once you understand the general idea here. You can also simplify things by using all 3/4" diameter pipe, rather than using both 1/2"and 3/4" as I have done.

Determine your configuration and make all your cuts before you begin putting anything together. Since the pipe comes in standard lengths, working with even divides of the pipe will help to minimize waste. Cutting six 2' long sections from a 12' long pipe makes good sense, for example. As with the cold frame DIY a few weeks ago, this is another project where the dimensions listed are approximate, and should be adjusted to your own needs.

Materials list:

• 1/2" diameter copper pipe - 24' length total, cut into 12 pieces each 2' long
• 3/4" diameter copper pipe - 40' length total, cut into 16 pieces each 18" long, 12 short connector pieces each 6" long, and 4 gable pieces each 30" long
• 3/4" diameter, 90 degree copper elbows - 2 needed
• 3/4" diameter, 45 degree copper elbows - 4 needed
• 3/4" diameter to 1/2" diameter copper tees - 24 needed
• two-part epoxy suitable for outdoor exposure

To cut the pipe you can either use a hacksaw or a tube cutter. The tube cutter is an inexpensive tool that gives you nice straight cuts. Just tighten it onto the pipe at the point you want to cut. When you turn it around the pipe, the blade scores the pipe. After a complete turn, tighten it slightly more and wind it around the pipe again. Repeat a few times until the cutter has cut through the pipe. You can quickly make all the cuts you need, so you'll have a set of tinkertoy parts.

You can do a dry fit of your trellis parts before you put it all together to check the configuration. The best approach to take is to assmble smaller sections as sub-assemblies, and then put those together (after the epoxy has set) to get the larger whole assembled. Put together one rectangle and let it set. Then add the next rectangle to it, and again let it set. That way you can keep the verticals as straight as possible. When working with epoxy, you should only mix up as much as you can use in a short period of time. To make the connections, spread the epoxy around the pipe and then slide it into place in the connector. Some epoxy will ooze out, but don't be too concerned about that. Having it stick out like that helps keep water out of the joint.

Copper starts out shiny like a new penny, but oxidizes to a brownish patina after a while. In time, it will potentially go even further and take on the greenish hue that old copper gets, but that takes decades to develop, so don't set your hopes on having that look anytime soon. Most copper pipe you get at a hardware store will have printing on it with identifying information about it. Don't be too concerned about this, since it will all but disappear as the pipe ages and oxidizes. Find an epoxy that finishes in a brownish shade, so it blends in nicely when the trellis has aged in place for a while.

If you are going to use steel rebar to fix the trellis in place, just drive it into the ground like a nail so that it is buried a couple of feet, but with some bar still sticking out of the ground. I also wrapped some paper around the rebar before I lifted the trellis and set it on top to keep the dissimilar metals from coming into contact with each other.

Copper might not immediately seem to be the most environmental of choices. But it will withstand the elements extremely well. (Ours has already lasted through 5 Michigan winters with no problems and the joints are still secure.) When the trellis is finally taken down, the copper can even be recycled. A wood trellis would probably not be good for anything besides scrap ot the end of its useful life, and would not last nearly as long. Copper has a lot more embodied energy in its manufacture, but it wears and weathers extremely well, and can be largely reclaimed.

If your garden has a spot with good access to the sun throughout the day, you can use a cold frame to start your plants earlier in the year than you would otherwise. A cold frame is a very simple item. It is really just a small greenhouse. Daytime sun will warm the air and the ground inside, making it easier for plants to start growing. Nighttime temperatures inside the cold frame may fall back close to outdoor ambient temperature, but the extra heat gained during the day and the wind protection the encosure provides will help keep the plants alive even if there is an overnight frost.

Building a cold frame should be a simple project. An elaborate structure is not required. It should cost little or nothing to build and nothing to operate. Plants can be started close together while they are small, and then, as they get bigger and the weather gets nicer, they can be moved out of the frame and put into the garden.

