Community Archives - Page 20 of 93 - Living Off the Grid: Free Yourself

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British passivehaus opposed by Braintree planners

Another example of the obstacles facing Brits who want to live off-grid – plans for a home that would run entirely on its own electricity and water are set to be refused by Braintree County Council, a notoriously backward looking area of southern England

Peter and Janine Schwier, bought a plot of land in Great Maplestead, their first mistake – since local villagers oppose any new properties being built out of fear it will encourage other new properties to be built.

They wish to build a house described as an ‘off-grid’ Passivhaus, meaning it is self-sufficient and capable of generating its own electricity, heat and water.

Great Maplestead Parish Council – which includes a number of what we believe to be wealthy bigots – objected to the application, saying the village was not sustainable for development.

Braintree Council planning officers have recommended to refuse planning permission, as residents were against further development.

However there was some support for the application, with residents saying the area lacks modern efficient homes, and this one would take advantage of all technology.

The unique house would also include the use of electric cars.

In a planning statement, the agent Green Architect said: “(The applicants) are concerned about the environment, pragmatic about climate change

and wish to live in a dwelling that is totally self sufficient, one that is capable of generating all its own electricity, heat and water from within the site,

disposing of all their waste within the site and providing all the power necessary, with the option to run their cars from within the site.

“The proposal includes the use of electric cars and bicycles powered solely by the sun and space for home working.

“In addition it is close to excellent employment opportunities in Sible Hedingham and Halstead and the village has super-fast broadband which supports home working and wellbeing.”

Planning officers said although charging points for electric cars could be included, it would not be reasonable to require future homeowners to only use electric cars.

They said: “Cycling could be an option for some future residents, but not all, depending on mobility and proficiency thus reducing the reliance that can be placed on this mode of transport as an alternative to a private car.

“Although the proposal should be commended for including such sustainable features, as it is not possible to control the provision of these through the planning process, they carry little weight in favour of the development.”

Braintree councillors will have the final say at a Planning Committee meeting on January 10.…

December 7, 2016 No Comments

Community

Teaching Your Children to Homestead

Homesteading originally referred to the federal government granting land to families who were willing to work it. In modern times, it does not happen that way anymore and homesteading is about families who have decided to live off the grid and grow their own food. Modern-day homesteading involves cooking, farming and fixing things around the house on your own.

Most homestead parents understand the importance of passing on these vital skills to their children.

Why Should Your Children Know How to Homestead?

Children of this current generation have become over-reliant on the system. They get their food ready-made, their clothes already sewn and their water already piped to their homes with no knowledge of how to get these things for themselves. If the system was to crash then they would be left helpless with no idea of how to survive on their own.

Homesteading instills in them an attitude of self-sufficiency. It gives them the information and experience that they would need to fend for themselves in any situation. With such an attitude, they are well-prepared to cope should the world change in an unexpected manner.

As a parent, it is your duty to ensure that your child has all of the skills required to make it in a world whose future is uncertain. Most parents opt to give them regular schooling, but that education is sorely lacking in survival skills.

What Skills Will They Need to Learn?

Sewing and knitting were skills traditionally left to women, but there is no room for gender bias in the 21st century. Your sons need to know how sew, knit and do their laundry and your daughters should know how to change a tire or learn which way to turn a screw to open it.

Fixing things around the house is another job that both boys and girls need to know how to do. The time may come when your daughter is the only one on the homestead and she can’t afford to wait around for someone else to come and fix the leaky faucet. All it takes is the right tools and the right mindset and she can get it fixed on her own.

Hunting is a tough job and not just as simple as chasing down rabbits. Children in the homestead must be taught how to track animals through the forest and bait them so that they can become efficient hunters. Along with hunting they also must know how to butcher the kill, clean and salt it if necessary so that it can be preserved.

Hunting is good if the animal stocks are low but animal husbandry is there to provide a more convenient source of animal produce. Teach your kids how to milk cows, water them and muck out their stables. These are simple jobs that even a young child can learn to perfect.

