Sooner or later, it is everybody’s fantasy, somewhere in the back of their minds, to never pay utility bills again and to be completely self-sufficient and off the grid. Because, like it or not, most of us are tied to the system in ways that make us completely dependant upon it for everything we need to live. But there ARE ways to loosen these strings, and even to cut them entirely, in order to live completely free from the grid in a self-sufficient way, whether you live deep in the city or way out in the boondocks.
The “living off the grid” and “being self-sufficient” equation can be broken down into six parts: Power, Water, Food, Heat, Medicine, and Transportation. Let’s take a little bit closer look at each one of these in turn, so that we can get a better understanding of how they each function and work together to help you live a self-sufficient lifestyle.
- Power. The most obvious thing about living off the grid is the need to generate your own electricity and power.
- The second most critical part of the equation for living off the grid is to find a stable water source or supply for yourself.
- Then comes our food needs. Did you know that even people living in apartment buildings can grow some of their own vegetables in order to cut down on their food bills? And how do you cook them?
- Heating and Cooling. Depending on the time of year, and your geographic location, this one can be a real lifesaver too. If your power goes out in the middle of the winter, as it is often prone to do, do you know how you are going to keep your home warm?
- Medicine and Basic Medical Items. And though we can’t and don’t claim to be doctors, we DO know that there are lots more good home treatment remedies and processes available to the average person than what the profit driven medical establishment would have you believe.
- Transportation. Face it, we have become a mobile society, and we need to go places, all the time. But how do we do it cheaply, and without tying ourselves back to the grid through gasoline sales?
Let’s look quickly at each of these in more detail.
For Power and electricity off the grid, you can invest in solar power(by far the most common), hydroelectricity, fuel cells, generators, or one of several other technologies being developed at http://www.EvergreenMountainLabs.com/ (EML). You will also need several storage batteries, a charger with which to fill them, and an inverter to convert their output into usable house power.
For water, your options are slightly more limited. A good, high quality water filter (with backup filter cartridges on hand) is must, so that you can make use of any water supply you find. Many times, water from rain and snow melt can also be good sources of drinking water (though not in heavy smog areas unless filtered first).A water distiller takes electricity, but if you have the spare power for it, by all means, you should consider getting one.
Sewer needs have even fewer basic options, though within those options, many varieties exist. Basically you have to invest in a self-composting toilet, and then learn to operate it safely and satisfactorily.
For your food needs, you need basic access to the six primary food groups at least occasionally: Grains, Fruits, Vegetables, Lean Meats, Diary, and Nuts. A more functional breakdown of these groups into blocks we can handle might look like this: carbohydrates, proteins, and vitamins and minerals. Either way, keep in mind that the vegetable group will keep you the healthiest, the longest, if you are limited to just one of them. And that’s great news for us because it’s also one of the easiest ones to grow. And the two basic vegetables that I tend to recommend to people are tomatoes and potatoes. Both can be grown in relatively high volumes in small spaces if done right, and will give you lots of daily vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates. Your protein intake can either be meat supplemented into your diet from whatever the source, or from protien rich veggies like nuts or beans, that you grow yourself. Find out more about growing your own food at the http://www.FreedomFromTheGrid.com/ blog site.
In order to cook this food though, most off grid people find that wood stoves are by far the most common and practical solution. But even here, there are a few options. A creative person could generate their own methane or hydrogen for a gas stove, or you can invest in a solar stove or oven. Though they can sometimes take longer to cook things clear through, they still do it well, and sunlight is usually free.
As for our heating and cooling needs, heating is generally the more critical issue, and thus needs more attention. Unfortunately, in today’s world, most appliances use electricity to directly generate heat. Fortunately though, solar power, propane, methane, natural gas, wood, and even hydrogen, as well as several new cutting edge technologies currently under development at EML, all aim to fix this. But probably the oldest and most ‘time tested and true’ heat source technology around today is still simply a good wood-burning stove of some sort. If possible, get one, or something similar like a wood pellet stove, corn stove, etc.
As for medical care, start by getting and committing to memory a good, thorough, high quality first aid manual and then procure a good store of some basic field supplies.
Then we consider our medicines and how to deal with infections. There are two very old technologies, and at least one very new one, which can help anyone learning to live in a self-sufficient way.
The metal Silver, when made into a solution through basic electrolysis or some other method, is one of nature’s best antibiotics. Various people have known about this cheap antibiotic for a long time, and it seems to work well, both when taken internally and/or applied topically. There is a subtle, hidden danger in using it internally though; overdoses of it can turn your skin a permanent shade of zombie gray-blue, so be careful and do your research. But taken appropriately, it can work wonders. Do your research.
The second older technology is based more in common sense, and is currently practiced by naturopathic or homeopathic practicioners. And basically it aims to help your own body fight off diseases and conditions by first eliminating any vitamin or mineral deficiencies that your body might be experiencing, and then strengthening your body’s own immune system.
A much newer technology still being developed underground even today depends on the simple fact that any object will shatter if you hit it with the right note and enough power, like an opera singer shattering crystal goblets. It works the same way with pathogenic viruses and bacterias as well. To get started studying this technology and some of its derivatives, explore “rife machines” on Google.
Of lesser importance to some people, but not to others, is taking care of transportation needs. At http://www.EvergreenGasLabs.com/, they sell lots of items to make your gasoline stretch as far as it can. But barring that, if gasoline isn’t an option, look into bicycles, horses, and even some of the home generated hydrogen fuel technologies being developed at EMP and various other places around the net.
As for clothing, I’m going to have to admit that it’s probably not economically feasible for you to develop your own fabric mill. Instead, plan ahead and stock up now, get a sewing machine (and learn how to use it) to keep stuff mended, and then learn how to barter with people who still have access to clothing.
By focusing on implementing the six items above (Power, Water, Food, Heat, Medicine, and Transportation), you can indeed learn to limit or even throw away your dependence on the grid, cut your bills down, and live in a healthy, green, self-sufficient way. With that said, don’t wait any longer to start your research, and discover how you too can have fun going off the grid!
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