Off the Grid - Video

[ticker]

I've been really interested in becoming much more self sufficient lately and really think I'd like to live this type of life someday. Not having to pay hydro bills and rely on the government for unhealthy fluoridated water would be pretty awesome.

Here is a video I watched which documents the hardships and steps a family went through to living "off the grid". I found it very inspiring and if any of you can find an hour to spare, I would highly recommend it.

Enjoy! :)

http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=-3356724352139663774&q=how+to+be+self+sufficient&total=793&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=9

[elirien]

Thank you very much. This film raised my hopes :D

But there is this little thing that is the problem. You need some decent money to do this.

[madthumbs]

There are some issues with the video. The batteries won't last indefinitely, and a good outside income (rare) is needed to maintain his way of living. The water filters he chose are probably costly, not permanent, and unnecessary. He could have used the surface water and a solar distiller (http://www.opposingdigits.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=8411) or other phase change purification instead (much cheaper). A lot of unnecessary fuel had to be used to get the building materials there and put up. Not everyone has the luxury to work anywhere they want. I'd like to see something like this become self-sustaining. I did like the idea of keeping all the modern gadgets, conveniences and technology.

Here's some vids that could compliment this video:
An Experiment in Back Yard Sustainability (http://opposingdigits.com/vlog/?p=2250)
Farming with Nature (http://opposingdigits.com/vlog/?p=2160)

[ticker]

Thank you very much. This film raised my hopes :D

But there is this little thing that is the problem. You need some decent money to do this.

Glad you liked it :)

heh for sure, but it doesn't seem too far fetched. In the film, the father couldn't afford to have his well dug threw the bedrock which costs roughly $9000.. so it was nice to see he wasn't extremely rich either. I have a lot of respect for him and his family, props to them.. I'm jealous :( (but only 19.. so I can have my self sufficient home eventually).

TiCkEr

[madthumbs]

Glad you liked it :)

heh for sure, but it doesn't seem too far fetched. In the film, the father couldn't afford to have his well dug threw the bedrock which costs roughly $9000.. so it was nice to see he wasn't extremely rich either. I have a lot of respect for him and his family, props to them.. I'm jealous :( (but only 19.. so I can have my self sufficient home eventually).

TiCkEr

How much do you think it cost him for that cabin that wasn't really a necessity like water is? How about the time, money, and labor spent on finding a well they could dig, and then digging (including the ones that didn't work) in addition to that? As a child, I grew up in the country secluded from neighbors. It had an impact on my mental health and social skills at the time. I'd like to see communities like this forming rather than people isolating themselves with their children. Also, I believe LED's are the future for electric light. You can even grow marijuana with them without producing excess heat. I wouldn't have gone with a single incandescent if I were him. A lamp was recently designed that used gravity to power it's LED bulb (why bother with so many batteries which will go bad in 3-5 years?).

A solar water heater can be built from junkyard scraps. Underground storage can keep things cool. Exercise bikes can also be used to generate electricity (rather than a gas generator for backup).

Don't get me wrong with all the pseudo-negativity. I did like and enjoy the film.

[ticker]

How much do you think it cost him for that cabin that wasn't really a necessity like water is? How about the time, money, and labor spent on finding a well they could dig, and then digging (including the ones that didn't work) in addition to that? As a child, I grew up in the country secluded from neighbors. It had an impact on my mental health and social skills at the time. I'd like to see communities like this forming rather than people isolating themselves with their children. Also, I believe LED's are the future for electric light. You can even grow marijuana with them without producing excess heat. I wouldn't have gone with a single incandescent if I were him. A lamp was recently designed that used gravity to power it's LED bulb (why bother with so many batteries which will go bad in 3-5 years?).

A solar water heater can be built from junkyard scraps. Underground storage can keep things cool. Exercise bikes can also be used to generate electricity (rather than a gas generator for backup).

Don't get me wrong with all the pseudo-negativity. I did like and enjoy the film.

Yeah I didn't really take it that much in depth lol. It was the idea of the film as a whole that I found very interesting and neat.. not so much all the details.

TiCkEr