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- Events ·
Composting toilets – Everything you wanted to know,
For users seeking a toilet for an off-grid site rather than one which will clean itself and lower its own seat, a composting toilet could…
- September 25, 2012·
- Energy ·
Super-efficient generator
Watch out for Shannon Miller and her company EtaGen. Her generators may soon be providing a power solution in places with little sun or wind.…
- September 25, 2012·
- Urban ·
Mitsubishi Smart House
Service promises to keep energy bills down and an eye on grandma Is today’s smart home technology, which connects a household’s appliances to the Internet,…
- September 25, 2012·
Underground shelters
A second home or cabin that just happens to be 20′ underground? Could be useful if you live in a tornado area, or think the…
- September 24, 2012·
- People ·
World’s Top Eco-Cop
David Higgins works for Interpol. He wants the world to wake up to eco-crime, and take steps to prevent it. Higgins is head of Interpol’s…
- September 20, 2012·
- Mobile ·
The world’s best travel trailer
The Prolite Suite is a travel trailer small enough to be towed by a Smart car but large enough to sleep two< With their ability…
- September 15, 2012·
- Events ·
“Revolution” has arrived – will be televised
The off-grid life is about to go mainstream — in a new network TV series called “Revolution” on NBC. Produced by the creator of Lost…
- September 15, 2012·
Group of friends looking to go off the grid
Are you part of a group of people planning to move to living off the grid? Or part of an existing off-grid group looking for…
- September 15, 2012·
- Events ·
Kevin McCloud Man Made Home
Shedtastic? Or just a vanity project and a grand example of selfishness and privilege?
- September 14, 2012·
- Energy ·
Eco-tricity on a still and cloudy day
BioLite stove products are making camping and cooking with wood more eco-friendly, and providing an off-grid power source for charging phones, lights, and other electronics…
- September 13, 2012·
- Energy ·
Horse Power
Here is an idea that ought to be included in Revolution, the new JJ Webber series, on NBC. When I was writing my book OFF…
- September 12, 2012·
- Energy ·
World Economic Forum launches energy propaganda unit
Be Warned. The World Economic Forum has launched their Energy for Society initiative, “which seeks to engage citizens in a discussion about the future of the energy…
- September 12, 2012·
- Work ·
Making a living – part 3
William Hunter Duncan lives what you might call a conflicted life. He is an urban off-gridder in Minneapolis where he has owned a home…
- September 10, 2012·
- Mobile ·
Canada series – downsizing in Calgary
National Post profiled a couple from Calgary who are quitting their lives in the city and building a tiny house on a trailer. They told the…
- September 6, 2012·
How to build an evaporative cooler
I know that for many of us, it’s getting closer to fall, summer will soon be a distant memory… but I am still intrigued when…
- September 1, 2012·
- Solar ·
South Africa finds answer to Eskom failure
As China expands its presence in Africa, a new wave of renewable energy companies are bringing off-grid innovation to the continent while Western competitors stand…
- August 31, 2012·
- Mobile ·
As hurricane brews, how to stay connected
Anyone living off the grid develops much better-than-average skills at surviving during power outages and natural disasters. Here are a few words of advice on…
- August 28, 2012·
- Work ·
Make money off-grid – ways to pay, part 2
Cam and Michelle Mather run a publishing business whilst living off-grid north of Kingston, Ontario. They founded Aztext Press (https://www.aztext.com/) in 2003. Cam, already a…
- August 27, 2012·
Huge off-grid community
Ralph and Mary Johnson (pictured) live in Three Rivers Recreation Area, a 4,000-acre development near Lake Billy Chinook that relies on solar power for electricity.…
- August 27, 2012·
- Work ·
How to earn a living in the Boonies – Part 1
Finding work - regular series exploring how to sell via the web, and other ways of making money off the grid
- August 24, 2012·
Whole house vacuum aka Bobbage
PB is such a tinkerer, his ability to take nothing but scraps, often discarded items and make extraordinary and useful things is one of the…
- August 20, 2012·
- Solar ·
Solar panels for sunless setting
A hunting lodge in Maine with two small solar panels, some old used car batteries,a quarter mile of wire and careful management. An old-timer explains…
- August 12, 2012·
- Land ·
Rich village turns against bankrupt couple in local field
The village of Dedham is considered one of the most desirable in South-East England. A four bedroom home with garden sells for £750,000 ($1.2m). It…
- August 11, 2012·
- Solar ·
Swiss Army charger
The makers of the ubiquitous Swiss Army knife have already branched out into watches, camping gear and even a motorised bike – now Wenger have…
