By Ciaran Oliver
You may already be trying your best to make the most of our limited resources in these times of austerity and collapsing economies but there’s no shame in trying harder!
Sometimes it can feel like that many global issues are beyond our control but there are some simple ways that you can start to move yourself ‘off grid’ and feel more independent of the state and all it entails.
So come and explore that feeling of freedom – you remember freedom don’t you?
Make your own energy
Sounds hard but it’s becoming easier and easier to produce power on a micro scale. One of the big factors to consider is weather you want a system that’s based on the 110v-240v power that domestic homes use in the USA and Europe use or if you want to switch to a low voltage system as you find in camper vans and the like, which are usually based around appliances that use 12 volt direct current.
When we talk about direct current we should also mention batteries, these aren’t double AA batteries either, these are the big monster ones that need two people to carry. But these savings can be monumental when you start to think about what you use in the day to day running of a house.
Solar can help with water heating as well as electricity and cooking can be achieved with wood stoves depending on access to well managed sources.
Hydro electricity can also be achieved on a small scale to produce a continual source of energy if you have access to flowing water on your site. Alternatively you can build a small pump storage hydro electricity set up that let’s gravity do the hard work for you – but you will need a slope.
Using the resources that are available within your environment, be it central London or the Arizonian desert, can let you tap into power that’s always around us. After your initial outlay it will also help to keep your money in your pocket too, so think of it as an investment in your future.
Use less
If you’re an average household in the western hemisphere you are probably using far more energy than you really need. Are all your light bulbs low energy ones? Do you have ‘smart plugs’ that cut the power of appliances that are on stand by? Can you add more electric devices to a power strip, so you only have one switch to turn off when you’re not using them? Do you try and make the most of the public transport facilities that are around you? Could you sell the car? Honestly the car! That’s a big one, but it can be done, especially in urban communities.
Washing and drying clothes can be a huge drain on your resources so think about how you go about your laundry – do you really need to use the tumble dryer? Can you utilize the lower temperature washes that most machines now offer? Test and see what the lowest temperature you can wash your clothes is at.
Insulate more… much more
The more insulation you have in your home the less you will spend on heating and cooling it. How do people live in the far North of Scandinavia and other sub zero areas? They insulate, lots and lots. The more insulation you can stuff into your house especially in the roof area,the better. So if you can trap the hot air from escaping you can save big time. The same principal applies for cooling your home, keep the cool in and block the heat out.
Grow your own food
It can be a daunting task for the uninitiated but it’s do-able in even some of the most hostile environments and with limited resources. Many societies have stopped living with the seasons and are more reliant on large chain supermarkets for all their food.
Things don’t have to be so dominated by the few; you can grow potatoes in pots on patios and grow beans up the sides of buildings. Research what grows well in your area and get out and see if there are spare pieces of land that you can use to grown food on or simply buy a grow bag and store wherever you can.
Hopefully these few simple ideas will spark your interest in moving to a more sustainable way of living.
Do lots of research
Depending where you live, or want to live, you will no doubt have to jump through countless hoops of bureaucracy to live the simple life that you want. Unfortunately there is not much getting out of this, especially when it comes to planning permission, so make sure you do your research. Get online and follow your curiosity, contact others who are already living off grid and learn how they did it. If you can visit a house that is already off grid you can see how it’s done and learn from their mistakes. It isn’t easy but then the things that are really worth doing in life never are!
Ciaran Oliver is Guest Posting here on behalf of Yale composite doors who supply and manufacture back and front doors that adhere to strict governmental U-value legislation to lower the amount of energy that households and businesses use to cool or heat their property.