Off the Grid living - Any thoughts?

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Trev62
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Off the Grid living - Any thoughts?

Post by Trev62 »

So.....................hopefully to start a discussion, has any one read this article and looked into it further? Is it the way forward or a step back in time?

Has anyone here experienced this lifestyle? I would be interested in peoples thoughts.

http://www.bbc.com/news/in-pictures-37561938" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;"

http://www.diggersanddreamers.org.uk/co ... ers-bubble" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;"

Admin/Mods not sure where to post this so please move if required.
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Spreckly
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Re: Off the Grid living - Any thoughts?

Post by Spreckly »

Not read the article - time for bed, but there was a chap on DTL a few years since who, I believe, lived off the grid. His mails were really interesting, but sadly he has not posted for a long while.
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Mo
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Re: Off the Grid living - Any thoughts?

Post by Mo »

yes, I was reminded of him.
And here it is
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Spreckly
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Re: Off the Grid living - Any thoughts?

Post by Spreckly »

Thanks for the link Mo. I couldn't remember the name, and shall read his posts again at some point.
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lancashire lass
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Re: Off the Grid living - Any thoughts?

Post by lancashire lass »

Trev62 wrote:Is it the way forward or a step back in time?


I think a bit of both - there are some really positive ideas but a couple of quotes from the BBC article

"The hardest thing missing is having a washing machine, because of the time.
"Washing my clothes by hand takes about three hours."


"Living without fossil fuels is much more labour intensive and it's hard to find the balance


seems like a step back. I think living sustainably is to be commended but to live in dwellings that look like my garden shed is not for me.

And what is with having all the pots and pans hanging on racks outside gathering rain water, moss and bugs?
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Re: Off the Grid living - Any thoughts?

Post by Trev62 »

I am still reading through some follow up websites but the picture of all the pots and pans outside made me smile as well :-D as did the mobile phone on the floor in another!

One thought that came to mind was if they happily use computers (they have their own website) and mobile phones why not generators and chainsaws? To me both items allow you to live "Off Grid" and make life a lot easier. >coc<

Like I said though I am still reading up on the background information some good ideas could be forthcoming from their lifestyle. If ever in the UK a visit and short stop over could be an eye opener, but an email to them with some questions will be sent once my "research" has been completed.
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manda
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Re: Off the Grid living - Any thoughts?

Post by manda »

I read the article and I would say fair play to them if that's the way they want to live, however I think there is a difference between the lifestyle they have chosen which lets face it is quite extreme and actually living an off grid lifestyle.

We live on a lifestyle block in NZ (kiwi description for a small holding basically)...we currently have a conventional home on around 6.5 acres raise our own meat, process (kill and butcher) our own meat and use as much as we can of the animal - which I have to say we became much more aware of when we were raising our own animals.
We do use appliances for doing everyday things, largely because it is convenient but as we live rurally our power supply can be a little erratic at times so we tend to double up on things and so have manual appliances that can be used in place of for when the power cuts out. Woodburner for cooking (do have a gas hob too) - stove top whistling kettle, manual pasta maker etc

In the longer term we would like to move to a bigger piece of land and build a house and this is where the off grid thing comes into play. We would like to find somewhere where we can use different forms of renewable energy and have looked into options available in NZ. Some of this is because we would like to be less reliant on the big power companies and traditional forms of fuel to live our lives but primarily it's because if we are able to find something it will be much more rural and so there will be no conventional power supply anyway. The ideal would be to find somewhere that has a bit of a slope and a water supply - we've already talked to someone about being able to use solar, wind and water and how to set this up efficiently. We've also looked at using sustainable insulation ie sheep wool (pity can't use our own wool). Position of home to use the passive heat efficiently, exposure windows and berm houses.

We've looked at using containers and were interested in creating a cellar using them although this might be difficult in Canterbury given the earthquake risk - and where an earth berm house might be the better option. The other option is to embed them in a hill side so we can create similar but not completely buried - would be a great chiller though and cheese cave....now just need to find that piece of land.