- August 10, 2012·
- Mobile ·
Factory built autonomous home
IT looks like somebody in the construction industry has been listening to all this talk about off-grid homes. At last. Quest is a 400-square-foot, off-grid…
- August 9, 2012·
Solar Charge Controllers
If you have a simple off-grid setup with just one panel or even a few solar panels and several batteries, the other vital ingredient is…
- August 8, 2012·
- Work ·
Yurtshire goes for gold
Yorkshire in the UK has already “won” four Olympic gold medals as sportsmen and women from the Northern county have taken the medals as part…
- August 7, 2012·
- Urban ·
9 simple ways to a greener home
Simple rules to prepare yourself for an off-grid life while still inside the system
- August 6, 2012·
- Energy ·
Why India’s power grid collapsed – and what to do about it
Just a few days ago 10 per cent of the world’s population faced a series of power cuts – India’s Northern and Eastern grids came…
- August 5, 2012·
Brace yourself: Reality TV industry sinks claws into off-grid
Be warned – a large number of reality TV companies are jumping on the bandwagon of off-grid – our forum has a great thread where…
- August 3, 2012·
- Food ·
Growing food in a drought
The crops got a little drink in the US today but the drought is still severe. It looks like the combination of extreme heat and…
- July 24, 2012·
- Spirit ·
Govt happy index supports off-grid development
Says more remote you are the happier you are
- July 24, 2012·
Mountain Men – TV’s usual trashy take on off-grid living
The love affair between reality TV and the off-grid lifestyle continues with the new series Mountain Men (finale this thursday 8/9pm)on History Channel. Eustace Conway,…
- July 17, 2012·
- Food ·
Food price crisis looms
Just a few weeks ago traders were expecting a bumper food crop in 2012, and prices were low. But now a 2008-style food crisis is…
- July 15, 2012·
- Spirit ·
UK couple abandon money
Damian Smyth is giving up everything. He and his wife Victoria Groom are giving up their rented six-bedroom house in the British countryside, their tennis…
- July 15, 2012·
- Solar ·
Little Sun could change the lives of millions
Tate Director Nicholas Serota has got behind an off-grid lighting initiative by a leading Artist. Olafur Eliasson’s new work is a solar-powered lamp that he…
- July 14, 2012·
- Food ·
12-volt fridges
It’s the ultimate off-grid luxury – the sun is baking, dust is caking the back of your throat….. you reach into the DC Cooler for…
- July 12, 2012·
- Food ·
Aquaponics greenhouse for $50 – DIY
You live in a small urban dwelling – an apartment with a balcony or rooftop, or in a house with a tiny yard. So how…
- July 12, 2012·
- Events ·
Water Powered Charger
Time was, the phrase ‘water powered’ meant driven by the force of a river or torrent. Lately, it acquired a new resonance with the launch…
- July 11, 2012·
- Mobile ·
Three Network is best for mobile broadband in UK
For mobile broadband in the UK, Three is the best network. That is the result of a 250-mile comparison test from Broadband Genie – a…
- July 11, 2012·
Choose your location by the light map
If you are looking to get away from it all and live off the grid, there is one difficult problem – how do you choose…
- July 8, 2012·
- Events ·
Haunting photos from off-grid
Les Rencontres d’Arles 2012 is one of the world’s key photo exhibitions. this year it has an off-grid theme. In the centre of town, the…
- July 7, 2012·
- Mobile ·
Dr No-ah and his $1m ark
Johan Huibers, a carpenter, has built a full-size replica of Noah’s Ark in Dordrecht, in the west of the Netherlands. The vessel will be opened…
- July 7, 2012·
- Events ·
Where the grid does not reach
The conquest of space may one day become man’s salvation. Mars is our species most likely second home. This picture, taken over a period of…
- July 7, 2012·
- Energy ·
US Army speeds up move off-grid
The recently unveiled Army Energy Initiatives Task Force has launched its most ambitious project yet: a 50-megawatt biofuels power plant on Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. Army…
- July 6, 2012·
- Energy ·
Amidst power cuts – debate controlled by Utilities
WASHINGTON (AP) – In the aftermath of violent storms that knocked out power to millions from the Midwest to the Mid-Atlantic , sweltering residents and…
- July 5, 2012·
In Praise of Ceiling Fans
Stay cool at lower cost, healther than aircon and work off a battery if the power runs out
- July 3, 2012·
- Spirit ·
Health tips for the heatwave
To keep safe the Health Department recommends that people: • Slow down and reduce outdoor activities, especially during the hottest part of the day, from…
- July 3, 2012·
- Events ·
Green homes can help solve the housing crisis
Nick Rosen talks at Port Eliot Festival, Sunday 22nd July *Author of HOW TO LIVE OFF-GRID launches plan to build homes for less than £50,000…