Last year, I built a pair of new windows for my garage using architectural glazing samples. When I took out the old windows, I salvaged them rather than breaking them up and tossing them in the trash, so now I have two windows which are the basis for my cold frame. You can also build a cold frame using acrylic or other plastic sheets held in a wood frame. As I said, cold frames don't need to be elaborate.

This article explains how I built my cold frame, but you should be able to easily adapt it for your own materials and needs. I would be very interested to hear from other DIY builders about their cold frame projects. It would be very useful to gather other hints and compile them for a future edition.

Materials:

• (2) salvaged windows, 22" x 28-1/2" each
• 24" x 24" sheet of plywood, 1/2" thick (for sides)
• 18" x 44" sheet of plywood, 1/2" thick (for back)
• (3) 1×4 or 1×6, cut to 43" long (2×4s or 2×6s would also work well)
• scrap wood or 2×2s for corner blocking
• nails or screws
• (2) 1×2 strips, about 12" long (for cleats)

Assembly:

1. Cut the sides for the cold frame from the 1/2" plywood. The window needs to be angled toward the sun to gather the light. My plywood had already been ripped with a 6:12 slope. But cutting a 24" x 24" sheet of plywood at an angle with the smaller side matching the height of the front cross piece makes efficient use of the material.

2. Nail or screw the blocking to the ends of the long pieces of wood.

3. Nail or screw the long pieces to the side pieces. If you are using 2×4s or 2×6s it is possible to omit the corner blocking and directly fasten through the side pieces into the middle of the 2x. But nailing into the end grain of the wood is not a strong connection, so screws should be used.

Cleat holds window onto frame4. Fasten cleats to the top of each window with 2 or 3 screws. The cleat needs to overhang the window frame at the bottom so that it will catch the top of the cold frame and hold the window in place. I prefer using cleats to hold the windows in place because this way they can be completely removed and set aside in order to work inside the frame. The windows can also be attached with hinges, which makes it easy to crack the windows open to allow ventilation and prevent overheating.

5. Prepare the soil in the garden. It is also possible to set the frame over seedling trays or starter pots, particularly if you plan to relocate all of the plants elsewhere in your garden.

6. Set the frame in place. Most wood exposed to ground contact will start to rot, and most gardeners don't want to use treated wood near the soil they are using for growing food. Even painting the wood can help protect it somewhat. I used paver bricks set in the ground around the garden to keep the frame from direct contact with the soil. Other options would be to use cedar or another wood that resists rotting.

7. Plant your plants.

Diagram 2

Alternatives:

Optional materials:

• corner brackets

• hinges

• thermometer

• rigid insulation

Metal corner brackets and screws, instead of nailed connections, could be an alternate way to put a cold frame together. This could also make it possible to disassemble the cold frame for storage when it is not needed, and then quickly reassemble it later on. Hinges can be used to fix the windows to the frame and still allow access to the plants.

Hinges can be used to connect the windows to the frame. But, as noted above, having windows that can be completely removed makes it easier to work inside the frame.

If there are clear sunny days, it is quite possible for a cold frame to overheat during the day. To help moderate the temperature inside, you can prop one window open slightly to let the warmest air out at the top. Just be sure to close it back at night, especially if cold overnight temperatures are expected. Also, since you are putting a roof over the soil and heating the air inside, you have to remember to regularly check and water the plants in your cold frame.

If you want to do some data gathering and monitoring, you can put a thermometer inside the frame to measure interior temperature. It's best to put this on the front of the frame (on the inside) where it will be shaded as much as possible, so that your readings will not be affected by direct sun on the thermometer.

Put the cold frame into storage during the summer, but the cold frame can also be used in the fall to help extend the season for some plants as frosty nights return.

Putting insulation on the sides of the cold frame doesn't do much for it, because so much of the heat captured during the day will be lost through the uninsulated window once the sun goes down. However, building a back wall for the cold frame from stacked bricks can serve as a heat sink to store more heat gathered from the sun, to help keep the temerature up through the cold night. Building a cold frame against a wall, or into a hillside, where there is more thermal mass to store the heat, can also be a strategy to push it even further. But for the purpose of just extending the season for a few weeks, a simple cold frame will be more than adequate.

