lord bongington
Member
thats so cool
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Off-grid/sustainable/self-sufficient living?
- Thread starter soursmoker
- Start date
...i'm currently saving my cash for a piece of land somewhere with a slope and some water, my hope is to build an earthship inspired house with a greenhouse front to grow some of my veggies in-house, as it were.
...my plan is also to use permaculture techniques to begin establishing a food forest that i hope will feed my children and grandchildren far into the future.
...as to power i think an 'all of the above' approach is best combining solar, wind and micro-hydro electric with an eye to building a trompe which is OLD technology that has been suppressed by the big oil company's because it doesn't rely on fuel for power but instead uses the energy of falling water to create isothermically compressed air that can then be used to generate all the power you could need.
...trompe's are still commonly used in the mining industry to power all their huge pneumatic tools and to generate all the electricity underground, ...it's not possible to burn ANY kind of fuel underground without quickly burning up the oxygen supply.
anyway, here's a couple pics, first a couple of some earthships to show how nice they can be and also to show that they are built mostly from recycled materials.
...the basic concept.
...the southfacing greenhouse front of a typical earthship.
...the inside of the greenhouse.
...under construction.
...i'll have to add a second post to include the rest of the pics.
peace, bozo
...my plan is also to use permaculture techniques to begin establishing a food forest that i hope will feed my children and grandchildren far into the future.
...as to power i think an 'all of the above' approach is best combining solar, wind and micro-hydro electric with an eye to building a trompe which is OLD technology that has been suppressed by the big oil company's because it doesn't rely on fuel for power but instead uses the energy of falling water to create isothermically compressed air that can then be used to generate all the power you could need.
...trompe's are still commonly used in the mining industry to power all their huge pneumatic tools and to generate all the electricity underground, ...it's not possible to burn ANY kind of fuel underground without quickly burning up the oxygen supply.
anyway, here's a couple pics, first a couple of some earthships to show how nice they can be and also to show that they are built mostly from recycled materials.
...the basic concept.
...the southfacing greenhouse front of a typical earthship.
...the inside of the greenhouse.
...under construction.
...i'll have to add a second post to include the rest of the pics.
peace, bozo
...as Paul Harvey would say, 'and now for the rest of the story'.
...and here are a couple that illustrate the trompe concept although finding information on trompe technology isn't easy.
,,,btw, if you go looking for info on trompe technology you'll find more if you look for 'pulser pump' which uses the same basic technology to move water from one place to another.
...the compressed air can be used in many, many ways, including running electrical generators.
peace, bozo
...and here are a couple that illustrate the trompe concept although finding information on trompe technology isn't easy.
,,,btw, if you go looking for info on trompe technology you'll find more if you look for 'pulser pump' which uses the same basic technology to move water from one place to another.
...the compressed air can be used in many, many ways, including running electrical generators.
peace, bozo
...check this one out in Buffalo Wyoming, THIS is the life for me, lol!
...and the view out the front (i often use this as wallpaper)
peace, bozo
...and the view out the front (i often use this as wallpaper)
peace, bozo
prob cost as much as a car tho lol anything from eddie is overpriced generally. I have a portable solar panel for campin.
Was gonna make a new thread for this but will just ask this here for now. Anyone know any good sources or places to look into buying (cheap) land? (preferably in the Northeast). I'm probably younger than most on here and thought that might be the first logical step... I really like alternatives to living in the 'stereotypical' house and all that. As in, I've lived in a yuppy rich white town my whole life where all the houses are big but look the same and are all overpriced yet shoddily built so the builder could make the most money, that whole deal. Earthships, cob houses and all that are just so awesome, how could you not want one?? Not to mention solar power and sustainable living should only become more readily available, improved, and available for cheaper. thanks in advance.
the land you seek needs to be on a good water table (water means everything in life), lots of aquifers below. try looking into an area like Gloversville NY or anywhere else in a lakes region. you can start with Realtors & listed properties but you'd soon find they're the highest priced.