- July 1, 2012·
- Mobile ·
Home for less than $20,000
An electrician from England built himself and his girlfriend alarge comfy home for less than $20,000, (£12,000). Daniel Bond turned a double-decker bus into his…
- June 29, 2012·
- Energy ·
UK Utilities allowed to profiteer
This graph of wholesale and retail electricity prices reveals how successive governments allow the big Utility companies to make bumper profits, increasing the price of…
- June 28, 2012·
- Energy ·
Grants for Assistance to High Energy Cost Rural Communities
Federal Register – Announcement of Grant Application Deadlines and Funding Levels for the Assistance to High Energy Cost Rural Communities SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service…
- June 28, 2012·
- People ·
Lucas Foglia pics
“By the time I was 18 we owned three tractors, four cars and five computers,”says photographer Lucas Foglia. Growing up on a small farm in…
- June 26, 2012·
- Solar ·
Solio sucks
Whether you are living off the grid, or just moving around away from power outlets for your smartphone or laptop, solar chargers can be a…
- June 25, 2012·
- Mobile ·
While you are off the grid who will monitor your messages?
Huffington Post responds to the new trend for cabin porn. And it suggests a new business idea. The online mag runs with a series of…
- June 24, 2012·
- Energy ·
UK Energy crunch approaching
The British Government is in the pockets of the big energy companies. The UK still has a mountain to climb in terms of funding if…
- June 24, 2012·
Pledge to our film on kickstarter.com
We have just launched a Crowdsourced project on Kickstarter.com. OFF THE GRID AND ON THE CLOUD is a documentary about how Off-Grid living combines ancient…
- June 19, 2012·
- Events ·
Crowdsourcing permaculture
Sophia Novack is creating a huge, Open Source Permaculture dictionary and a free Urban Permaculture Guide eBook. She has crowd-funded the project on Indiegogo Now…
- June 12, 2012·
- Spirit ·
Now marketers want a piece of off-grid
Alleluyah – The London Sunday Times has discovered unplugging. ‘Welcome to our “always on” society,’ journalist Laura Atkinson informed readers yesterday. ‘Whether we like it…
- June 11, 2012·
- Energy ·
Candle powered generator seeks kickstarter funding
A tiny tech startup called Tellurex is launching its new candle-powered electric light via kickstarter.com, the crowd-funding web site. Although we at www.off-grid.net have not…
- June 3, 2012·
- Urban ·
Affordable Green Homes
China’s government just announced it will allow financial institutions to provide lower mortgage rates for buyers of environmentally friendly housing (see below for more detail).…
- June 1, 2012·
- Events ·
Award for most sickening press release of the year
The Guardian, Ecover and National Grid – yuck. Lucy Siegle – yuck yuck. This sort of thing makes any sincere environmentalist want to go and…
- May 31, 2012·
Hare Krishna UK Eco Farm
A group of Hare Krishna monks in Scotland are pioneering a new sustainable community. The project, called the Krishna Eco Farm, is based at an…
- May 30, 2012·
- Land ·
Nebraska, Omaha – land prices surge
Rural land for self-sufficient living in America will soon be too pricey for off-grid communities
- May 23, 2012·
- Events ·
Lisa Marie Presley wants to be a pot-head
Vows to go off-grid and "disappear forever" - please be my guest
- May 22, 2012·
- Energy ·
Solar Kindle
Keep reading on the move, when hiking, or a long sea journey. This winner of a Consumer Electronics Show innovation award for 2012 is a…
- May 20, 2012·
- Food ·
Vancouver preppers get their own store
For Vancouver residents who want to eliminate the global industrial food complex from their diet, help is on the way. Rick Havlak’s Homesteader’s Emporium, is…
- May 19, 2012·
- People ·
NBC to air off-grid drama series
Prolific writer-producer JJ Abrams is behind the new series Revolution – a post-apocalyptic off-grid drama to air on NBC in a late-evening Monday slot –…
- May 14, 2012·
- Mobile ·
Samsung solar computers imminent
A decision by Samsung to sell solar powered laptops in Bangladesh at low prices could be the first of a new generation. For mobile users…
- May 12, 2012·
- Solar ·
Free solar in Wales
Looking for free solar power and live in North Wales? Farms and rural businesses without mains electricity in Conwy, a costal community at the tip of…
- May 11, 2012·
- Food ·
Williams-Sonoma move into urban homestead market
Urban homesteading, growing or raising a portion of your own food, has become so fashionable that upscale cookware company Williams-Sonoma introduced the Agrarian collection, a line of tools…
- May 10, 2012·
- Energy ·
Commodities forecast – food, oil, farmland prices to slump
Commodities Trader Peter Brandt sees lower oil prices; bubble in grains, farmland Brandt is a technical trader, poring over charts and patterns to spot potential…
- May 9, 2012·
- Energy ·
Smart Meter backlash
