Posts from — July 2012

What would you do if the lights went off tomorrow, the power cut off for good? If you aren’t already living off-grid you’re going to be in for a bumpy ride.

If you are, great! But what happens next?

If your supply breaks how will you fix it? This is the type of worst case, zero-electricity scenario that Aric McBay’s book ‘Peak Oil Survival’ promises to prepare you for (Buy in UK). McBay is a writer, activist and organic farmer who lives in Ontario, Canada. He specializes in issues around peak oil and sharing off-the-grid skills, and he has combined them here, explaining in the introduction “This book is about far more than just peak oil…This book is a primer for problems we will face in the future as well as a hand book for people who want to live ‘off-the-grid’ now”.
Sub-titled ‘Preparation for life after grid crash’ the book focuses on some of the basics for survival, chapters include obtaining and treating water, grey water and toilets, storing food, cooking, lighting and heat (more…)

The crops got a little drink in the US today but the drought is still severe. It looks like the combination of extreme heat and little rain will send food prices rocketing. A punishing heat wave in the Midwest on top of the worst drought since 1956 is predicted to result in skyrocketing soybeans, corn and meat. And some communities will impose water controls before the end of the summer.

So, what should we do? We already wrote about Aquaponics which requires very little water as it is recirculated. Read this book: How to Grow More Vegetables (and fruits, nuts, berries, grains, and other crops) than you ever thought possible on less land than you can imagine by John Jeavons (more…)

Born and raised in the american southeast. Brought up in a great family that emphasized an outdoor, active lifestyle. A young man, formerly a student, tired of pursuing the city life. Strong desire and willingness to learn. To travel where I am needed and can truly make a difference. Personally motivated, passionate, ambitious. Not wealthy, nor do I possess the skills to immediately be an asset. Will become an asset and irreplaceable once taught. Above all else hard work and aid for others motivates my life. Please contact.

The first results of the British well-being Index have been released and they are an important boost for hopes of changing housing policies to encourage more off-grid development.

the Government says it will use the Index to help set economic policies, and one of the key findings from the survey released today was that the highest ratings of life satisfaction were found in the remote Scottish Isles- the Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland Islands. (more…)

So many people make a few steps towards self-sufficiency and then slack off.

But with a drought gripping half of America, Cereal prices at record highs, glaciers twice the size of Manhattan melting in Greenland, solar activity peaking and economist Nouriel Roubini predicting a perfect storm in 2013, the incentives for prepping have rarely been higher.

Step forward MD Creekmore, one of America’s leading survivalists. His blog charts his journey from being another rat in the rat race, two his current existence on two acres of land in a 26-foot travel trailer – his full-time home and survival retreat. He is a black belt in Shotokan karate, gunsmith and, he says, an all-around nice guy.

His new book, 31 Days to Survival: A Complete Plan for Emergency Preparedness, is a simple, short no-nonsense training program which takes it a step at an achievable step with anew task each day,so that by the end of a month, even if you have a full-time job,you should be able to fend for yourself if you ever need to.

Of course you may never need to , but that doesn’t mean your time is wasted. The sense of self-confidence you will get from reading this book and carrying out the daily tasks in it is well worth the time invested.

Hello,I wondered if there are any Indian off-grid communities who can respond to this ad?

The love affair between reality TV and the off-grid lifestyle continues with the new series Mountain Men (finale this thursday 8/9pm)on History Channel.

Eustace Conway, one of the stars of Off the Grid: Inside the Movement for More Space, Less Government, and True Independence in Modern America
is a lead character. The sales pitch for the series links it unashamedly to off-grid living – “Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live your life off the grid?” runs the Web site. “Have you wished you could shed the complications of modern society and live in the wilderness, using only the things nature has provided? ”

And like all reality TV, the cracks are showing as viewers realise that the series is extremely unreal. (more…)

Just a few weeks ago traders were expecting a bumper food crop in 2012, and prices were low. But now a 2008-style food crisis is just around the corner – threatening cities across the globe with social unrest and starvation.

Weird weather, coupled with rampant commodity price speculation, low levels of strategic stockpiling and increases in the price of agricultural staples such as corn, soyabeans and wheat, have created a volatile cocktail. Wheat and corn prices are soaring for the third summer in five years, and the prospect of another price shock is with us once again.

The US drought is the main reason that soybeans are at record prices. And the heatwave currently threatens the US grain harvest. Any further occurence of extreme weather – be it cold or wet or super-hot could tip the global economy into crisis. (more…)

Damian Smyth is giving up everything.

He and his wife Victoria Groom are giving up their rented six-bedroom house in the British countryside, their tennis court, their swimming pool, even their Audi convertible.

In fact, they are almost finished giving away all their possessions as the prepare to promote Damian’s new book, DO NOTHING!
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“We’ve had enough of living from the ‘outside-in’,” said Damian, a graphic designer who is reinventing himself as a life trainer.
(more…)