- All
- Community
- Energy
- Events
- Food
- Land
- Mobile
- Off-Grid 101
- People
- Self-Sufficiency
- Shop
- Solar
- Spirit
- Urban
- Water
- Work
Its not selfish to live off-grid
https://www.off-grid
New golf cart batteries
Today was the first full day on the new batteries, we had everything hooked up to them, including the new chest freezer to refrigerator conversion,…
- Energy ·
Direct Energy sister company gouges consumers
The owners of Direct Energy – one of North America’s largest energy and energy-related services providers with more than 5 million residential and commercial customers,…
- Energy ·
Charge your phone with this foldaway windmill
Forget plugs – you can now charge your mobile with a portable WIND TURBINE:the Trinity propeller harnesses breezes to power up a phone and other…
Off-Grid hiccups
A while back my current deep cycle batteries began to get weak, they would charge up quickly and not hold much of a charge, unfortunately…
Building an off-grid village
I had an article on the Guardian web site today about a plan to build an off-grid village. It’s a very difficult thing to do…
It’s garden time!
I grew up watching gardening shows on PBS, one of my favorites was the Victory Garden, and during pledge week, they would always have Howard…
- Mobile ·
FireChat app
SAN FRANCISCO AP –A new mobile messaging application called FireChat is empowering nearby smartphone users to stay in touch even when there’s no cellular service…
The Truffle
I enjoy looking at alternative, different housing, this is pretty different, both in the materials, design and building methods. I ran across this on FaceBook…
- Events ·
Goodbye World – movie launch
The big question for survivalists who choose to build themselves a cocoon is : do we fight them or feed them? Filmmakers have become intrigued…
- Events ·
Regulator control of Banks weakens sharply
The financial system is at even greater risk of crashing now that it was in the lead-up to the collapse of Lehman’s bank in 2008.…
Dollar stores for preps
It’s been a while since I have written about cooking, food and recipes, if you follow me any at all, you know that food is…
Home Disaster Preparedness Guide – Part 2
Part 2 of our amazing series.
Air pruning?
Ever heard of air pruning? Neither have I… I just watched this video and I’m blown away, I think of all the people who do…
- Mobile ·
App uses social media data to make avoiding people easier
A new iPhone app allows users to harness the power of social media to become as anti-social as possible. Cloak lets users view a map…
Prepping for an Emergency – Home Disaster Guide
Thanks to Jessica Merritt for this comprehensive guide to surviving natural disasters. This is Part 1 -part 2 tomorrow. Natural disasters affect every area of…
Pioneer couple
I grew up watching Texas Country Reporter, back in the day it was called 4 Country Reporter, that’s when there were only a few TV…
- Energy ·
Battery life easily exceeds manufacturers estimates
Recent research just released from Zaragoza University, Spain, by VerticalNews show that battery life, crucial to the economics of off-grid energy – can easily exceed…
- People ·
Survivalist shaves her armpits, shocker
Actress Shailene Woodley has been all over the media in recent days with stories of her deep green beliefs and survivalist lifestyle. The 23-year-old actress…
Update on being sick…
With my latest brush with a pretty major upper respiratory infection (URI), I made the decision to work on my stash of meds and educate…
7 days without utilities
I continually talk about being prepared, and I mean for as many things as possible, while it’s not possible to be ready 100% for every…
- Urban ·
“$1m” Tree House under threat
A family in Wenatchee, WA have been told they can only keep their tree house if they takes out a $1M insurance policy in case…
Being sick away from help
I have been going through one of the things that is greatly feared by the off-grid and rural community, getting very sick, I’m not talking…
George Soros: Banking “parasites” still leeching off us
Billionaire George Soros says the banking sector is a “parasite” holding back the economic recovery and an “incestuous” relationship with regulators means little has been…
- Energy ·
Electricity disintermediated
Economist newspaper runs a story today on off-grid power – saying its the future and the old utility model is dying. Utilities’ profits are under…