Bloomberg News reports a fast-growing consumer movement in opposition to smart meters. Smart meters, so called because they allow real-time usage monitoring, originally were pitched…
- May 9, 2012·
- Food ·
From farm to plate
London, Ontario……For two hours every Thursday afternoon, Julie Richards-Bramhill is a conduit connecting a lone vegetable farmer with hundreds of families looking for organic food.…
- May 9, 2012·
- Energy ·
In Berlin, an experiment in living “off-grid ready”
How different is life in a super-efficient home designed to generate more energy than it consumes? The Welke family in Berlin are guinea pigs in a…
- May 8, 2012·
- Energy ·
I dream of the Smart Grid
One man’s fantasy of what the so-called smart grid could mean for all our futures: The further encroachment of government and bureaucracy on our private…
- May 8, 2012·
- Energy ·
Royal endorsement for off-grid living
Poundbury village to use natural gas for cooking , heating and electricity generation. no longer needs the grid.
- May 7, 2012·
Cooking under pressure
I often forget how good a pot of pintos can be. This last Sunday, I had to come up with a dish to take to…
- May 7, 2012·
- Energy ·
Microgeneration in UK
These are exciting times for the British microgeneration sector. Dave Sowden, chief executive of the Micropower Council has said that the UK is “the only…
- May 3, 2012·
- Energy ·
EPA $1m to Colleges for off-grid research
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded more than $1 million in grants to 15 university and college teams for innovative off-grid solutions.…
- May 2, 2012·
- Solar ·
Solar Leasing
With meters running backwards, utilities seek a niche
- May 2, 2012·
- Land ·
Nine tips for land purchase and self-building
________________So you’ve decided to buy some land and build an off-grid home. Good luck. If you are in the United States, chances are strong you…
- May 2, 2012·
- Urban ·
Future high-end homes
Los Angeles, the Southern California Institute of Architecture and the California Institute of Technology are running a poster child for a new generation of smart…
- May 2, 2012·
- Solar ·
Solar Power intro
Are you thinking of switching from conventional energy to solar power? A rooftop solar PV power plant is not only a money-saver, it can also…
- May 2, 2012·
- People ·
Bollywood star’s off-grid home
India is one of the world’s most off-grid countries – mainly because so many of its inhabitants were never on the grid in the first…
- April 24, 2012·
- People ·
We were an island
Art and Nan Kellam bought an uninhabited island off the coast of Maine in 1949 and lived there for more than 35 years, content with…
- April 22, 2012·
- People ·
Fred Eaglesmith
Canadian Country singer Fred Eaglesmith is our kind of environmentalist. “I’m not part of the trend. I’m not part of the Green Revolution,” he tells…
- April 20, 2012·
- People ·
Now even Zillow heralds off-grid housing boom
Government may not heed it – when do they ever listen to the people? – but big business is getting the message. Zillow, a division…
- April 19, 2012·
Searching for community, family or couple that lives off-grid
Filming to start in September 2012
- April 18, 2012·
Periogen trial and review
I am finally ready to give Periogen a final review (though there may be followups in the future), I must say that I am very…
- April 18, 2012·
- Spirit ·
Conservative press goes potty over toilets
Lot of stuff about off-grid toilets in the right wing media at the moment. At the top of the tree, Fox News has been contemplating…
- April 15, 2012·
- Water ·
Dig a borehole for free water
Thames Water and six other water companies in southern and eastern England have imposed hosepipe bans – but keen gardener Alison Brown can carry on…
- April 13, 2012·
- Mobile ·
Car is my home, FedEx is my office
By Mooch, owner of Inspired Design & Development – an international Website & Branding company. I’ve been living out of my car since September 2010;…
- April 11, 2012·
- Food ·
Five tips for preppers
From food to money to to water sources - things to consider when preparing for the worst
- April 10, 2012·
- Land ·
Five top things for an off-grid life
Rain, soil,location,
- April 7, 2012·
- Events ·
Canadian Log home trade show
Log & Cottage Show, which runs this weekend at Edmonton's EXPO Centre
- April 6, 2012·
- Solar ·
US-China Trade War escalates
The long-awaited Trade War with China has started. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke (pictured with President Obama) has slapped a retroactive tax on all Chinese solar…
- April 5, 2012·
- Energy ·
Best energy system for your home or community
Whether you live off the grid, or connected to the grid, there are a variety of solutions to help you deal with rising energy costs…
- April 5, 2012·
- Energy ·
Choosing the wrong wind turbine
Farmers and off-gridders disappointed by poor quality and lack of after sales support.
