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Siyah

by Siyah on June 29, 2009 · 4 comments

in OFF-GRID 101, WATER

woman-in-the-rain
Free water Off-Gridders across the state of Colorado have been waiting a while for this moment – its now legal to gather rainwater off your roof, as long as it is 3,000 square feet or smaller.

But before we all have a barrel of fun, take note: the only people allowed to capture rain are those whose residences are well-ready with a well permit. The mere fact that you have no access to water, are not connected to the water grid, is not enough.

There is still a hill of rules you have to climb for fetching a pail of water.

»Keep reading 'Roll out the rain barrel'

Kiwi theater goes off-grid

November 10, 2008
Kiwi theater goes off-grid

Love in a cold climate Boastful Cate Blanchett said last year that her Sydney Theatre Group would be the world’s first off-grid playhouse. She has yet to fulfill her boast, and now a small New Zealand troupe has beaten her to it.

“Heat” is the aptly- named first off-grid theatre production in New Zealand, with a generator, solar panels and windmill placed outside Bats Theatre, Wellington -- giving a foretaste of the Antarctic setting inside.

While the Bats Theatre is actually walking the walk, Blanchett spends her time raising sponsorship from the likes of Giorgio Armani – whose fashion shows she attends – how awfully 80s.

»Keep reading 'Kiwi theater goes off-grid'

Beyond biofuels

June 11, 2008
Beyond biofuelsByrnes (left) and SenatorStatement by Robert Byrnes, Nebraska Renewable Energy Systems to Congressional Small Business Subcommittee on Rural and Urban Entrepreneurship, June 11, 2008. I operate an Energy Farm in Northeast Nebraska that has produced its own energy for years and these advanced biofuels will continue to be part of our mix. This facility is currently in use to as an energy training facility to help others reach these types of energy goals. I co- founded the Nebraska Renewable Energy Association in 2006 and am in the process of spinning off another energy business focused on the needed processing of the materials that will supply these second generation oils and ...

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My best friend’s a vegetable

May 18, 2008
My best friend’s a vegetablePermaculture tastes good Whatever you are planting - make sure its near a little plant friend that will make him feel at home. Companion planting is based on the idea that certain plants can benefit others when planted in near proximity. Companion planting is an organic way to deter pests, where limited or no pesticides or herbicides are used. 1. Basil -- Best friends: pepper, tomato, and marigold. Tip: Plant seeds in rows two feet apart, spacing them half an inch apart in the row. Most varieties grow to about two feet. Pinch stems frequently, to encourage basil to grow bushy and full.

»Keep reading 'My best friend’s a vegetable'

Telecommuters the norm by 2018

March 13, 2008
Telecommuters the norm by 2018 Relax at work A survey of more than 1,000 senior executives found 74% expected "virtual teams of employees", working at a distance from each other, to become the norm by 2018. About 64% thought talented people would become "multi-employed," 59% said job hopping would be commonplace and 56% said most routine tasks would be automated.

»Keep reading 'Telecommuters the norm by 2018'

Windmill hating little-Englanders

February 10, 2008
Windmill hating little-Englanders Nasty neighbours Well-heeled British property owners are doing all they can to frustrate attempts to build wind turbines in the countryside even though they produce clean, green energy and harm no-one. A pensioner in Wisbech says 50 fast-growing trees planted by a neighbour will cut the amount of power produced by the wind turbine in his back garden.

»Keep reading 'Windmill hating little-Englanders'

Return of the Grim Repo

January 31, 2008
Return of the Grim Repo 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.

»Keep reading 'Return of the Grim Repo'

Make music not carbon

January 26, 2008
Make music not carbon 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.

»Keep reading 'Make music not carbon'