PB and I have been living 100% off grid since December 2007, we have done most everything ourselves, mostly by hand, it’s cheaper that way. Over these last couple of years, we have discovered a few favorite items that really work well for us. These are items we actually use on a regular if not daily basis, these are things I wouldn’t want to live without.  Many of these items we salvaged (ie FREE), some we purchased and were worth every penny. (more…)

I want that one

Mark Walker analyses what you will need from a generator when going off the grid

Here I am living in semi-rural suburbia, concerned about the environment my children will inherit and frustrated by electricity bill increases and irritated by supply reliability. It’s time for me to take my three bedroom semi-detached house ‘off-grid’. But to me, ‘off grid’ isn’t just about the removal of or lacking an electrical connection. I also want independence – from government policies and legislation, big multi-nationals, dealerships, service organisations, in fact, anybody. So how do I do this?

Having learnt the hard way that off-grid power generation requires a machine much more robust than those air-cooled, high speed, super-silent (yeah, right!) things found on eBay, I realised that I would have to set my budget sensibly. (more…)

Post your details on Landbuddy and win a free copy of Nick Rosen’s new book OFF THE GRID.

Landbuddy is a free service from Off-Grid.net which helps people who plan to go off-grid to form a group to share skills, costs and responsibilities.

The best three posts published by August 31st will win the book, and be featured on off-grid.net thus increasing the visibility of their own entry. (more…)

What if?

What would I do if _____________ happened, right here, right now. You fill in the blank, it could be anything, from walking up upon a crazed animal on the trail, being confronted by a gun wielding thief, someone (a stranger) knocking on your car window at an intersection and you can’t drive away yet, have you left enough room between your car and the car in front that you COULD pull around that car and get away if need be? What if you blew a tire while going highway speeds on the freeway during traffic time, what if you pressed on your brakes and nothing happened… during moments of high stress, in a life or death situation, you don’t have time to think, and in the heat of the moment, you probably will not even be able to think, you just have to react, chances are you have one chance and one chance only, assuming you are able to think about what to do, you had better make the right choice and in a timely manner. Have you ever thought about what you would do in a given situation or are you just living your life from moment to moment with no thought about what you would do in an emergency? (more…)

American Homesteaders

Two very different projects reported this weekend show how, everywhere you look, ordinary Americans are building their off-grid future.

In Jasper, Georgia, the Pickens County Progress (which is more used to covering bear sightings and armed robberies) reports on Vered Kleinberger’s “Green Building Adventure.” Executive Assistant Kleinberger is building a small, downtown off-grid show home, with 90% upcycled construction materials – and locals are queuing to take a look around.

Will they sign up to Landbuddy?

The cast of one of the world’s first reality TV shows, Castaway, are reuniting this weekend — 10 years on.

Based on the 60s series Gilligan’s Island, the 36 volunteers agreed to go off the grid together on the remote Hebredian island of Taransay, and it was a life-changing experience for many of them.

They were filmed as they struggled to cope with composting loos and eco homes.  They soon found that the production company was tricky and manipulative. One of them sued successfully for libel. (more…)