- April 4, 2012·
Off-Grid alarm system
Where we live is pretty far off the beaten path, which means it is either very safe or not so safe depending on how you…
- April 3, 2012·
DIY window slats for self-defence
It never hurts to be prepared for an emergency. The beauty of living in a city is that 85% of the homes are row homes. It’s…
- April 1, 2012·
- Land ·
Farmland price surge leads to even more demand
BOSTON, March 19 (Reuters) – As a teenager in Wisconsin, Perry Vieth spent his summers baling hay in a neighbor’s field. Four decades later, Vieth…
- March 27, 2012·
- Energy ·
Net zero homes – do the math
Gary and Bobbie Worker from Portland, had their heart set on an energy neutral home that was as financially-efficient, as it was ecologically effective. “We…
- March 26, 2012·
- Mobile ·
Powering your cell phone
I know, I know – how do you call yourself off the grid when you have a cell phone so rooted to your ear that…
- March 25, 2012·
- Mobile ·
NPR on Electric cars
How would an electric car work out for an off-grid household? Remarkably well assuming it could be charged up during visits to the grid. And…
- March 24, 2012·
- Spirit ·
Unplug yourself movement
From New York to Silicon valley the digital refuseniks are gaining traction
- March 23, 2012·
- Land ·
Space Travellers offered new options
The cheapest land, unspoilt environment, cheap energy,but the gas bills are huge
- March 23, 2012·
- Food ·
Early Spring Garden
It is rare for us to be able to plant our garden before April 15 but, in rather shocking fashion, spring weather is upon us…
- March 23, 2012·
- Energy ·
US Army seeks off-grid system in Belize
Fort Sam Texas is looking for a contractor to provide it with a complete and usable 15KW-Hrs Off-Grid Hybrid system. The specs are interesting as…
- March 23, 2012·
- Land ·
Land in Hungary and Romania
Austrian farmers are buying cheap land as fast as they can, but there are 10 million hectares to go, mainly in smallholdings across the country.
- March 21, 2012·
- Land ·
Choosing Land for your off-grid home
Buying land means foreseeing problems with water, septic and solar or wind power. Cheap land may not be a bargain if you need to truck in water
- March 21, 2012·
- Land ·
Seven million foreclosures in US
buying cheap land and living self-sufficient is the best revenge
- March 20, 2012·
- Land ·
For sale: Off-Grid home in Eire
Green Valley Properties, a rural property specialist in Ireland, is selling a fully equipped off-grid property in Co Clare for just €99,000. GVP is a…
- March 18, 2012·
Cabin Porn
A web site where readers around the world post large high-res pics of remote or abandoned cabins? Surely, it will never catch on? Yes it…
- March 17, 2012·
- Events ·
Unplug for an hour
Small initiatives can sometimes have a big effect, and its that time of year again when Australians are asked to turn up their environmental conscience…
- March 17, 2012·
- Energy ·
Giving Utilities notice to disconnect
Remember those dreaded words in red ink, the final warning if you haven’t paid your bills for more than three months? Well, we’ve written our…
- March 15, 2012·
- Work ·
Facebook is History
Resentment at high handed approach - a terrible redesign, and refusal to share revenue with users are base of its problems
- March 15, 2012·
- Land ·
British family outwits the planners
A family in England who built a home in the woods without planning permission which remained undetected for four years have won the right to…
- March 15, 2012·
Australia falling for Earthship marketers
Boasting an outer shell made of stacked car tyres packed with earth, an Earthship claims to be a cutting-edge, sustainable green home made from recycled…
- March 14, 2012·
- Events ·
Museum showcases tiny house designs
Looking for a cheap home - this mobile house will fit on a scrap of land - urban infill or rural
- March 12, 2012·
Doomsday business is booming
Be it the Mayan prophecy, Peak Oil or Global flooding, there is big money in the coming collapse
- March 9, 2012·
- Land ·
What if you lose your off-grid haven?
