3 years off grid! And............

8 Posts
Jul 25, 2008 08:05 am
3 years off grid! And............

Thank you very much to everyone who has shown interest in my project.  I tried to give a quick synopsis late last night with a few pictures.  Hope this answers a few of your questions.  Sorry for the poor photos...
 
8 Posts
Jul 25, 2008 08:07 am
Re: 3 years off grid! And............

Oops... I posted it under my profile... Many peace wishes.. Karen
 
184 Posts
Jul 25, 2008 10:56 am
Re: 3 years off grid! And............

I looked at your gallery Karen, and I'm really impressed and somewhat jealous.  I would move to a remote site and do something similar if only I could talk my family into it.  I have a small off-grid system, but I live in the suburbs with all of the normal services.  I can't say that I know what it's like to live off-grid.  I only experience off-grid living for brief periods when the grid fails.  I hope you'll keep posting so that folks like me can better understand real off-grid living.  Thank you!
 
220 Posts
Jul 25, 2008 07:05 pm
Re: 3 years off grid! And............

karen,

 wow! i just checked out your gallery. your accomplishments are truly awe inspiring. some of us might know the theory behind how something might be done, but you have actually done these things with your own hands. well done. you can show all us want-a-bees a thing or two. you are the true aggridant of eupsychia!

     a quote from castaneda's -journey to ixtlan-

  "for me the world is weird because it is stupendous, awesome, mysterious, unfathomable; my interest has been to convince you that you must assume responsibility for being here, in this marvelous world, in this marvelous desert, in this marvelous time. i wanted to convince you that you must learn to make every act count, since you are going to be here only a short while; in fact too short for witnessing all the marvels of it." -don juan

 wishing you all the best, dave
 
Jul 27, 2008 07:12 am
Re: 3 years off grid! And............

It takes a special kind of person willing to accomplish "off grid" living. There is the conception that we are just living without conventional electricity, but those that have achieved it know there is more to it than that.
While not meaning to minusculate your accomplishments Karen, I would like to point out to other readers that "off grid" living wasn't much of an issue a little more than 100 years ago, it was the way of life. Think about Laura Ingalls Wilder (Little House on the Prairie) and her parents before her, for example.
Now, as for the rest of you, trace back through your heritage. Think about how your ancestors had no concept of "offgrid" living because, there was no "grid." Some of you can probably remember stories told to you by aged relatives of how they grew up without electricity. Electricity, as we know it today, is only about 100 years old.
Electric lighting was installed in the White House in 1891.
Benjamin Harrison was president. By the time Theodore Roosevelt was president the use of electric light was common in all but the most rural parts of America. It was around this time that another, soon to be president was born, Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Now he we are today 2008, celebrating, in a sense, a return (more or less) to a way of live that was chosen to be left behind. There may be hope for Earth yet.
Thank you Karin Evensen.
 
8 Posts
Jul 27, 2008 09:55 am
Re: 3 years ==Thank you David, John and Thomas!

David, John and Thomas!

To each of you I want to extend my thanks for your interest and willingness to take a moment and share you wisdom and encouragement.  I often feel like 'freak of the week' as others seldom understand 'why' I have committed myself to take such a seldom trodden route.

Keeping the faith, if you will, has been the most difficult challenge to the project.  David, your kind words and gift have made such a significant difference, allowing my re-affirmation.  Society pays lip service to valuing green living... but the reality is that on the daily, society also communicates that those who don't participate in the current value system simply... must be lesser beings.

Thomas, your comments regarding our recent transition to energy dependence are thoughtful and informative.  Might I add to your commentary?

There are several cultural components now missing that, in my mind, causes a distinct difference in comparing the off grid life of the American Pioneer to that of today's off gridders.

Primarily, in the past, a community had folks which were regarded as 'experts' in their field.  Expertise was shared, barn raising, crop harvesting, well digging, etc. 
My experience, although I am very big on barter, has been that in all but a few communities, we have become far too individualistic, desiring payment at time services are rendered.  This diverges greatly from a community perspective in which we might for example, help farmer Joe with his wheat crop now because in the fall Joe helps us with our fire wood.  Even if the desire to 'help out' is present, most people wouldn't take two weeks off from their day job to help a neighbor with a project... they can't afford to.  Hence, we have seen a demise in the ability of small communities to share expertise and shed dependence on the current societal constaints. 

Another societal difference is acceptance.  Although I would be considered, 'well educated' by today's standards, let me go to the local hardware store to get parts without the car clean, fingernails well manicured or with a well loved pair of work jeans on.... and....  the clerk earning minimum wage will certainly look  down their nose at me, consistently.  This is in sharp contrast to our pioneer history.  Wait a minute... in the movies the cowboys were clean....

There is a good deal of social ostracizing that occurs... even by those who pay lip service to similar lifestyle values.

No negativity here, just a pragmatic observation.  I'm solid with my choices.... and I look forward to fulfilling my basic Maslowian needs.  But the romantic ideal of the Laura Ingles picture is surreal, always was.  Bathing on Sundays was/is a sure way not to travel alone (i.e. mites, and lice).  IcK! Now add pettie coats...

Times... they are a' changin' 


With a bit of ABS glue still under my nails I wish all who read this peaceful blessings and big smiles, Karen 




 

 
6 Posts
Jul 28, 2008 12:12 pm
Re: 3 years off grid! And............

Hi Karen Evensen,
   I first off wish you the best for stepping aside from the norm and live life.  Offering assistance, if you desire positive assistance on how to Cool you home forever, using a method I will be using to cool a project we are planning in Chino Valley, AZ.  The method is simple and can cool your home for ever for the cost of enough electric power to operate a 1/8 hp electric motor to move water from the system to your living quarters.  My planned project in Chino is 254' x 94' and 20' high.  The determined cost to cool our project, year round is $50 a month, or $ .0000023 per cubic foot.
      This expense falls in line to one of my projects built in 1989 in Vancouver.  Using a different "Passive heating and Cooling" system, we heated and cooled our Vancouver project for 19 years at a cost of $1.13 per day.  The design we are using in Chino for cooling is a stand alone process that we created to function in Ariz.  If you wish assistance and a design sent to "only" you, please post on your site.  I will send design and concepts to your e.mail.  Anachronism 
 

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