Inspiring and challenging, this chronicle of a unique household experiment takes readers inside one family's environmental test. Already mindful of the impact human activity has on the environment, the author and her family decided to take a further step towards thoughtful living by aiming for complete domestic sustainability. For six months, the Cockburns grew, bartered for, and made everything they ate; used exclusively solar power; collected rainwater for drinking, cleaning, and cooking; parked the cars and turned to bicycles; and aimed to not spend a single dollar. From just their average home on an average-sized lot, they experienced success, surprises, and challenges in their quest--all while learning about themselves as a family. Whether readers are looking for lessons on adopting some--or all--of the Cockburns' practices or are just curious about what it might take to "do it yourself" even more deeply, this story will bring them along for the ride.