Billionaires go off-grid too - this private island is the ultimate luxury bug-out location
- March 9, 2012·
- Solar ·
The sunspots are coming
Dangerous new groups of sunspots have unleashed a storm of huge solar flares which threaten grid connections worldwide, as astronomers predict two years of storms…
- March 7, 2012·
- People ·
Canada series: Quit Your Job and Get Paid to Live Your Dream
https://www.off-grid
- March 7, 2012·
No Name Key- battle to save renewable community
After two decades, a tiny Florida island where 43 households live off the grid may be forced to accept Utility power. The lure of enhanced…
- March 6, 2012·
- Spirit ·
Holistic parenting
California March 2nd — Redlands mom Lara Carlos is part of a parenting movement that bucks the mainstream. Her three children, ages 7, 6 and…
- March 4, 2012·
- Land ·
New way to use Containers as homes
There are plenty of shipping containers being used as homes, some stacked one on top of the other, some just laid out lengthways on a…
- March 3, 2012·
- Energy ·
Harvesting gas in China
Connect balloons to a canister on the extraction machinery of an oil facility in Binzhou
- March 1, 2012·
- Land ·
Farmland prices rocket in America
Driven up by low interest rates and high crop prices.
- February 28, 2012·
- Land ·
Better believe it: $80,000 per home in Ontario
Entire mixed use development that is both off-grid and geared towards low-to modest-income people
- February 23, 2012·
- Energy ·
The Renter’s Energy Dilemma
Four ways to save money on energy without installing permanent equipment (ie when you are renting or in temporary accomodation)
- February 23, 2012·
- Events ·
Afghan cook stove
A video from USAID shows the details of how to design a cheap efficient stove to cook your food and heat your home. you have…
- February 22, 2012·
- Events ·
For sale: entire French village – suit large off-grid community… just $430,000
Buyers have until Friday to put in for the village, 30 miles from the city of Limoges
- February 22, 2012·
- Water ·
Installing a Rainwater Harvesting System
Detailed description of the steps you will need to take
- February 21, 2012·
The hows and whys of going off-grid
So you wanna go off-grid… now what? How far do you wish to go? There are lots of decisions to be made when you are…
- February 21, 2012·
A Beginner’s Guide to the Big Three: Waste, Water, and Electricity
Videos and links explaining the basic technologies behind off-grid living
- February 21, 2012·
- Energy ·
Houses that put money in your pocket
These days, with so many builders touting themselves as green, the whole idea of a green home can seem like a marketing ploy. Instead of…
- February 20, 2012·
- Events ·
Hollywood loves to hate freedom and indie lifestyle
Wanderlust Trailer — sucky mockery of folks living their dream Wanderlust is a new film starring Jennifer Aniston. It is the latest showbiz product to pour…
- February 17, 2012·
A preparedness shopping list
Preppers a real boost to the canned goods industry
- February 12, 2012·
What is living off-grid?
There are many grids. Few leave them all behind. But it is not a competition - each individual just does what feels right for them
- February 11, 2012·
RV dumps – the dirty little secret of living in a van
There are tens of thousands of places where you can dump your waste
- February 11, 2012·
- People ·
Alicia Castro raises the heat in London
Will Prince Charles be her next conquest? The Falklands (or the Malvinas Islands) is the world’s most hotly-disputed off-grid territory. Now, just as the UN…
- February 10, 2012·
- Work ·
Charlotte suffers BoFAdose
Employees at Corporate HQ are familiar with the term “MyLearning” - a module contains lessons on how to behave in public when asked certain questions
- February 7, 2012·
Seed catalogs
It’s the middle of winter, cold, dreary, but something I start receiving in my mailbox makes me long for the warm days of spring, the…
- February 5, 2012·
- Events ·
The Simpsons and Julian Assange to meet at off-grid hideout
Yes, the Simpsons go to live off the grid! What will Mr Burns think?