Shipping container homes
As more and more people look for easy and inexpensive ways to create their own housing, one good method people have discovered are shipping containers.…
- Energy ·
Wind power 11% of UK energy, and rising
The UK’s wind power industry is breaking records EVERY MONTH after storms battered Britain this winter. According to the latest figures, wind energy met 11…
- Mobile ·
Bye-bye the smartphone:Tablets rated and reviewed
Out in the boonies, your net-connected phone or computer can be your best work-mate. But phones are too small, and computers too power-hungry. The new…
Spring renewal
Spring is on its way, we have had some warm days, t-shirt and shorts kind of warm, living in far west Texas, we are pretty…
- Land ·
20 Acres but nowhere to live
A British couple who spent five years building their home from scrap by hand have been ordered to tear it down by Torridge Council in…
- Mobile ·
New secure cellphone is hard to use
Barcelona – Telecommunications Weekly reports the launch of a new secure phone for those who do not want the NSA or anyone else spying on…
- Energy ·
UK energy firms kept £400m when customers closed accounts
Big six thieves[/caption]The “big six” energy firms have been told to hand back more than £400m owed to customers when they switch accounts and forget…
- Energy ·
New type of battery ready for market
While Tesla revolutionises the business model for batteries, the basic product remained the same. Now a small upstart company has come along with a brand…
- Spirit ·
Mountain retreat from 100 Euros a night
The North-West of Majorca is one of the most beautiful spots on earth, and that is why I bought a shepherds hut there almost 15…
- Energy ·
Tesla Motors aims to disrupt the $1tr electricity industry
Tesla Motors Inc. might be on the verge of disrupting two industries—autos and batteries say analysts at Morgan Stanley. Tesla this week is expected to…
Autonomous home on Australian Grand Designs
Ozzie architect Sam Zaher has clients flocking. He makes the most of the best spots in the country! His latest project is a little getaway…
- Mobile ·
Woodlands better than Baltimore shelters
Baltimore photographer Ben Marcin’s captures makeshift settlements near railway lines, gas stations, Walmarts and bridges. Amongst his eerie tableaux of tents, vans and other non-permanent…
- Solar ·
Chinese solar farm $2m crowd-funding
A state-backed firm teamed up with Chinese online financiers to fund off-grid solar facility in Qianhai, near Shenzen, southern China. United Photovoltaics Group, controlled by…
DIY bow made of PVC and fiberglass rods
With all the controversy over guns, some places do not allow you to own a gun or make it so difficult to own one that…
Not prepped at all….
During this last major cold snap, I heard a story on NPR (National Public Radio), it’s the only radio station we can pick up out…
- Solar ·
Power giants hate solar in Australia
The Australian solar industry is preparing for what it calls a “David and Goliath” battle against the country’s biggest generators and network operators. The outcome…
- People ·
BBC- British Bullying Corporation
The BBC recently announced the sacking of one of its radio presenters and of channel boss Janice Hadlow. But her husband Martin Davidson remained in…
- Mobile ·
Subaru unreliable electrics
When you live off the grid a Subaru Outback might seem like the perfect choice. It’s a low-profile All wheel Drive that has an enviable…
- Work ·
Colorado beer sales up in smoke
Legal marijuana is a major new cash crop for the off-grid community in Washington State and Colorado. And a “marijuana hangover is starting to hit…
- Energy ·
Real Climate Deniers Are the Greens
The author of this piece, Robert Bryce is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute. This is excerpted from his forthcoming report for the institute…
ArkPak battery box review
Just before Christmas, I received a device called an ArkPak. It’s referred to as “The world’s most advanced battery box”. And that is exactly what…
- Land ·
Cheapest places to live in America
Consider this: a T-bone steak from a Manhattan grocer averages $15.52. In Harlingen, Texas, the cheapest place to live in America, the same steak goes…
- Land ·
Cheapest places to live in UK and London
Property price is usually the defining factor in UK cost of living. Belfast is probably the cheapest city in the UK. Here’s a link to…
