Unexpected Celeb Jaws star Richard Dreyfuss and his wife Svetlana Erokhin plan to go off the power grid.
They have started work on a new Encinitas pad, which Dreyfuss hopes will be fully self-sufficient for energy. he is one of many stars, from Jesse Ventura to Daryl Hannah, who have chosen to make the transition to the low profile lifestyle.
Dreyfuss, who is currently promoting brilliant new comedy My Life In Ruins, tells the New York Post, “We’ve just started building a new home. We’re going to try and get off the power grid – as far off as humanly possible. I don’t know that we can be completely off. But by the time we’re done, the San Diego power company should be paying us.”
5 Responses
@Ted:
Richard Dreyfuss is an elite? Gee whiz. You don’t think very highly of yourself, do you?
I’m not sure how his comments can be interpreted as ‘lecturing’. He’s just stating his plan. Yep, some people have more money then others. I think if people can spend the energy they have focusing on their own thing instead of being jealous of what other people have, they’ll be much happier.
I like the idea in principle, but…
as a former resident of Encinitas and San Diego area native I just think “Oh yeah, another millionaire is moving to Encinitas.” It’s easy to go off the grid in paradise. I found that one could live quite well from the cast off trash and cardboard boxes there–many do. I wish the rest of us could still afford to make our home there… off the grid, or not. I’d rather see him do something for affordable housing along the coast and remodel his existing home/office to be more energy productive.
I agree, it is easier for the wealthy, but it doesn’t have to cost a mint to go off-grid, my hubby and I did it with very little money, and what is this about “break even”? Why is it people generally think in terms of ROI when considering going off-grid? I can guarantee this, WHEN the power goes out, whether it is for an hour, a week, or indefinitely, I GUARANTEE you that at that point, ROI will have very little meaning, the person who is off-grid and whose lifestyle has been altered very little, their system will be priceless.
Continue considering your ROI and when all of you are sitting around in the dark, wondering how many more times your toilet will flush and how long water will continue coming out of your faucets, or you are siphoning fuel out of your vehicles to keep the generator running so you don’t lose the last 20 pounds of the thawing food in your freezer (with no way to cook it because your electric range will not work), I promise you that my life will go on as usual because I took the plunge and went 100% off-grid without considering when or if it would pay me back.
I said this not to be smug or holier than thou, I am saying OPEN your eyes, start putting together your (survival) systems now while you still can. Buy extra food, even a couple of cans here and there, store water (that costs $0), buy up the parts to put together your off-grid system, if you live in town/city, start looking around in the more rural areas for some “junk” land that is inexpensive and buy up some acreage, get some books or search the internet for bush craft so that you will know how to live off the land if need be. If nothing bad happens (yeah right!) then you have lost nothing, you have some extra food and water and a vacation/camping spot, but if the worst happens, you will be ready.
Wretha
Yeah…it’s not that difficult when you are wealthy. If I went 100% on solar it would take me over 25 years to break even. Guess what the life span is on batteries and solar panels. I’m tired of being lectured to by elites.