The Human-Powered Home: Choosing Muscles Over Motors

by Tamara Dean

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


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.

Genres: Nonfiction, Environment, Gardening, Sustainability

272 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2008

Reviews

[Jen]

This book thoroughly covers a topic that has not been written about much: powering household and garden devices with the human body. It discusses the history of human power and the physics behind human-powered devices, and provides a survey of products on the market and very detailed plans for making your own pedal-powered devices such as blenders, juicers, and grain mills. It is a very practical book, and thankfully does not devote any space to rants about the evils of technology or reasons why we should all switch to human-powered devices.

One added bonus of this book its information about technology transfer to developing countries, including success stories of pedal-power projects in African and Central American countries. If you have considered donating time or money to projects that donate goods to developing countries, the sections on this topic in the book are worth reading as a good basis for questions to ask before doing so.

[David]

Excellent resource for do-it-yourself power-producers. Reviews the history of making human power and details what is and isn't possible. Many detailed plans for making your own devices.

[Two Readers in Love]

Equal parts history of hand operated machines (the first "Draisine" bicycle is fascinating, along with the contemporary cultural challenges in marketing the Singer sewing machines), science of the limits of human power generation (with an emphasis on cranks, treadles, and most of all bikes), and -- best of all, unlike most publications I've read on the topic -- real, detailed instructions on how to build or source many of the human-powered projects listed. The author doesn't gloss over the limitations of human power and its implementation.

Some projects would require a good deal of mechanical skill, but a few are accessible for the ambitious amateur.

I picked up some good tips for maintaining my reel mower. And as a treadle sewing machine lover, I also learned that the Janome 712t treadle compatible sewing machine is still produced! (Apparently, the Amish market for treadle conversion kits convinced Janome to produce their own treadle-ready model.)

[Mark P]

There's definitely a lot pedal-powered machines in the book and I know some folks complain about that aspect of the book. But the bicycle is great option for human generated electricity. I've recommended the book on more than one occasion. Of those I've recommended it to, men seem to like it more than women. I enjoyed reading it and have referred back to several time as a reference.

[Catmampbell]

A good primer on the subject, but I would have liked more detail int he plans.