- Land ·
…. and some of the world’s cheapest places to live
IN REVERSE ORDER Kiev, Ukraine As Eastern Europe’s crucial center for industrial, educational, scientific and cultural development; Kiev boasts of a diverse means of economic…
Battery desulfator review part two
A couple of months ago, I began testing a battery desulfator called the Wizbang Plus, it’s a simple device that you attach to your batteries,…
- Energy ·
Profs warn world will go off-grid
A pair of academics have warned that brownouts will take place with increasing severity around the world, as demand for electricity for gadgets soars amid…
- Land ·
Melody Key for sale
Melody Key, a six-acre island in the Florida Keys with a large home, was pulled from the auction block recently and is subject to private…
- Food ·
EU to ban heirloom seeds and criminalize unregistered gardens
(Truthstream Media.com) If the global domination is allowed to take root, biotech and Big Agra will control the world food supply, at the expense of…
Living inside the box
This absolutely falls under the “How cool is that!” category… I have seen lots of sheds, workshops and homes made out of shipping containers, some…
Living off-grid interview
I watched this video just a few days ago, it shows how someone can live off-grid without living in a primitive manner, of course this…
- Energy ·
Vodafone India
Vodafone India has about 70 million off-grid customers. Now it is taking its phone base stations off-grid at an impressive rate. It recently announced a…
- Work ·
Off-Gridder tipped as next billionaire
London squatter Amir Taaki has been tipped as a budding billionaire by Fortune magazine The 25-year-old associated with Dark Wallet, an online service that allows…
- People ·
Roscoe Bartlett – a study in self-sufficiency
Writer Jason Koebler went to visit the Off-Grid Congressman – 87-year-old Roscoe Bartlett — for Politico magazine, and the result is a charming portrait of…
A tiny house for Macy
This Is What Happens When A Woman Gets Sick Of Divorce And Mortgages. And It’s Brilliant. Macy Miller is an architect from Idaho that had…
Stay warm in the freeze
Unless you reacted instantly to our piece last week on cheap fleeces, you’ll be looking around for ideas on coping with the cold air mass…
Old fire rescue truck conversion into an RV
Some guy bought an old fire rescue truck. What he turned it into is pure awesomeness. This Reddit user’s dad did something with a hunk…
Stock up on LED lights now!
Christmas is over and the after Christmas sales have started, one thing to grab up now before they all vanish is LED light strings, yes…
- Shop ·
Fleece jackets for the cold snap
They may not be the statement jacket of the season, yet a fleece pullover or jacket is a great investment for your winter wardrobe. It…
Grilling in the sky castle
I love cooking, nearly anything, but until very recently I have kept my cooking adventures within the walls of the sky castle, a few weeks…
Nine last minute DIY Christmas gifts
In this last weekend just before Christmas, some of us are still behind on gifts, and often there are extra friends, family and such who…
- Land ·
Frank Lloyd Wright home thwarted in UK
Plans to create a low-lying zero-impact, off-grid villa
originally designed for a Californian hillside amidst the rolling fields of Wraxall in South-West Britain have been…
- Spirit ·
Recycling for fun and profit
The circular economy is being talked up at the moment. The safeguarding of valuable resources by keeping them in use for as long as possible…
- People ·
Jesse Ventura Daily Mouth-off
Jesse Ventura is launching a daily talkshow on Internet-video.The libertarian rant, to debut next month, will focus, Ventura told Variety, on the hypocrisy of America’s…
- Spirit ·
The Yearling
Its “The Year of The Yearling,” the seventy-fifth-anniversary celebration of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings’s 1938 novel about a young boy whose pet deer unwittingly threatens the…
- Energy ·
Battery storage company
A US startup aims to lower energy costs by balancing the power grid with batteries charged during cheaper non-peak hours. It just received $15 million…
How to make a frugal and festive Christmas dinner from the pantry
Aside from the gifts under the tree, one of the big expenses of the holidays is the food. Nearly everyone finds that their grocery bill…
Happy Christmas? Yes, living in a car.