- January 31, 2012·
- Energy ·
Energy companies halt USAF attempts to go off-grid
Refuse to allow military to disconnect renewables from grid during power outages
- January 27, 2012·
- People ·
Jewel spurns Discovery
Platinum chanteuse Jewel Kilcher will have "nothing to do" with new Discovery series about life off the grid
- January 26, 2012·
- Work ·
Trust in Western Leaders at 60-year low
Politicians and business leaders equally reviled, especially in Western Europe
- January 22, 2012·
- Events ·
Occupy London – the phony war is over
The gloves are off in the 100-day standoff between the City of London Corporation and London Occupy protesters. Occupy organisers plan to take over more buildings…
- January 21, 2012·
Off-grid homes lure Americans to New Zealand
Silicon Valley refugees from the collapsing US economy targeted by New Zealand community of Taupo
- January 20, 2012·
Off the grid in Canada
Over the next few months we will be running regular stories and photos of Canadian off-grid men and women. Please send us your photos and videos.
- January 17, 2012·
- Mobile ·
Ten low-tech gadgets
The yearlyInternational Consumer Electronics Show (CES), has seen off another round of headlines about lust-inducing gadgets soon to be on store shelves. Some survival gadgets…
- January 15, 2012·
- Water ·
Free water generator
We name the bogus and the best of DIY microhydro setups
- January 13, 2012·
- Events ·
The Simpsons to go off the grid for 500th episode
Its not the first time Homer and family have toyed with the off-grid life
- January 11, 2012·
Occupy London Finsbury Square to be long-term eco-village
seeking help from off-grid movement; need energy and water experts, engineers, builders, mechanics, lawyers, fund-raisers, architects and planning consultants
- January 10, 2012·
- Land ·
Scotland moves to revive Hutting
Grassroots campaign to allow off-grid cabins as retreats for urbanites
- January 5, 2012·
- Energy ·
Green home improvements
A list of projects that help save energy use any time of year
- January 5, 2012·
- Land ·
Being off-grid can add to a home’s value
It used to be the other way around
- January 5, 2012·
- Energy ·
China to extend renewables domination
While US stalls, they're eating our lunch
- December 27, 2011·
- Events ·
Send us your videos of off-grid life
Its real easy using our built-in uploader to send video of any length - lets see what you did for off-grid Xmas
- December 27, 2011·
- Mobile ·
Live in a Van with no Hassle from The Man
As thousands lose their homes to foreclosure or eviction, living in a vehicle is the only alternative
- December 22, 2011·
- Food ·
Supermarket Survival
Worldwide food shortages and higher gas prices continue to drive food prices up, up, up. And yet there are still massive savings to be had…
- December 20, 2011·
Upgrading a small solar system – video
I just love learning how other people live off-grid, especially when they are doing it in a very similar way to how I live. LaMar…
- December 20, 2011·
- Mobile ·
Cell phone black-out
How to stop snooping (and cut out unwelcome calls)
- December 19, 2011·
- Solar ·
Don’t believe the hype
Legislation needed to tackle misleading solar advertising. We are being swamped with false claims
- December 18, 2011·
Slab City for a warmer winter
CBS Evening News has reignited interest in Slab City – the off-grid community near Los Angeles. It is celebrating its 20th anniversary and is growing…
- December 18, 2011·
British Preppers
Numbers growing fast and spending big money on supplies
- December 17, 2011·
- Events ·
NBC’s Today Show endorses off-grid living
How to live well on $20,000 a year? Go off the grid said the Today show at 8.10am. Its peak time for the Breakfast show,…
- December 15, 2011·
- People ·
Glenn Beck goes off-grid
Right-wing internet-only channel trials Apocalypse programming
- December 14, 2011·
- Energy ·
Energy prices herald “return to the 70s”
Its time to start culling woodland,scavenging fuel from dumpsters and wearing warmer clothes Start foraging in Granny’s closet — if forecasts by Deutsche Bank are true,…
- December 11, 2011·
Enschede, off the grid
removed by request of original author
- December 11, 2011·
- Solar ·
Solar cheaper than grid within 3 years
"We believe that in the next 3-5 years you’ll get power cheaper from your roof than from the grid,” says NRG boss, 20m customers
- December 8, 2011·
Almost a Year later
As my own off-grid life takes shape, here are some valuable lessons
- December 7, 2011·
- Mobile ·
Mobile wireless hotspots
$100 plus a monthly charge of about $50,you delete all other internet charges, and run four gadgets simultaneously, almost anywhere
- December 7, 2011·
- Mobile ·
Nissan will power off-grid homes “from next year”
Nissan’s electric car, The Leaf is being repositioned as a mobile charger for off-grid homes in Japan. Even grid-tied homes will be able to reduce…
- December 4, 2011·
- Solar ·
Grid can’t handle mass solar
Further evidence in favor of Micro-grids and against the so-called Smart Grid. The runaway take-up of rooftop solar panels in Australia has undermined the electricity…
- December 3, 2011·
Helping newbies off the grid
Hands-on lessons are the best way of spreading the word
- December 1, 2011·
- Mobile ·
Blackberry best smartphone for battery life
RIM machines are several times less power-hungry than nearest Android competitor. Apple lags behind
- November 29, 2011·
- Work ·
What will I do when I lose my job?