Naturally, they will love some chores …

December 7, 2016 1 Comment

Community

Composting toilet – one year later

compost

Everyone poo’s, everyone. It’s just a fact of life, even if you life in an RV. These folk have a nice rig and use an Airhead composting toilet. They have graciously, honestly and with lots of humor, given us a blow by blow of the good, the bad and the ugly of using a composting toilet in an RV. Based on what they describe, I’m not sure I would want to use that sort of system, I would say a bucket would work better, but it seems to work OK for them, even with a few issues.

https://youtu.be/vM71d8wMuUU

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November 26, 2016 No Comments

Community

Thanksgiving! And off-grid vlog 04

off-grid vlog 04

Another Thanksgiving has passed for us, as we wind down another year living off-grid, I have much to be thankful for. Good health, great friends, wonderful family, a beautiful place to live, getting to live our dream. This Thanksgiving, we spent our day with our church family, we had a feast of food and communion together. After that, we went to the other church in our neighborhood and spent a bit of time visiting with them as they ate their Thanksgiving feast.

I am definitely blessed. I hope you, dear reader are getting to live your dream, if you aren’t yet, please start today, we are not promised tomorrow, don’t let excuses get in the way of your dream.

https://youtu.be/8YxTkgFoUPk

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November 24, 2016 No Comments

No I’m knot kidding

Knots, everyone needs to know how to tie different kinds of knots, whether you are living off-grid, or in the big city, it’s a handy thing to know. I a woefully inadequate at tying knots, I will be watching the videos below and learning too. I am always impressed when I see someone tie a knot in some interesting and useful manner, it’s almost like performing magic (to those who don’t know how).

These two are longer more detailed videos

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November 16, 2016 No Comments

Community

The secret to successfully carry a P38

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The lowly P38 (or P51 depending on the size), I would say that all military folk and most preppers know what these are. This is a very simple can opener for those of you who don’t know. It is small, portable, and people powered (ie not electric). It has 2 parts that hinge together, they are great if you are opening a small to medium can, raise your hand if you have ever opened a #10 can with one, LOL, my hand is raised.

You can keep them in your pocket or like me, on your key ring, the problem comes in with the sharp pointy end that loves opening up at inopportune times, either tearing a hole in your pocket, your pants or whatever it has decided to catch upon. Years ago I decided that it was only an emergency backup tool, not something I would use on a daily basis so I taped it closed, each time I wanted to use it, I would remove the tape, clean off the tape residue, use it then tape it back up again. If I didn’t use it for a long enough time, the tape would deteriorate, I would often notice when it snagged my pants or shirt. I knew there had to be a better way.

Enter the era of the earbuds, everyone had them, everyone used them, everyone threw them away when they failed working. I had my fair share of them. One day, as is typical of me, I decided to take one apart to see how it worked. Low and behold, I found a little, tiny, magnet inside of it. I should have known, speakers have magnets, earbuds are merely tiny speakers that go in your ears.

The magnet is very small, the flat ones shaped like a washer with a hole in the center are my favorite, but you might find a solid magnet, it will work too. It didn’t take long to decide it would be perfect for my P38, the magnet fit perfectly between the two parts, it wasn’t strong enough to catch other items, it would be reusable and wouldn’t wear out.

All you have to do is find a broken pair of earbuds, if you don’t have any yourself, ask around. Disassemble the earbud, you are likely to find what appears to be 2 magnets per earbud, but only one of them is actually a magnet, the other is a duplicate shaped piece of metal, it’s easy enough to figure out which is which. Then place the magnet between the moving parts and viola, your P38 (or P51) is now safe to carry around.

https://youtu.be/8AuH6yV9qZc

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November 12, 2016 No Comments

Bad news: Its Doomsday – Good news: You will die in total Luxury

DALLAS 11 Nov – AP – A Texas investor group is building a $300 million luxury fly-in community replete with survival tools – the underground homes and air-lock blast doors will be designed for super-rich families worried about a dirty bomb or other disaster.

The Trident Lakes community has begun with a flourish northeast of Dallas near the Oklahoma border: A statue of Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea, holding a golden trident will stand some 50 feet above a massive fountain billed as one of the largest in the world.

Subtlety won’t do for Texas. Although the organisers are curiously self-effacing, and few photos exist, if any.

“The initial perception is that it’s defined as a doomsday scenario,” said James O’Connor, CEO of Dallas-based Vintuary Holdings, which represents the collection of investors backing the project. “I’m trying to change the perception to a long-term sustainable community, with the concept of a 200-year community. We’re not looking at just putting all our residents underground; we’re looking to put together a beautiful place to live that’s also secure.”