A DISABLED mother of five has been living in a car for more than a year after being told she is not vulnerable enough to…
Pools of light and off-grid comfort
This site is dedicated to showing how you can live off the grid in comfort and style without costing the earth. Lighting is fairly crucial…
- People ·
Woody Harrelson plans paper mill
Actor Woody Harrelson is planning to raise money for Prairie Paper Ventures Inc. a private company he started 15 years back. Prairie Paper makes its…
- Energy ·
Power Predictor
Here’s a useful gadget for sizing your green energy investment. Spending thousands on solar panels or sticking a wind turbine on your roof requires a…
- Food ·
Cash crop funds lifestyle
growing luxury veg is pleasant and profitable
Winter wonderland
We had a very pretty day yesterday, it was one of those rare days that was cold but not so bitter that you didn’t want…
Have yourself a thrifty little Christmas
There are a lot of reasons that sensible people want to step off of the materialistic rocket ride that is the standard North American Christmas.…
- Energy ·
Save Money on Gas/Electricity
Time for a selection of Christmas Gifts for our ON-Grid friends and family. Here’s how to help others save money on energy bills during these…
Dyson goes Off-Grid
British inventor James Dyson is working on an off-grid toilet design. One of the most successful Engineer-designers alive today Dyson announced: “One of (my) incubator…
- Energy ·
We work to pay – Hydro hike reaction
There’s no shortage of reaction from Niagara residents to the news their hydro bills are beginning to skyrocket. the famous Niagara falls may be a…
- Mobile ·
Memo to Santa: Keep taking the Tablets
GADGETS are the big gifts this year as usual, whether tablets, games consoles, TVs or cameras. But there is one gizmo that can be all…
- Spirit ·
High-tech gifts for the Holiday season
Yes, I know, we should eschew consumerism, ignore Thanksgiving and go for a Chinese meal on Christmas day, Easily said, but sons, parents, aunties and…
Year round maintenance tips for small engines
Power equipment, especially two stroke engines in like generators, snow blowers and lawnmowers are built to do a specific job and in most cases do…
The Christmas rush has begun…
Unless you are blind and deaf or live under a very large rock, you are probably being bombarded with Christmas ads on TV, radio, internet,…
How to survive a personal economic collapse
With all that is being written about the national economic collapse, people seem to be waiting for some huge event. However, for many North Americans,…
- Water ·
Rainwater politics
You can drink the rainwater in Atlanta, Georgia, but that is one of the few places in the US that provides for the use of…
- Events ·
Welsh planners’ double standards
The Welsh institute of town planners has awarded its top prize to a newly built off-grid home. Meanwhile Welsh planners decline applications from hundreds of…
- Food ·
A Simple way to Harvest Honey
One of the benefits of harvesting single combs at different times throughout the season is that you get to sample honey from multiple flora sources…
- Mobile ·
What’s it like living on a yacht?
Interesting discussion on the Solar investment chatroom about living on a 40 foot +/- yacht. “I see them outside my office window all day and…
- Land ·
UK Judge: Green home design is secondary to planning rules
A green campaigner’s plans to develop eco-friendly houses powered only by the sun and wind have been thrown out by the High Court. A judge…
- Energy ·
Winter check your home
Its an indication of how worried we are about heating bills that one of the most popular viral videos shows someone claiming they can heat…
First time was because of fire, this time it was the ice…
I just spent 3 days in my neighborhood, AND the 3 surrounding towns without power. Well, WE had power, our little sky castle, but everyone…
- Food ·
Mason Jar Meals
Alyson McClelland’s mom cans everything from barbecue sauce to fig jam. Once the delicious condiments are consumed, McClelland gives new life to all those empty…
- Land ·
£150 idyllic house made from waste
A British farmer has built a house for just £150. Using an ancient building technique and materials he found in skips, Michael Buck, 59, built…
Yurtastic! UK planning loophole opens
Staffordshire council has lost an attempt to evict down a small group of Yurt dwellers who were living in a field without the necessary residential…
- Food ·
Wood fired ovens and Pizza Kettles
No need to spend $2000 or more on a wood-fired oven. You can build your own for $600. Ovens were first developed for baking bread,…
- People ·
Third Industrial Revolution
The first industrial revolution in the 19th Century was the invention of the steam engine. In the 20th Century oil and gas played a large…
Battery desulfator review part one
I have been researching ways to desulfate batteries, I am finding most people saying that it’s snake oil, that it can’t work… some that are…
- Solar ·
Most solar panels are facing wrong direction
Most solar panel installers follow conventional wisdom handed down from architects, which holds that in the northern hemisphere, windows and solar panels should face south.…
10 steps to save money
We chose to downsize our lives, though in many ways we are living better than we did before. By turning our backs on consumerism, choosing…
- Energy ·
If they can do it in Lahore, why not LA?
