Posts from — May 2010

Juliet Schor - mapping a new kind of lifestyle

Many, including writer Juliet Schor,question the underlying assumptions of the consumerist mentality. She has just written a new book about it – Plenitude: The New Economics of True Wealth.
Once most Americans could meet basic biological needs, spending took on a heightened social meaning. Spending has become a social phenomenon, consumerism now builds on our fear of failure. That fear has costs. Schor’s question: Is the high cost of all the stuff we’re accumulating worth the escalating costs to our families, communities and the planet? (more…)

Summer Lake, Oregon (CNN) Looking at this beautiful lake in the western U.S. state of Oregon is to understand the meaning of the phrase “God’s country.” And that’s exactly why Brother Gregory lives here.
He is part of a an off-grid movement of conservative Christians who are choosing to live their lives on the edge of society, unplugged from civilization as much as they can, living under basic biblical principles.
Brother Gregory — the “Brother” is more of a nickname than an occupational title — ministers from the Oregon desert where he lives with his wife, some of his grown children and grandchildren. (more…)

land!.jpg (41 KB)

Parcels of land in a quaint, historic town called Mineral de Pozos in Central Mexico 8000 ft. above sea level, with plenty of wind and sun for energy use and enough rain for water catchment. The vernacular of the colonial architecture and the indigenous raw materials of caliche stone and adobe earth are ideal for building with a low carbon footprint.

We are a 48 & 50 year old monogamous couple (male and female) who are looking to live off grid for at least part of the year and eventually full time. We are quiet, respectful and conscious (at least we try very hard!) We want to live in Northern California preferably Humboldt area. We want to plant a garden, maybe have a domesticated animal, and basically just enjoy ourselves.
Anyone out there willing to rent to us some land for a very reasonable price?
Let us know.
Thanks,
Amy and Rob

Solar Classroom

Here is a listing of some of the best Renewable Energy training courses around the United States. For a more thorough list, visit the Renewable Energy Training Catalog published by the Interstate Renewable Energy Council.

Also, check out this blog series from Mother Earth News contributing editor Dan Chiras about finding a green job in the field of renewable energy.

Solar Education Programs

The Evergreen Institute’s Center for Renewable Energy and Green Building (more…)

Amir Hasson - serving smaller villages

Off-Grid ideas are flowing from the classrooms of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Stanford and Virginia University into commercial products in rural India.
Here’s a look at how a new generation of off-grid whiz-kids are creating affordable, scaleable, high-tech business models to improve quality of life in rural India.

An extraordinary bunch of entrepreneurs is attempting projects ranging from rural electrification to solar-powered refrigeration systems. (more…)

Hello,

We’re a young couple that’s looking to go off-grid and build our own earthbag home. We’re looking to either join an existing off grid communnity or a land-owner that is willing to lease us a piece of woodland.

Thank you.

My partner and I are practicing permaculture up in the mountains of northern Idaho, over 85 fruit and nut trees planted in the logging roads that go through our property. Two of our neighbors are selling their properties and we’re hoping that good folks move in next door. But their places are kinda expensive, so also just look around the north idaho area, it gets the pacific ocean’s weather, mild winters just lots of snow, its the southern tip of the wet columbia mountains, the world’s only inland temperate rainforest. Moose, grizzly bears, lynx, northern rockies are the last beating heart of the U.S. continental. Lots of folks dedicated to sustainability, good local food markets and farmers markets, independent theatre and progressive groups out in Sandpoint, Idaho. I love this place, hopefully likeminded folks can flood the region and make real change a systemic reality. Here are those MLS for my neighbors:

http://www.c21fourseasons.net/detail.cfm?tr=20900479&typ=hom

http://www.c21fourseasons.net/detail.cfm?tr=21001591&typ=hom

both these homes have trout streams go through them.

My partner and I are practicing permaculture up in the mountains of northern Idaho, over 85 fruit and nut trees planted in the logging roads that go through our property. Two of our neighbors are selling their properties and we’re hoping that good folks move in next door. But their places are kinda expensive, so also just look around the north idaho area, it gets the pacific ocean’s weather, mild winters just lots of snow, its the southern tip of the wet columbia mountains, the world’s only inland temperate rainforest. Moose, grizzly bears, lynx, northern rockies are the last beating heart of the U.S. continental. Lots of folks dedicated to sustainability, good local food markets and farmers markets, independent theatre and progressive groups out in Sandpoint, Idaho. I love this place, hopefully likeminded folks can flood the region and make real change a systemic reality. Here are those MLS for my neighbors:

http://www.c21fourseasons.net/detail.cfm?tr=20900479&typ=hom

http://www.c21fourseasons.net/detail.cfm?tr=21001591&typ=hom

both these homes have trout streams go through them.