The standard luxury amenities will apply: 18-hole golf course, high-end spa, gun ranges, zip lines, shops and restaurants, and not just a single helipad but a row of them. But plans call for the 700-acre spread to also include an equestrian center, polo fields and 20-acre lakes with white-sand beaches. The entire compound will be wrapped by a 12-foot wall and have private security manning watchtowers. The project has received the necessary approvals, O’Connor said, and people are expected to take up residence in 2018.

Developers intend to construct about 400 condos that have 90 percent of their living space underground. Most would cost in the mid-six figures and each topped with a terrace overlooking one of the lakes. The community could have as many as 1,600 residents who, should disaster strike, can rely on water and energy production that’s off the grid. O’Connor said designs and concepts may change as the project progresses, but a navigable tunnel network and an air-purification system are planned.

As is a DNA vault. The vault is an opportunity for “family sustainability,” said Richie Whitt, spokesman for Trident Lakes.

“You can take DNA and preserve it, where if something should happen, then technology down the road could take DNA and replicate a person,” he said. “It’s kind of science fictiony but it’s also not that far in the future.”

Whitt said Friday that Vintuary Holdings has purchased land in Ohio for a similar community and investors hope to expand the idea to other states. He didn’t provide further details.

It’s not clear just how many similar bunker communities are open for business in the U.S. or other countries. The Vivos Group, based in California, has six in the U.S. and one in Germany.

“It’s definitely something, anecdotally, that we’re seeing more and more of,” said …

November 12, 2016 No Comments

Off-Grid vlog 03

Here is another chatty off-grid video shot on site on the 4th floor observation deck of the SkyCastle, the things going on lately are my family and friends visiting, all fun and games :) It’s been a while since we have had any family visiting, it’s been very nice. Enjoy the video.

https://youtu.be/U87BJBLwDkc

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November 11, 2016 1 Comment

Community

Will The Donald endorse Off-grid living in Tiny Homes?

Let’s make America Tiny again – like it was back in the days of the orginal settlers.

As the kleptocratic corporatocracy tightened its grip on the masses – finding ever more ways to funnel wealth to the top – rural residents have responded in a number of ways, including the rising popularity of tiny houses – and voting Trump.

These dwellings, typically defined as less than 500 square feet, are a way for people to break free of mortgages, taxes, utility bills and the general trappings of “stuff.” They’re especially attractive to millennials and retirees, or those seeking to live off-grid.

But government and corporations are finding all sorts of ways to block this new lifestyle choice. The global system depends on rampant consumerism and people being connected to the grid. So this really is not in their interest. Politicians dont like off-gridders either – because they are difficult to canvass and control.

Seeking actual freedom through minimalist living should seem like a natural fit for the Donald’s American dream, but the reality is that many governments around the country either ban tiny homes or force them to be connected to the utility grid.

As of now, few cities allow stand-alone tiny houses. Most communities have minimum square footage requirements for single-family homes mandating that smaller dwellings be an “accessory” to a larger, traditional house. Many also have rules requiring that dwellings be hooked up to utilities, which is a problem for tiny-house enthusiasts who want to live off the grid by using alternative energy sources such as solar panels and rainwater catchment systems.

Some of the more recent examples of explicit bans include Etowah, TN and Wasilla, AK, which don’t allow homes less than 600 square feet and 700 square feet, respectively.

Boise, ID doesn’t allow homes less than a few hundred square feet, as Shaun Wheeler of Wheeler Homes found when he built a perfectly good and safe 310 sq. ft. home.

Lawmakers spout slippery slope fallacies, saying that allowing tiny homes will lead to decay and “unsightly little cabins plunked down next to traditional homes.” Using government force to stamp out societal change in response to financial factors is this councilman’s idea of conservatism.

Granted, some cities are actually encouraging tiny homes as a means of freedom or as a solution to homelessness, as in Detroit, MI. Some Los Angeles lawmakers don’t see it that way, calling tiny homes for the homeless “a threat in many ways to our public safety.”

Wasilla residents are baffled by the tiny home ban, which seems to run contrary to Alaska’s wild and free nature. Tundra Tiny Houses is leading a new market of small home construction using renewable energy, and now they’ll have to tell customers Wasilla is not an option, in addition to Anchorage to Eagle River.