From DAWN Magazine, Lahore – On an average summer’s day when the rest of Lahore sullenly waits in the heat for the electricity to return,…
- Water ·
Solar powered irrigation
Irrigation pumps powered by clean renewable energy, such as solar pumps, could solve both the economic and environmental dilemma: they don’t emit greenhouse gases, and…
- Energy ·
Reducing the Grid in your Home
Good discussion on moneysavingexpert.com – lets get into the same subject on our own technical forum please It started with someone called Bricken saying: I…
- Energy ·
NRG comes out against Utilities
The Off-Grid message sometimes seems anti-corporate – a fightback against the big Utilities and their cronies in politics and the media. But big business also…
- Spirit ·
Step Away from the Phone, Sir
U-Wire University of Colorado at Boulder; Boulder, CO – Every few weeks, a group of people — typically a dozen or so professionals, from Silicon…
Let us film you and we will help find you an off-grid home
We are looking for people who have the skills and the resources and want to make the move from their existing lives inside mainstream society,…
Stuff to have for a power out
From kk.org “Handheld & powerful, the Waypoint™ pistol-grip spotlight offers high and low intensity modes, emergency signal mode and the latest in power LED technology.…
Tasmania ahoy! Great land sale
A LARGE slice of picturesque Upper Derwent Valley on the edge of Tasmania’s Southwest National Park is for sale in lots to generate funds for…
No man is an island
No man is an island, in the case of those wanting to go off-grid, that must also remain true. So often, those who are looking…
The Pantry Primer: Where to stash your stockpile
Stockpiles: they aren’t just for pantries anymore! You might be wondering where on earth you can stash all of the food required for a one-year…
Cycle power for charging laptops
A US design firm claims to have developed a revolutionary new desk with a built-in cycle, pedalling of which generates electrical power to charge devices…
- Urban ·
Private Underground Shelters
Disaster preparedness is big business in the USA. The big banks all have shadow rooms, vast cavernous buildings on the edge of New York and…
- Energy ·
UK National Grid “likely” to collapse this winter
A top Utility executive has embarrassed the company that runs Britain’s power supply – by exposing the high risk of power cuts this winter. He…
Culture clash: Off-Grid vs. Detroit locals
Two years ago, residents of Goldengate Street in Detroit MI were scratching their heads as people with strange names like Coconut and Mars started moving…
- People ·
Solar Walden
(PRWEB) November 05, 2013 – Henry David Thoreau, illustrious American writer, philosopher, and naturalist, is going off the grid once again, 168 years after his…
- Energy ·
Electricity for 8.5c/kwh
Macy’s of New York is the latest company to install a Bloom Energy fuel cell – which the energy company calls a “server” as it…
The Pantry Primer: stockpiling grains
Food storage calculators recommend 300 pounds of grains per person for a one year supply. For a family of four, that is a whopping 1200 pounds…
Underground home in Cumbria
From what I have read, the underground house is often considered the holy grail of off-grid living, it’s known to be warm in winter, cool…
- Energy ·
USA Today showcases microgrids
The United States is by far the world’s leader on microgrids. The nation now accounts for nearly two-thirds, or 62%, of global microgrid capacity that’s…
- Water ·
Introducing Aquatecture
A new architectural movement is leading to fresh opportunities for off-grid living – close to the rivers and seas that carry so much of our…
- Solar ·
Solar Thermal System for Heated Swimming Pool
Imagine taking a dip in your outdoor swimming pool in late October, even November as the ground hardens and the frost thickens. The steam is…
- Events ·
Water harvesting event
San Diego Permaculture and the Sky Mountain Institute will host the 2013 San Diego Permaculture Convergence, Nov. 9-10, aimed at showing how to harvest rainwater…
Solar powered pyramid
Ever see an off-grid pyramid? Well you are about to. This is the video story of Greg Grant, who began his off-grid existence slow and…
- People ·
Bye-bye Lulu
Lou Reed was known as Lulu to his friends. It was his gay name, given to him by Andy Warhol. He went off the grid…
- Energy ·
Utilities enter the Death Spiral
Electricity and water rates are set to rise sharply because so many households and business are now generating their own power and managing their own…
The Pantry Primer: Stocking your supply of fruits and vegetables
A major challenge when living from your stockpiled foods is getting enough fruits and vegetables. Without produce, your family can be at risk for nutritional…
- Work ·
Net Zero Consulting service
As the world slowly wakes up to the importance of off-grid living, our knowledge is becoming valuable, or should that be invaluable? When a nation…
- Land ·
Shed-dwellers evicted by planners to live on State benefits
A family’s dream of living off-grid is in tatters after they lost a four-year planning battle. Daniel and Lora Newman, of Trelowen, Carharrack bid to…
- Energy ·
Hinkley C + QE = Slavery
The spectre of the British people as slaves of the new Chinese superpower just got a step closer. The Brits have agreed to what must…
- Solar ·
UK solar homes pass 500,000
Recent data from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) shows that nearly 460,000 homes across the UK have solar panels installed, and that…
More tiny homes, on wheels!