If you want to try growing hardy, cold tolerant plants throughout the winter using your cold frame, you could put insulation on the sides of the frame and leave space for an insulated lid which could be installed inside to cover the plants during overcast days. I recommmend looking at the Brines Farm site (which I wrote about earlier) for more information and suggestions about year round food growing. Shannon has also posted a video in the Convenient Truths contest where he discusses some ideas about growing local food.

Sources for further information:
http://www.doityourself.com/stry/oldwindowuses
http://www.newsobserver.com/385/story/222309.html
http://www.extension.umn.edu/yardandgarden/ygbriefs/h137seasonextenders.html

Worm composting is one of those practices that's going to earn you strange looks — mention your "worm bin," and you'll inevitably see a raised eyebrow, often followed by the question "What's a worm bin?"

If you live in an urban or suburban setting, though, using red worms to transform your organic trash (fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, tea bags, egg shells, etc.) into usable compost (in this case, worm poop… or "castings") takes us a lot less space than the traditional pile or bin, and will likely keep your neighbors happier.

While a number of worm bins are available for sale, I found that it was much cheaper to make my own. After digging around online, I found a great plan at the Whatcom County (Washington) Agriculture site.

So let's build a worm bin!

What You Need:

• Two 8-10 gallon plastic storage boxes (dark, not see-through). I took a trip to Target and picked up two Rubbermaid containers with lids. Don't remember the price offhand, but very reasonable.
• A drill with 1/4" and 1/16" bits
• Shredded newspaper (for bedding)
• A pound of redworms. You can order these online, but I went to the local bait shop.

Make Your Worm Bin

From the Whatcom County site:

1. Drill about twenty evenly spaced 1/4 inch holes in the bottom of each bin. These holes will provide drainage and allow the worms to crawl into the second bin when you are ready to harvest the castings.
2. Drill ventilation holes about 1 – 1 ½ inches apart on each side of the bin near the top edge using the 1/16 inch bit. Also drill about 30 small holes in the top of one of the lids.
3. Prepare bedding for the worms by shredding Newspaper into 1 inch strips. Worms need bedding that is moist but not soggy. Moisten the newspaper by soaking it in water and then squeezing out the excess water. Cover the bottom of the bin with 3-4 inches of moist newspaper, fluffed up. If you have any old leaves or leaf litter, that can be added also. Throw in a handful of dirt for "grit" to help the worms digest their food.
4. Add your worms to the bedding. One way to gather redworms, is to put out a large piece of wet cardboard on your lawn or garden at night. The redworms live in the top 3 inches of organic material, and like to come up and feast on the wet cardboard! Lift up cardboard to gather the redworms. For example, if your food waste averages 1/2 lb. per day, you will need 1 lb. of worms or a 2:1 ratio. There are roughly 500 worms in one pound. If you start out with less than one pound, don't worry they multiply very quickly. Just adjust the amount that you feed them for your worm population.
5. Cut a piece of cardboard to fit over the bedding, and get it wet. Then cover the bedding with the Step 5cardboard. (Worms love cardboard, and it breaks down within months.)
6. Place your bin in a well-ventilated area such as a laundry room, garage, balcony, under the kitchen sink, or outside in the shade. Place the bin on Step 6top of blocks or bricks or upside down plastic containers to allow for drainage. You can use the lid of the second bin as a tray to catch any moisture that may drain from the bin. This "worm tea" is a great liquid fertilizer.
7. Feed your worms slowly at first. As the worms multiply, you can begin to add more food. Gently bury the food in a different section of the bin each week, under the cardboard. The worms will follow the food scraps around the bin. Burying the food scraps will help to keep fruit flys away. What do worms like to eat? Feed your worms a vegetarian diet. Most things that would normally go down the garbage disposal can go into your worm bin (see the list below). You will notice that some foods will be eaten faster than others. Worms have their preferences just like us.

The Whatcom County site also has information on what to feed your worms (and what not to), and some troubleshooting tips. For more information on worm composting, you can also visit my Composting with Worms Squidoo lens.