To achieve economic and ecological well-being it’s good to support sustainable local businesses. But good consumption is not nearly as valuable as learning how to produce, maintain and repair things on your own, and passing those skills on to others.

Doing it yourself can be as simple and enriching as growing a pot of tomatoes or basil on your balcony; building a custom web site like the one you’re reading; or trying your hand at basic plumbing and auto maintenance with the help of an online tutorial. Here are a few ideas and resources to get you started.