With the cost of living going up and up and our wages going down and down, one of the ways to cut back on living…
- Energy ·
Japan going off the grid, post-nuclear future one town at a time
Ohira, Japan (Agence France Presse ) 19Oct As the impact of Fukishima continues to terrify the Japanese people, a remote Toyota plant in northeastern Japan…
- Land ·
Private Island for sale – suit rich off-grid family
Off-gridders come in all shapes and sizes. Its not the job of this web site to say that one kind is better than another. So…
- Events ·
Let There Be Dark
On October 27th the lights will go out. Imagine 10 days of a catastrophic blackout across the United States. No cell phone service, no ATM…
- People ·
Jesse Ventura, please get in touch
Former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura, who has been toying with a White House run himself, has had a good Shutdown. He has been all over…
Marjory Wildcraft
I just listened to a Coast to Coast am show featuring Marjory Wildcraft as a guest, I have heard her name before and probably…
Could prepping become illegal here too? Venezuelan govt to detain “hoarders”
I’ve been talking a lot lately about prepping, getting ready for whatever is coming, whether it be a personal issue (job loss, cutting hours, illness…
- Events ·
Off-Grid amongst the power lines
Family "living the dream" want to exchange their freedom for stonking electricity bill
Tiny homes, cheap!
I am starting to see more and more of these shed style homes, they remind me of Morgan buildings. They are a glorified shed that…
What’s wrong with my life?
Absolutely nothing! The sky castle, our fun little home, is fully off-grid, we have a fairly small system, turned out to be easier to start…
- Energy ·
Scumbags at Scottish Power
Its yet another example of rip-off Britain. Scottish Power make it almost impossible for a normal custoimer to switch tariff or energy supplier. But the…
- Events ·
US shutdown hits thousands of off-grid homes
The National Park Service(NPS) issued a warning last week to all people residing in its parks and campgrounds, in RVs in the backcountry, or on…
Payback Time
Letter from Reader Good day, Nick. I am a South African electronics engineer who has retired. Having done a bit of research I established that…
No pressure, cooking
No matter where I live, be it off-grid or in an apartment in a busy downtown area or anywhere in between, I would find my…
- Food ·
Rabbits for meat pt 4
OK, so you are on board for raising and eating rabbits, but you want more for your furry food source than just living in small…
- Work ·
Green East
WWF-UK says western society will soon have to look to innovation in Asia for leading green trends. Asian innovations are already rippling across the globe…
Off-Grid in a cold climate – tech spec
A fabulous eco-friendly home , has broken new ground by becoming a home that’s entirely self-sufficient thanks to renewable energies. Like many of the best…
Rocket stove updates
I am really excited about the improvements people have been making on rocket stove ovens and thermal mass rocket stove heaters. All you need do…
- Food ·
Rabbits for meat pt 3
This is the 3rd in a series on raising rabbits for meat and fur. Some look at the cute bunnies and can’t imagine eating them,…
Former 10-term congressman Roscoe Bartlett living off the grid in West Virginia
Former Rep. Roscoe Bartlett lives tucked away on an off-the-grid swath of West Virginia woodland that serves as an implicit indictment of the inside-the-Beltway life…
Are you a jack (or jill) of all trades?
