Moving Toward Off Grid Living. Many people dream of being totally self-sufficient and going off the grid.
A life free of the monthly bill payments seems out of reach for most people, but is it really? Does it mean that you have to live in a yurt in the mountains and read books by candlelight? Must you invest $20,000 in solar components for the top of your home and another $10,000 revamping your plumbing to work solely on rainwater? Not at all. You can begin now to slowly altering your way of life to live more self-reliantly and in the process, begin to start simplifying your lifestyle through gradually going off the grid by reducing your dependence on electricity, heat at the turn of a thermostat dial, and municipal services. Practice Makes Perfect. How to Move Yourself Off-The-Grid. Project Gridless. DIY Off-Grid Home: Simple Solar Homesteading. Making The Stove and Water Heater. Off Grid Refrigeration. It is a fact that our entire way of life is dependent upon gadgets of convenience and being tied to the grid.
The grid supplies us with electricity, provides air conditioning to cool our home, the home’s main water supply is pumped by a fuel source, and our food is kept cool and fresh by the refrigerator in your kitchen. Did you know that your refrigerator consumes on average 8% of your monthly electric bill? If a sudden emergency were to occur, all the food in your refrigerator is spoiled. Some individuals do not see this as a real threat to their well being. However, the threat is real and entirely possible. Flower Pot Refrigerator. Have you ever wondered what our ancestors did without refrigeration?
How were they able to prevent their food from spoiling? Some of our ancient civilizations did in fact have refrigeration and used simple items they had on hand to create it. The zeer, or clay pot refrigeration keeps food cool (icy cold) without electricity by using evaporative cooling. Essentially, a porous outer earthenware pot, lined with wet sand, contains an inner pot (which can be glazed to prevent penetration by the liquid) within which the food is placed. The evaporation of the outer liquid draws heat from the inner pot. In a short or long-term disaster where power is out, knowing essential skills on how to prevent foods from spoiling will help you survive longer and stay healthier. All that is needed to create a clay pot refrigerator is two terra cotta pots, one larger than the other, as well as some sand, water, and cloth. This information has been made available by Ready Nutrition Google+ related reading. DIY Air Conditioners – How to Make Your Own Cool Air.
September 7, 2010 5:00 PM The California Cooler The California Cooler is a revival of an old technology driven by an insight that's overlooked in these days of engineered indoor environments: Cool air keeps things cool.
In the days before refrigerators, pantries in Northern California homes had outside vents that preserved perishables throughout cool nights. With this project, you can bring them back.
NH Family & Friends Build Off-Grid House & Farm. (NaturalNews) Living off the grid does not have to mean trading modern amenities and convenient living for an uncomfortable experiment in survivalism. A recent Natural Home & Garden piece tells the story of Chris and Anna Von Mertens, a New Hampshire couple that decided to build a modern, fully-functional, and wholly self-sufficient house and farm for their family -- and the best part about this story is the home's complete ability to power itself using solar energy. After living in San Francisco for many years, the Von Mertens decided they wanted to have children and start their own family. And since both Chris and Anna's families live in the New England area, they decided to return to the Peterborough, NH, area where Anna's family lives. But instead of going the conventional route and purchasing a typical home powered by the local energy company, the couple decided to build their own home powered independently by their own solar energy system.
Sources for this story include: Greywater Recycling. Off-Grid Living Archives - Homestead Honey. Over the past year, I’ve detailed our adventures building a tiny 350 square foot house, from sinking the first post in the ground, to siding and framing, to insulating, and finally moving in!
(you can read the entire series here). A question that comes up frequently when we mention that we’re building a house is, “How much does it cost to build a tiny house?” It depends. I know that’s a horrible answer to give, but it’s true! The cost of a tiny house will depend on many factors such as: Whether you are doing the building yourself or hiring out the laborWhat permits are required where you liveIf you’re using new or reclaimed/recycled materialsThe quality of your materials (for instance a granite counter top vs. a re-used counter from the Habitat ReStore)And many other factors, such as wiring for electricity, plumbing, etc. We kept detailed records of the cost of materials as we were building, and I’d love to share that information with you today.
Beth’s Tiny House Labor Labor Cost: $7,000. Living Off The Grid: Tips for Off-Grid Home Owners. Living Off the Grid: Free Yourself. 12 Things You NEED To Go Off Grid NOW! Fuel Cell Technology.