I think there are ways of living off the grid and still being able to live a reasonably "conventional" lifestyle too. There are a lot of people doing it here and have built earthships too
http://earthship.co.nz/
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Mo
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Re: Off the Grid living - Any thoughts?

Post by Mo »

It's OK if you have loads of energy and time, but as you age things become more effort (mental & physical)and I can imagine that being the same problem it is for other attempts at self sufficiency like veg growing & hen keeping.
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Spreckly
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Re: Off the Grid living - Any thoughts?

Post by Spreckly »

What an interesting thread. Love your post Manda.

Did anyone watch Ben Fogle on New Lives in the Wild, channel 5, last night? Rather extreme, and I fell asleep towards the end.
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Re: Off the Grid living - Any thoughts?

Post by Trev62 »

manda wrote:I read the article and I would say fair play to them if that's the way they want to live, however I think there is a difference between the lifestyle they have chosen which lets face it is quite extreme and actually living an off grid lifestyle.


I have to agree with the above and it does depend on how you interpret the phrase "Living Off Grid".

manda wrote:as we live rurally our power supply can be a little erratic at times


Same problem here with electric and water. Water we source (if required) from our garden well or the various village springs and for electric we have candles, oil lights and a gas bottle and ring, we are still looking into a small petrol generator but funds do not run that far at present.

manda wrote:We've also looked at using sustainable insulation ie sheep wool (pity can't use our own wool).


To ask a daft question.....Why can you not use your own? Building/Fire regulations?

During my travels in the Middle East I have seen many Nomads that had been "confined" by the "Authorities" use natural wool that had been quilted into old flattened wool bales/mattresses and nailed to the interior of the huts that they had been forced to live in for insulation and they worked well albeit they deteriorated over time.


manda wrote:now just need to find that piece of land.


I hope you find it soon so you can put your plans in to action. >gl<

I enjoyed reading the "Earthship link" . I would love to have the brains to come up with these ideas. )app(


Mo wrote:It's OK if you have loads of energy and time, but as you age things become more effort (mental & physical)and I can imagine that being the same problem it is for other attempts at self sufficiency like veg growing & hen keeping.


I would have to agree but wonder if this is why people tend to live in "communes" when living this lifestyle so everyone can help each other out. Living a very solitary lifestyle here I am not sure I could handle having people around me all of the time again.

Apologies for the long post and now back to my "research" which is giving me some food for thought :?
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manda
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Re: Off the Grid living - Any thoughts?

Post by manda »

Trev62 wrote:
manda wrote:I read the article and I would say fair play to them if that's the way they want to live, however I think there is a difference between the lifestyle they have chosen which lets face it is quite extreme and actually living an off grid lifestyle.


I have to agree with the above and it does depend on how you interpret the phrase "Living Off Grid".


I see living off grid as not having to be reliant on the power companies for everything. Not hooked up to the National Grid whatever that be (depending on the country you live in).

Trev62 wrote:Same problem here with electric and water. Water we source (if required) from our garden well or the various village springs and for electric we have candles, oil lights and a gas bottle and ring, we are still looking into a small petrol generator but funds do not run that far at present.


We are on a well but have a pump that brings the water up to a tank which is around 50,000 litres (I think...I'd have to check with hubby on that one). A lot of our water is for the animals though so even though that seems a lot it can go down pretty quickly - we've currently got Lily (cow) and 28 sheep with all the lambs born this year.

Like you we have candles ..mason jars strategically placed all over the house. Husband is an arborist so wood is rarely a problem so the woodburner is a no brainer. We have several gas bottles for the BBQ and the gas hob so we've got a load of fuel for cooking for a while if needed.

Trev62 wrote:
manda wrote:We've also looked at using sustainable insulation ie sheep wool (pity can't use our own wool).


To ask a daft question.....Why can you not use your own? Building/Fire regulations?

The Lanolin needs washing out of it and it needs treating or there's a moth that can just eat it and it can go mouldy ...I wish it was easy because it would be so much easier.