What are you good at? What do you know how to do? One thing I have found to be invaluable to being more independent and…
How to create a root cellar for food storage
I ran across a book and an article all about making your own root cellar, this being the end of the summer, beginning of fall,…
- Energy ·
New magazine focusing on Microgrids and Off-Grid Applications
PISCATAWAY, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–November 14, 2013– IEEE Electrification Magazine highlights advanced concepts, technologies and practices associated with all aspects of electrification transportation and off-grid sectors IEEE…
Off-Grid Man Spears Cougar that Bit his Wife in Head
They lived on Flores Island, Vancouver for more than 30 years, but nobody seemed to know their last names. Or should that be VanCougar? Rick…
Turning hobbies into cash
AKA, doing what you love and getting paid for it! Have to be careful here, it’s starting to sound like one of those infomercials :)…
Hate shopping…
Living out in the wilds of far west Texas, major shopping (for me) has been curtailed… not that I mind though, I’m not a big…
- Energy ·
Tata gets ready to launch waste-to-power
Giant Indian company Tata is developing an engine that will convert waste to electricity in predominantly rural areas, providing a cheaper substitute to diesel and…
Sky castle in early fall
It’s Sept 1, summer is all but over, the days are still warm but the nights are cooling off quite a bit, I notice the…
Other people off-grid
I love seeing how other people live off-grid, each of us has our own ways, some are hard core, no electricity of any sort, some…
How to go off-grid with little money…
How to get off-grid with not a lot of money… that is the holy grail, right? I see many people posting messages here and on…
The Pantry Primer: Making meals from pantry basics
Your pantry is only useful if you can make tasty, filling meals from it. It is vital that you purchase “ingredients” rather than meals, so…
- Land ·
We can help find you an off-grid home
We are looking for people who have the skills and the resources and want to make the move from their existing lives inside mainstream society,…
- Food ·
What to Eat When You’re Broke
The lower your income is, the more difficult it is to be particular about what you feed your family. This probably isn’t an earth-shattering…
- People ·
Looking for like-minded people
My name is Sarah. At the age of six I became the only vegetarian in my family- a lifestyle choice I have been committed to…
- People ·
Cuadrilla Killa – Lord Browne
The former boss of British Petroleum, who presided over a declining safety record before he perjured himself in court documents, has spoken up in favour…
- Food ·
Fall vegetable garden
Many of the same guidelines apply for fall gardening as spring gardening. The site for the garden needs to have a water source, full sun…
- Energy ·
Energy from neighbors, not utilities
A new study reported by Northwest Public Radio has found a growing trend for small wind turbines in the USA. These are mostly single turbines…
- People ·
Ed Begley Jr. Inks Eco-Home Series
Ed Begley Jr. signed $17 million pact with startup Evox Television to produce and star in an Internet-only series documenting his quest to build the…
- Land ·
Hobbit home destroyed
A young couple have been left heartbroken after planners ordered their unique ‘hobbit home’ to be bulldozed, effectively leaving them homeless. Charlie Hague and Megan…
Getting Off the Grid – options for city dwellers
Living off the grid was popularized by our editor, Nick Rosen, in the mid-1990s, back before social media took center stage or the pressing environmental…
How to butcher a chicken humanely – video
This is one method of dispatching and butchering a chicken, I noticed he said “sorry” to the chicken before starting the procedure… it’s what I…
- Energy ·
Wind farms are damaging our energy future
The growth of Renewable Energy could usher in a future where our energy is produced at the same place where it is consumed – and…
- Land ·
Thinking of starting an off-grid haven in Portugal? Forget it
Over at https://expatforum, they have been debating the possibility of starting an off-grid ecolodge. Remember this is a country which is on it knees financially…
- People ·
Ian Somerhalder, Audi and Airstream
Actor Ian Somerhalder is planning to live off the grid this summer after aquiring a new mobile home. His tweets suggest in his desire to…
- Food ·
Growing vegetables in a tiny space
Growing vegetables in a small space, like a roof-terrace or a backyard has different rules and skills (and work-rate) compared to a larger piece of…
- Energy ·
Why Fracking is Coming to the UK
Huge sources of Shale Gas forced through by Politicians, Financiers and Energy bosses
Autumn is coming, what’s in your garden?
