Off Grid Essentials! Part 2
Continuing the Off Grid theme, my last blog looked at why people are choosing to live such a life.
This time I will look at the essentials which have to be in place.
Living off grid is a conscious decision for most people who generally have come from a traditionally fairly comfortable background, and also from an urban environment rather than a rural one, which makes the change even more dramatic.
The reasons may be financial, creative or environmentally driven.
There may be an ideology about it that is attractive. Living off the land close to nature, and making use of the elements to provide energy, growing vegetables and keeping animals to provide food, which all adds to preserving the environment.
Added to that is most likely a project of renovating a property and making it wind and water tight, improving it and perhaps extending it.
If building a home, there are many ways to save money by using different building methods and materials such as using sheep`s wool as insulation.
There are an increasing number of accommodation options such as using shipping containers, constructing eco friendly cabins and building tiny houses.
The UK lags some way behind other countries for creative off grid living particularly the United States, where there are some ingenious examples.
The overall objective is to become self sufficient, live independently and save money.
Like it or not, some money is needed up front to buy or rent a property or some land.
Alternative utilities have to be purchased and set up, such as wind or solar power to produce energy for electricity, plus a generator and batteries as back up.
Water has to be sourced and piped into holding tanks, and also tested regularly. This may already have been done, but can be extremely expensive to install, depending on how far away the source is. The alternative is to physically carry the water in containers and store it at the property, and also make as much use of rain water as possible.
A washing and laundry system has to be operational.
This has to be efficient especially if there are several people who will be using it.
A shower can be a basic outdoor one, or an indoor electrically heated one.
It is perfectly possible to use a washing machine powered by energy, but bear in mind the amount of power and water required for both purposes.
Some form of waste disposal has to be available, such as a septic tank with perhaps a soak away, or reed bed.
Research is ongoing to look at other ways to deal with domestic waste.
If this has been installed already that is a huge plus, as starting from scratch can be extremely costly. It has to work efficiently, with no chemicals from detergents or bleach being added, which interferes with the natural process of breaking down waste material.
Heating for the home will require a fireplace, wood burning stove or gas/ electric heater, plus some sort of fuel such as wood, which may have to be bought in.
Ideally wood should be stored for about a year before burning, in order to dry out, so a good dry store should be set up in spring and summer months so that there is a ready supply for winter.
Unless wood is on your own property and it is perfectly legal to cut it, it may have to be bought in or sourced from a different land owner. These are points which sometimes exist as a gray area, so it is mindful to check what the situation is, to avoid any misunderstandings.
That goes for many things, as although off grid living usually means no utility bills, it is wise to check on other things such as council tax and any hidden charges if property is rented.
Cooking facilities can vary from using an open fire to a traditional gas cooker using bottled gas, with a variety of stove choices in between.
Shopping trips may be few and far between. There may be transport or remote location restrictions which dictate how often a shop can be done.
If a fridge and freezer can be powered from generated electricity or from bottled gas, then that is a huge advantage, as perishable goods can be kept fresh and frozen food kept for long periods, giving some variety to what could otherwise be a rather restricted diet.
Failing that, choices have to be made as to the shelf life of the contents of a shopping trip.
Cereals and grain based items last and store well, along with pasta and rice. Potatoes, and other root vegetables also have a reasonably long life. Some fruits last for a while, whereas soft fruits and vegetables do not.
Processed food should be avoided by everyone, but could be an easy trap to fall into.
Dried foods are useful to have, which can be reconstituted, along with canned foods, but watch out for added preservatives.
Some ready meals for example can be stored without refrigeration, but are extremely unhealthy and do not sit comfortably with the off grid philosophy.
Fuel for transport may be expensive depending on how often a journey is required.
It may be just an occasional trip to the shops, a daily journey to work for a family member or transporting children to school if they are not on a bus route.
There are some remote areas where an education authority will pay the family to provide school transport, if no other options exist.
As an overall way of life evolves, solutions are found, and self sufficiency by growing crops, rearing chickens and having livestock which can produce milk, or be the source of meat gradually save money on regular shopping.
It has to be remembered that livestock also needs feeding and if it has to be bought in, it can add to the financial outlay.
Off grid life is busy. There are many things to look after and to make sure everything is working and maintained.
It is down to the individual to fix everything, so obviously having a basic knowledge of the skills which they will be involved with is desirable, but most of it will be trial and error and relying on advice from others.
The property or caravan may be exposed to wind and rain, so making sure everything is secure and in good order is essential.
The huge advantage of being able to connect to the internet if this is possible, is the opportunity to link in to other like minded people and learn from them. It is a tremendous form of support and indeed comfort, as can provide company and in many cases a way to generate income.
If the person living off grid is on their own, it can have advantages and disadvantages.
To decide to live off grid on one`s own, takes a particular mindset. The individual may be prepared to take on a more basic property and take time to set things up more slowly as it only affects one person.
The individual will be responsible for everything, which will either have been part of their plan, or it may become an overwhelming workload compounded by loneliness and isolation.
If it is a family unit choosing this way of life, it must be stressed that everyone must be on board with it. There is no easy escape route.
It is rather an extreme way of life, and if one partner is wildly enthusiastic to take it on board, whilst the other isn`t, it can be a recipe for disaster.
It is very much a shared experience, and can be a real test of a relationship.
However, once established, it can be such a rewarding way of life, particularly for children who face growing up in a very strange world which seems to be affecting mental health at a very young age.
Living off grid encourages their independence and gives the opportunity to appreciate the natural world which is denied to so many children.
It ticks lots of boxes. Self reliance and sufficiency, independence, learning new skills, thinking things through and planning ahead, not to mention the satisfaction of working out of doors and being part of the natural world.
In my Part 3 blog, I may touch on practical skills which would be helpful for off grid living.