Trev62 wrote:I enjoyed reading the "Earthship link" . I would love to have the brains to come up with these ideas. )app(

I'd love to build an earthship but the consents have become so much more complicated since the earthquakes...we'll see in the long... run it might not be financially viable...shame really.

Trev62 wrote:
Mo wrote:It's OK if you have loads of energy and time, but as you age things become more effort (mental & physical)and I can imagine that being the same problem it is for other attempts at self sufficiency like veg growing & hen keeping.


I would have to agree but wonder if this is why people tend to live in "communes" when living this lifestyle so everyone can help each other out. Living a very solitary lifestyle here I am not sure I could handle having people around me all of the time again.

I'm sure there's some of that ..having a group makes the load a little lighter I suppose but like you I couldn't handle living with them around me all the time...one of the reasons I live rurally ...I like the solitude and the peace....some might think it's antisocial I prefer I can access the social when I feel like it.
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Mo
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Re: Off the Grid living - Any thoughts?

Post by Mo »

Nor could I live communally, and you do hear stories of friction and splits. I can imagine that would be worse if one member ceased to 'pull their weight'. And just imagine not having your own home yet feeling pushed out of a commune.
Maybe the people who want to live this way are loners who don't need to do what everyone else does.
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lancashire lass
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Re: Off the Grid living - Any thoughts?

Post by lancashire lass »

Trev62 wrote:One thought that came to mind was if they happily use computers (they have their own website) and mobile phones why not generators and chainsaws? To me both items allow you to live "Off Grid" and make life a lot easier. >coc<


Laptops and mobile phones can be charged up using solar power (and a lot of phones + cameras can use a USB connection on computers) but you wouldn't be able to do that with a generator or chainsaw ... And websites are hosted - some like blogs can be free. And to get access for internet and e-mails, you just need somewhere where there is free wi fi.

Mo wrote:Nor could I live communally, and you do hear stories of friction and splits. I can imagine that would be worse if one member ceased to 'pull their weight'. And just imagine not having your own home yet feeling pushed out of a commune.


I could never live communally either - I like my own space and doing things my way. A proper communal living would delegate tasks to various members, maybe on a rota, taking into account any disabilities (as in, a younger person would have more energy and stamina than an older person for certain tasks)

Maybe the people who want to live this way are loners who don't need to do what everyone else does.


The first impression I got when I first opened the sites was "eco warriors" and religious or hippie culture LOL I think there is a genuine passion there but also anti-establishment. Some probably do see it as an alternate lifestyle (just like when your normal teenager suddenly becomes a vegan and wants to save the planet) Also perhaps financial?
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Re: Off the Grid living - Any thoughts?

Post by Trev62 »

lancashire lass wrote: I think there is a genuine passion there but also anti-establishment. Some probably do see it as an alternate lifestyle (just like when your normal teenager suddenly becomes a vegan and wants to save the planet) Also perhaps financial?


All the posts are interesting and raise valid points, I was (and am still) not sure what to make of it all. I like and agree with some of their ideas even though as said previously by manda they are at the extreme end of things and lancashire lass I think many of us have a small grain of "anti establishment" within us if we are honest though not to the degree that most would "drop out" from the so called normal society.

Here in Bulgaria there are co-operatives within some villages where people share rotavators, tractors, ploughs, chainsaws, stills etc. also members will grow a variety of crops each year and the produce is pooled and shared. I am not sure how agreements are reached but it seems to be passed down through the generations but with the younger people deserting the villages the system may not survive for much longer.

One thing I did not realize is how many communities there are similar (if not as extreme) as this one in existence not just within the UK but all over Europe.
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Re: Off the Grid living - Any thoughts?

Post by mardatha »

I read that a week or so ago and didn't like the look of the place at all. It was far too messy and hippy for me - and I'd hate to think what it's like in a howling gale and sleety rain.. misery! I live rural in Scotland at 1000ft and we have bad winters with powercuts, so we're geared up for living without elect. Longest one we had was 5 days. I use a calor gas full size cooker running on propane, and coal fired central heating. If the elect goes off then we use it as an open fire. And I def agree with whoever said these things get so much harder as you get older )grin2(
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