A big priority for tiny home dwellers is their …

November 9, 2016 No Comments

Community

Stealth van conversion in 17 days

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Nate Murphy enjoys living stealthy in his van, he found a low mileage van and was able to convert it in a quick 17 days, these were full, long days, not a part time endeavor. The bed takes up the lion’s share of the space, looking very comfortable and roomy. I love his kitchen with the built in stove top and sink compartment, Nate is happy with that part of his build as well. He has everything a person could want, with 3 notable exceptions, a fridge, a toilet and shower.

His reason for not having a toilet is simple, he doesn’t fancy the smell associated with having a toilet in such a small enclosed space, he does have a couple of urine bottles for emergencies. He says he is always within reasonable distance of a toilet and so far, it hasn’t been a problem.

Showers add a whole level of expense and complication that he just didn’t want to deal with, the fact that it would take more water than he stores now and would have to heat said water, it’s just not in the cards now.

As far as a fridge is concerned, same issues as above, the expense is the main reason to go fridgeless, and the fact that he doesn’t eat the sorts of foods that require being kept cold. He can always install a cooler if the need ever arises.

Here is the video of his build, it’s not really a “how to”, it’s more of a “this is what I did”, watch and enjoy.
https://youtu.be/wksm1xI1Ms0

Here is Nate’s blog explaining more in dept how he lives and how he converted his van.
https://offgridvan.blogspot.com/

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November 6, 2016 No Comments

Community

6 Months Living in beauty

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We’ve been full-timing in our Airstream since April. That’s 6 months of LIB (Living in Beauty). So far, we’ve been visitors of 23 communities in 11 states, and have traveled 4,592 miles. So starts Jim and Carmen Beaubeaux’s latest blog post about living full time in their Airstream RV. They have had quite the adventure and are looking forward to many more.

They started out much like the rest of us, edging toward retirement with a sticks and bricks house, and lots of possessions that they decided were weighing them down and holding them back. Having been backpackers in their earlier life, they were no strangers to living on the road, but at the time they considered big trucks hauling large RVs more of a hazard to pedestrians and cyclists than something to be desired.

You can listen to their latest podcast here:

I love reading about how other people are living their dream, the thing all of these folk have in common is they took a chance, they stepped out of their comfort zone, they didn’t just dream, they DID and they DO.

To find out more about Jim and Carmen, you can peruse their blog here:
https://livinginbeauty.net/

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November 6, 2016 No Comments

Community

Couple build dream home using recycled materials for only £27,000

Last week, a couple who dreamt of building their own eco family home and living off the land with their children appeared on the British TV show, Grand Designs. With only £500 in the bank, they started the project and didn’t give up.

Simon and Jasemine Dale later managed to save £27,000 after taking a few years out and working. Jasemine ran horticultural courses and sold produce whilst Simon did occasional consultancy work on low impact buildings. They did end up building the three-bedroom home for themselves and their children Elfie and Cosmo, in the sustainable Lammas community Pembrokeshire, UK. In order to move into the community, they first had to prove they could fulfill a strict planning condition and that they could be self-sufficient on their seven-acre plot – or be forced to move out.

They proved that they could though as well as proving that you can build your dream home with recycled materials for a fraction of the cost. Presenter of the Show, Kevin McCloud described it as “the cheapest house ever built in the Western Hemisphere”.

The floors were made of rammed earth, which was polished and hardened with linseed oil and structure of the home was made from timber polls, all grown, felled, prepared and sawn by Simon. But don’t feel sorry for him, he loved every minute of it. He told the show that:

“It’s been hard and I wasn’t asking for an easy life. I like a challenge. To put in a hard day’s graft and be tired at the end of the day. That exhaustion is a nice feeling.”

At the front of the house, they decided to install a greenhouse to preheat air for the house and grown food.

The couple used sheep wool and grass as insulation in the walls and the roof, reclaimed glass for the windows and kitchen fixtures and appliances from car boot sales and eBay.

The Dale’s have proved that a green lifestyle and living off the land can be cheap and still comfortable with their beautiful eco home.

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November 3, 2016 No Comments

All you need to go off-grid

Community

British passivehaus opposed by Braintree planners

Teaching Your Children to Homestead

Composting toilet – one year later

Thanksgiving! And off-grid vlog 04

No I’m knot kidding

The secret to successfully carry a P38

Bad news: Its Doomsday – Good news: You will die in total Luxury

Off-Grid vlog 03

Will The Donald endorse Off-grid living in Tiny Homes?

Stealth van conversion in 17 days

6 Months Living in beauty

Couple build dream home using recycled materials for only £27,000

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