Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Monday, December 16, 2013
What is "The Grid"?
Every month, millions of Americans check their mail seeking the comforts of a handwritten letter or their favorite magazine only to be greeted by white envelopes with miniature cellophane windows. We're all familiar with these mailers -- power, water, gas and telephone bills, all conspiring to take your hard-earned money. For most people, paying utility bills is a tiresome and frustrating task. What if there was a way to get out from under the thumb of public utilities and produce your own sustainable energy? Well, there is. Going "off-grid" is becoming an increasingly popular choice for people looking to reduce their carbon footprint, assert their independence and avoid reliance on fossil fuels.
"The grid" is a common name for the power grid -- the linked system that delivers electricity to the masses. A typical house is connected to power, natural gas, water and telephone lines. Going off the grid means shunning these public utilities in favor of creating your own energy. Some homeowners choose to be partially off the grid by supplying their own electricity and ditching their phone line, while relying on the convenience of city water and sewage. Others choose to live completely off-grid by digging wells or using a cistern system to collect water. A septic tank takes care of the sewage and, just like that, no more water bill either.
It's impossible to get an accurate count of exactly how many people in the United States live off-grid, but in 2006, Home Power magazine estimated that more than 180,000 homes were supplying their own power. Another 27,000 homes use solar and wind energy to offset their grid-connected life according to USA Today.
The back-to-the-land movement accounts for some of these numbers, but more people in developed urban areas are looking to get off the grid as well. For most, it's a good way to be friendly to the environment. For others, it's a relief not to rely on overworked utility companies to meet their needs.
For more on this article from “How Stuff Works”, click here: http://www.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-science/living-off-the-grid.htm
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Beer Can Transformed Into A Stove!
Did you know that you could take an ordinary beer can and make a STOVE out of it? If you are into Off-the-Grid living, then you will love this nifty idea for a simple heater that runs on medicinal alcohol.
Check out the video in the following link!
http://vimeo.com/64726512
Widow Faces Eviction for Off-the-Grid Lifestyle
This just in from :The Blaze: A Fla. city is set to evict a widow for her unique lifestyle of “living off the grid.”
Robin Speronis told WFTX-TV that she was given an eviction notice after the station aired a story about how she chooses to live in a home without modern amenities, such as running water and electricity.
“A code enforcement officer came, knocked on the door then posts a placard that says uninhabitable property, do not enter,” Robin said.
Read more HERE: http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/12/14/widow-faces-eviction-in-fla-city-for-living-off-the-grid/
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Saturday, December 14, 2013
Ideas from a Self-sustaining Cabin in Maine
It was thirty years in the making, but this self-sustaining cabin twenty miles off the coast of Maine offers some great ideas to apply for folks in the Sho-Me state to consider. These include solar, an on-demand water heater, and more.
Tell me what you think!
Read more HERE: http://isupportorganic.blogspot.com/2013/11/tiny-off-grid-cabin-in-maine-is-completely-self-sustaining.html
Let's go OFF THE GRID MISSOURI!
Tell me what you think!
Read more HERE: http://isupportorganic.blogspot.com/2013/11/tiny-off-grid-cabin-in-maine-is-completely-self-sustaining.html
Let's go OFF THE GRID MISSOURI!
Monday, November 12, 2012
Myths About Preppers
While some people have been influenced by TV shows like Doomsday Preppers, the subject of prepping is far from a fad. In fact, preparedness is something that’s been talked about as far back as early Biblical times. The Bible is filled with many examples of prepping and even offers preparedness advice.
The story of Noah is probably one of the best examples of prepping in the bible. In Genesis, Noah is instructed to prepare for the coming flood by stockpiling food for his family.
Friday, November 9, 2012
Off The Grid Network: Unplugged
As millions live without power or sanitation, or even gasoline, in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, it seems the North-East of America is getting its first big lesson in living without the access to the power grid and fresh water supplies that are taken for granted the rest of the time. While the big banks and financial institutions were largely up and running within 24 hours, millions of ordinary homes are last in the queue, giving way rightly to hospitals and schools, and wrongly to offices and factories.
Read the entire article HERE: http://www.off-grid.net/2012/11/02/unplugged/
Read the entire article HERE: http://www.off-grid.net/2012/11/02/unplugged/
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