It’s hot, hot hot, those of us with gardens are in full swing… now it’s time to start your fall gardens. Things like greens, spinach,…
20 Ways to build a whole food kitchen on a half price budget
Making a trip to the grocery store these days is like running a gauntlet. From one side you are assaulted by food-like substances in brightly…
- Mobile ·
Wierdest holiday destinations
Travel site TripAdvisor announced 10 quirky accommodations in the U.S., as chosen by its editors. According to a release, travelers seeking a unique lodging experience…
- Land ·
Kivalina village faces extinction
The entire Alaskan village of Kivalina is off-grid, or “unserved” as the official jargon puts it, by water or power utilities. It clings to a…
- Land ·
Buying Alaska – Dreaming of the Untamed North
Trying to Get Away? A new season of “Buying Alaska” starts August 3 on cable TV Station Destination America. Each episode will follow a couple…
- Energy ·
Vermont Utility tries to bill for off-grid power
Letter to Vermon Times-Argus exposes grasping power Utility “It really never ceases to amaze me what corporate America will try to do. Idaho Public Utilities…
- Water ·
Tips for harvesting rainwater
Many cities and states encourage rainwater harvesting, yet few homes and commercial buildings have implemented it. Excuses range from the cost of construction to lack…
- Energy ·
New gizmo lets grid-connected renewables keep working during outages
Imagine you are completely self-sufficient for energy yet still connected to the grid. Here at www.off-grid.net we call that state being “off-grid ready” because you…
- People ·
I will never stop busking says Passenger
DESPITE his hit Let Her Go topping the charts in 16 countries, Passenger loves off-grid experiences and says he will never stop busking. The Brit…
Fight them or Feed them
A long thread on City-data Forum has a number of individuals discussing their attitude towards looting in the event of a general social collapse or…
Tanning Rabbit hides
Now that you have chosen to raise rabbits for meat, it’s time to learn how to tan their hides, you can either use the fur…
- Energy ·
Softbank, Bloom Energy take Off-Grid to Corporate Japan
TOKYO (Nikkei)–Softbank Corp. (9984) will team up with a U.S. fuel cell developer to provide the off-grid power source to corporate clients in Japan, company…
- Water ·
Six things you should know about rainwater harvesting in the desert
TUCSON AZ – New techniques and revival of old skills can make a little water go a long way, even here in the Catalina foothills.…
Rabbits for meat pt 1
Living more frugally can mean growing your own food, that can include more than just plants, it can mean meat. Many people who live in…
- Spirit ·
New Prepper Comic Book
Graphic artist Plaid Klaus launched the Off-Grid comic book series in April 2013. The illustrator and writer is focusing on life after a societal collapse…
- People ·
Why has The Guardian done nothing to protect Edward Snowden?
When Edward Snowden blew the whistle on Government spying by the US on its own citizens, he did the world a favour. But the newspaper…
- Energy ·
Off-gridders to get government subsidy
UK householders could get hundreds of pounds a year for heating their homes from renewable technologies, the Government said today. The payments under the renewable…
- Energy ·
Nevada Energy ups prices and bullies customers
CARSON CITY — NV Energy is divesting from coal and investing in natural gas and renewable energy. The announcement spurred fear of price raises. Nevadans…
- Energy ·
New Storage Inverters for US Military Micro-Grid Demo
Sustainable Energy Technologies, a manufacturer of intelligent power electronics for decentralized generation and storage systems, reported that a contractor has selected the Company’s Bidirex energy…
- Events ·
Naked and afraid on the island from hell
There is a moment on the Discovery Channel’s new reality show, “Naked and Afraid,” when Alison Teal and the survivalist ex-Marine she was paired with…
- Energy ·
Microgrids booming as Grid crumbles
Welcome to the Age of the Microgrid – islands of power and self-sufficiency. What is a microgrid? In simple terms, it is a local network…
- Land ·
Off-Grid property for sale
MAJORCA, AUSTRALIA – Barking Owl Creek Farm in the central Victorian goldfields is powered by a solar unit and there is bottled gas for cooking and heating. There…
- Food ·
Plot your own Year of the Veg
IF you don’t already grow your own veg, now is the time to convert – and you could be reaping the benefit by October –…