Shoes, ladies I know you think about them a lot, and some of you guys too, but how many of you wear shoes that would let you down in an emergency situation? Ladies I talking about running around in high heels, or little flip flop sandals…

Now I’m not saying you can’t wear these kinds of shoes, but perhaps you should seriously consider stashing a more suitable pair of shoes that could be quickly accessed in an emergency. (more…)

Has anyone tried the new line of Soleta zeroEnergy range of sustainable off-grid homes? Developed by a Romanian environmental group, they are made from 97% recycled materials and boast a range of energy-saving features — as well as energy-creating options such as solar panels.The dwellings are said to be available in several shapes and sizes, and combine rustic modular design with multiple energy saving and producing technologies. But despite a blaze of publicity, it is hard to track down anyone who has actually seen, far less tried out, one of the homes.

They range from a small unit with just 48 square-meters (516 sq ft) usable floor space (plus attic), up to a relatively sizable model suitable for a family of five, with a main area floor space of 100 square-meters. (more…)

Here’s a scenario, you are working hard, say chopping wood for winter, or perhaps you are starting your garden this spring, you have been working hard for hours, you realize it’s lunchtime, your stomach is growling, you need to refuel. Now you have some options, what to eat for lunch… often times after eating our bodies (and mind) slows down, instead of wanting to go back to work, you are looking at the recliner, or even the bed (that’s me, raising hand!)… how many times have you eaten and right afterward all you wanted to do was sleep? That is not what you want to have happen, you need to refuel and go back to work. What if I told you that what you eat can have an effect on whether you are ready to go back to work or you are ready to go to sleep? (more…)

Another great recipe from Corey Naughton

Pasta is a wonderful thing to us off-gridders. Long storage life, high in carbs, you can make it at home, and you can add just about whatever is handy to have a delicious meal in no time.

There is a dark side to pasta however … That dark side … is ENERGY.

Pasta requires a long period of boiling in order to turn it from an inedible stick into a tender slippery string. That sustained boiling requires large amounts of energy. You may be using energy from your solar panels … You may be using energy from burning wood or propane … But, at the end of the day you are expending your valuable resources. Resources that cost money to initially procure and replenish. Resources that could be better spent on making dessert ;-)

What if I told you there’s another way? (more…)

How many of you would like (love?) to to have your own place and live for just what you’d pay in taxes? Assuming you already have a piece of land (hint, look for so called “junk” land and you can often have it for a song)… Well that’s precisely what Anna Hess and her husband Mark did. (more…)

When I moved off grid, I looked around the internet for kindred souls, I found one in Mayberry, no not the town in that old beloved show, but a man who was very tired of living in the rat race, he became infamous for his “rants” against modern society and all its trappings.

I ran across one of his articles that really touched my soul, this is about how he wants and plans to live, specifically the house he wants to build, as I read what he wrote, I realized he was practically describing our sky castle, made me feel good that another human, especially one I consider to be in the higher echelons of intelligence and common sense wants to design and live in a home that is so similar to how we built. I’m not talking about the castle look, but how it’s built, the structure, inner workings and such. (more…)

Phys.org reports on a completely self-sufficient apartment building revealed at the International Housing Exhibition in Hamburg, which produces renewable energy by harvesting micro-algae.

The 15-apartment block has 129 algae filled tanks hanging over the exterior of the south-east and south-west sides of the building— powered exclusively by algae.

The fast-growing algae not only create biofuel, they also produce heat, shade the building, and abate street noise. The algae were retrieved from the nearby Elbe river, and put into large thin rectangular clear cases. Inside, the algae live in a water solution and are provided nutrients and carbon dioxide by an automated system. Each tank was then affixed to the outside walls of the building onto scaffolding that allows for turning the tanks towards the sun—similar to technology used for solar collectors.

In ten years, everyone will be doing it. (more…)

Returning to a theme often covered on this site, the US Army continues to make the pace in off-grid technology.
The idea of converting communities to total renewable energy, complete recycling and a culture of conservation to bring humankind’s carbon footprint into a sustainable balance with a healthy earth, is usually seen as one for deep green activists.
The last place you’d expect this ideal to take root – and even flourish– is a Texas Army base. But Fort Bliss, a sprawling military base accommodating 35,000 soldiers in El Paso, is one of the armed forces’ leading hotbeds of energy conservation and creativity.
The Department of Defense recently released this announcement:
WASHINGTON, April 5, 2013 – The largest renewable energy project in U.S. military history is slated to begin soon at Fort Bliss, Texas, a big step toward the installation’s goal of generating all the energy it uses, Army Maj. Gen. Dana J.H. Pittard, the installation and 1st Armored Division commander, announced today. (more…)

On Monday, the rationale for owning gold collapsed along with its price as the yellow metal dropped more than 10%, settling above $1,350 an ounce at the close before bouncing back a bit Tuesday.

That was its lowest level since February 2011, breaking through every support level in sight and pushing gold deep into bear market territory. It’s down 28% from its peak above $1,900 in August 2011.

But gold’s price could be headed much, much lower, in our opinion. Sell now! We think the price will go below a thousand dollars later this year. Many disagree – if you want to get the best price for your gold bullion, jewellry, and even your silver – try this Gold and Silver price calculator from In Gold We Trust. (more…)