Posts from — January 2008

Time for a fresh start

More than 2.2 MILLION foreclosure documents were sent out to US homeowners last year, forcing many to consider living off-grid, in cabins, RVs, on backlots or trailer parks. .

In a ground-breaking story Off-Grid interviewed one early victim of this trend about her inspirational journey through financial collapse to off-grid happiness(see “on the ropes and off the grid” below). While sad that she and her husband lost everything, it fills us with hope that through her financial downfall she discovered that what matters in this world is not material possessions but a sense of freedom and fulfillment. (more…)

Stay warm

Below is a list of ten things we would rather ban before even considering the restrictions on Outdoor Heaters to help tackle climate change being debated today in the European Parliament.

Patio heaters can be an important luxury in your off-grid life. There is often not a big difference between the temperature inside or outside your shelter, especially in spring and autumn, so you spend more time outside than most. And as in Sweden, you find that an outdoor heater is a joyous thing. Anyway, they have a minimal effect on the climate, especially the MOST EFFICIENT 37,500 BTU’s FROM AMAZON US or try this Heater from Amazon UK.

Because they rely on highly finite Calor gas (butane or propane) bottles, there is littlel moral hazard. When you live off-grid you are always watching your energy consumption. You would stupid to go out for the evening and leave your patio heater burning. Before the EU legislates for stupidity amongst the owners of Patio heaters:

TEN THINGS TO BAN BEFORE PATIO HEATERS

10. Stretch limousines
9. First-class check-in at Airports
8. Plasma TV Screens
7. Travel allowances and research budgets for MEPs, MPS and Senators
6. Chewing gum (more…)

Tonight we had pizza, it’s great to have something that does not come out of a can! It was different and it was good. I made and cooked the pizza dough on our wood burning stove, I made about a dozen 6 inch pizza’s, I took the blank pizza’s to our neighbor and finished assembling the pizza’s, I used tomato soup for the sauce, I used dry italian seasoning, dried beef and cheese. We ate pizza until we thought we would pop. It’s also nice to get to watch some TV, though I really don’t miss it much, I do wish I could keep up with more national and local news, it’s OK that I don’t know everything that is going on, probably keeps me sane! :)

The last couple of days were windy, last night, we were sleeping and a gust of wind blew through, sounded like a freight train! We both came awake from a sound sleep, fortunately it didn’t get any worse than that, it was a while before we went back to sleep. The next morning, things were in pretty good shape, a few things got blown over, but nothing major. The wind blew pretty hard most of the day. but the sun was shining so the batteries were able to charge up, that is a pretty important thing for us, one cloudy day is not bad, but 2 or more cloudy days in a row can make it hard to have movie night! The next few days are supposed to be windy, but clear, so we will be just fine.

This guide to solar power is taken from How to Live Off-Grid: Journeys Outside the System by Nick Rosen. You can buy the book here.

Next year’s swimsuit charges phones.

The age of solar power is fast approaching, but its not quite here yet. Cost and efficiency are improving all the time, but not fast enough for our liking. The wearable solar panel pictured is expensive as a phone charger, but still cheap as a fashion item.

There are three kinds of solar panel, based on the way the silicon is cut. The first is monocrystalline. That is the most expensive and the most efficient (at 15 per cent) at converting the sun�s rays into energy. The second is polycrystalline, which, as its name suggests, is the combination of more than one slice of crystal; it�s 13 per cent efficient. And the least expensive and efficient (at 9 per cent) is called amorphous. (more…)

By: Kelly Mead

We were pleasantly surprised that while watching “Invention Nation” tonight we we able to see the $1 solar panel production. The guys headed out to Colorado to see the new type of solar panels that should be mass produced by next year. AVA Solar is still planning on entering it’s large scale mass production by 2009.

Seeing the production of these panels showed how these panels will use less materials and energy to produce. Which will be passed on to us as consumers. These panels are produced by layering the components and then scoring to make the individual cells, instead of making a large cell then cutting and wiring together. This means less places for lose connections and lose connections means less energy efficiency. Also as these panels will be produced completely in an automated process less energy and materials will be lost or wasted in the production. Less waste is always better for our environment.

We just had to get the information out so that you can watch the production and find out more on AVA Solar panels. It will be re-aired in the morning of January 29th if anyone is lucky enough to catch it. The episode to catch is #10 “Self-Sustaining” you can check “Invention Nation” schedule here. We of course found more to write about in this episode such as EarthHaven and Enertia, but wish to do more research on those.

Kevan Trott and wife Gillian

The London Sunday Express made a big deal out of Kevan Trott and his French earthship, calling it “the first residential Earthship in Europe.” The design pioneered in Taos uses old tyres and bottles to create a fully recycled home. The word “earthship” derives from the fact that not only does the shape of these semi-submerged properties resemble a ship, and they are also self-contained vessels.

The property will be available to rent from May, but in fact it is not the first residential European earthship by a long way. (more…)

Me and my shadow

Training started in earnest with a walk in the mountains, it seemed like a good idea at the time but once I got back, aching and so exhausted I could barely speak, I was less sure of the wisdom.

The plan was simple enough — walk from Morzine at an altitude of 970 meters to Ardent at an altitude of 1200 meters, a simple enough task.

To make it a bit more interesting I decided to go via the tallest point in between – 1800 meters.

Then for reasons that I can best ascribe to a lack of oxygen to the brain I decided to travel in as close to a straight line as possible, go via Les Lindarets (which is not on the way) and, carry about 20lbs. (more…)

As he prepares to hand over control of the UK’s top eco-campaigning group, TONY JUNIPER, DIRECTOR OF FRIENDS OF THE EARTH, reflects on the green movement, in conversation with NICK ROSEN

Yorke, Juniper (right) and other star stories

“I used to dismiss pop star involvement in Green campaigns as celebrities picking up on fashionable causes to get themselves some good PR. But I changed my mind when I found myself leaning on the bar of a nightclub with Thom Yorke from Radiohead, along with Tory leader David Cameron and Labour�s David Miliband. It was 2006 and Miliband was still Tony Blair�s Environment Secretary. Thom had written them each personal invites to a very select little gig organised by Friends of the Earth at the Coco Club in Camden Town. Thom was performing, along with Johnny Greenwood from Razorlight. (more…)

Hip to the new groove

If you are a creative type, your studio may be contributing to global warming and other environmental problems. Between the power used to run your gear, the climate-control system in your studio (that is, your heater and your air conditioner), and the disposable media and old gear you throw out, you are adding to the problem.
As a creative working working from home, you can adopt conservation measures. (more…)