White collar jobs, especially in the public sector, will be slashed. Prepare for mass unemployment.
- November 22, 2011·
Wood burners are hot property, but do not DIY
Cheap chinese imports will not throw out as much heat, and any stove can be poisonous if you install it yourself dangerous
- November 17, 2011·
Professor of Off-Grid Living at USF
University of San Francisco professor Sami Rollins thinks better tools could be developed to help people living in off-grid homes — and she’s on a…
- November 16, 2011·
- Urban ·
Canadian shipping container home
30 containers at $3,000 each
- November 13, 2011·
- Energy ·
Microgrids mean no more mega-outages
As consensus builds around micro-grids as the future of energy, main question will be: "who owns them?"
- November 8, 2011·
- Mobile ·
For Sale: the Van that started a Movement
How to find the right camper van by scouring London for sale small ads
- November 7, 2011·
- Spirit ·
Christian Survivalists Losing Faith in the Future
Like biblical character Joseph, who spent seven years preparing for a famine in Egypt, they are stocking up to serve the Lord
- November 6, 2011·
- People ·
Doomsday Preppers
This TV show first aired in the US last summer and arrives in the UK this wednesday on an obscure cable channel. It is the…
- November 6, 2011·
- Mobile ·
UK TV receivers
We set about finding the ideal off-grid TV
- November 4, 2011·
Make money from your land
Great article by Merlyn Seeley on Examiner.com about the wide range of ways you can make money if you are lucky enough to have a…
- November 4, 2011·
- Energy ·
Outside cities, many can no longer rely on the Grid
Violent weather in Northeast is stressing the above-ground utility grid as never before - no answer in sight except make your own plans
- November 3, 2011·
People vs Goldman Sachs – today at Liberty Square NYC
Public hearing to detail the precise crimes committed by the worst bank in New York
- November 3, 2011·
- Land ·
Planners pass Katie Price live-in garden shack
Slapper-turned-model gets permission to live in grounds to look after her horses
- November 1, 2011·
- Mobile ·
Backpack for life
Turns into a protective bubble
- November 1, 2011·
- Mobile ·
A day in the life of snoops and corporate marketers
Your every move is diced and dissected, repackaged and resold by electronic spies embedded in all our lives
- October 31, 2011·
- Water ·
Tucson shows the way on water management
Incentive program develops, while in Texas, techniques for for sharing scarce water
- October 29, 2011·
Preppers movement matures into major market
The preparedness marketplace is full of canny salespeople - These are some of them
- October 28, 2011·
- Events ·
Wealthy benefit from Euro bailout while rest plan off-grid escape route
As our incomes shrink, an off-grid life becomes the only viable option for keeping our independence and self-respect
- October 27, 2011·
7 ways to cut lighting costs
Typical lighting bill can be cut by 75%
- October 27, 2011·
An overview of the last 4 years living off-grid
This December will be 4 years for us living 100% off-grid, I can tell you it’s been quite the adventure, my only regret is that…
- October 20, 2011·
- Energy ·
Efficient fireplace inserts
They look great but that homey glow real fires produce sends heat right up the chimney as the fire sucks warm air from the rest…
- October 16, 2011·
- Land ·
Utility companies “sick with greed”
lawsuits against National Grid and Verizon over outrageous charges for moving utility lines and poles
- October 15, 2011·