Go to general stores in the area & ask shop owners if they know of any folks willing to sell @ realistic prices, look on store/laundromat bulletin boards, check the small classifieds in local advertisers. A big power company up here in minnesota is Beltrami Electric, every month each utility member gets a monthly news magazine with classifieds in the back (we get to advertise in it for free) , there's land for sale there all the time and yet a very small focused network it goes out to.
Yeah the world is internet based to a degree but thinking outside that particular box and doing some legwork will find you what you're looking for at a better price.
if you really like an area then buy a plat book for it, the plat book will show all land parcels big & small, contact the larger parcel owners to see if they'll consider selling a small piece to you. FYI, don't come off as a going green/off grid/etc kind of guy, be normal. The owner/seller might ask you what kind of home you're going to build because he'll be your neighbor, no matter how you dress up a cob house it's still gonna be a mudhut to the guy; it'd be better to say something like, "Something natural, maybe cedar or log construction." A cob house would certainly qualify as something natural
wow so glad I started this thread! keep it coming guys!
L
longearedfriend
It's the dream.
I would like to get there too.
Off-grid, sustainable, self-efficient
The thing with earthships (though I would really like to build one myself) is I am not sure about the paper-work and all the legality of them. I am located in Canada and would have to look more into it. Not Bc.
My plan now is to gather some $ ressources and eventually the know-how ressources to attain the dream.
I would like to get there too.
Off-grid, sustainable, self-efficient
The thing with earthships (though I would really like to build one myself) is I am not sure about the paper-work and all the legality of them. I am located in Canada and would have to look more into it. Not Bc.
My plan now is to gather some $ ressources and eventually the know-how ressources to attain the dream.
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maine. and theres lots of wood and fish and game to harvest too.
Crestone Co gets 300days a year.
Check on Youtube for Crestone Solar School.
No Bldg. Codes, Either= all kinds of Alt. Bldg. Types,.
Way Cool, I am going to be there this weekend. Cant wait.
Peace; 1TT
First thing you people need to do is stop wasting your time thinking about "earthships" and other ridiculous shit. All they are are getaways for the rich to brag to their yuppy pals how "eco-savy" they are...its fuckin' disgusting. If you happen to have a few million laying around then thats fine....but its just not practical.
"end rant"
For anybody serious about this though...
I came across this guys blog last year. http://www.tincancabin.com/gallery/
(its a container home build up, pics n' everything)
Heres some "flashy/stylish" ones.
http://tinyhousetalk.com/top-10-shipping-container-tiny-houses/
Theres a ton of good ideas on this page (personal fav)
http://www.small-cabin.com/
Ideas on all kinds of shit.
Lets look at some pictures shall we?
Ahh thats better... a lil' dose of reality.
Being self sufficient/off grid doesn't have to be a dream folks...it means you have to get up off your fat ass.
It's taking care of your small green house and outdoor garden so you have food to eat. It's chopping and stacking firewood. Canning, preserving, building/maintaining a cold storage. Learning about your land with nature hikes and keeping in shape while doing so. Fishing, hunting, ....picking fuckin' berrie's...there is no shortage of things to do in the bush.
Look at the pics of those homes again. Notice the lack of living space? It's because there eating n' sleeping places. Not sit infront of the TV all day n' chill places.
lol...if you can't get with the program. You should probly stay in the city.
Great thread sour, just got to reading it now.
"end rant"
For anybody serious about this though...
I came across this guys blog last year. http://www.tincancabin.com/gallery/
(its a container home build up, pics n' everything)
Heres some "flashy/stylish" ones.
http://tinyhousetalk.com/top-10-shipping-container-tiny-houses/
Theres a ton of good ideas on this page (personal fav)
http://www.small-cabin.com/
Ideas on all kinds of shit.
Lets look at some pictures shall we?
Ahh thats better... a lil' dose of reality.
Being self sufficient/off grid doesn't have to be a dream folks...it means you have to get up off your fat ass.
It's taking care of your small green house and outdoor garden so you have food to eat. It's chopping and stacking firewood. Canning, preserving, building/maintaining a cold storage. Learning about your land with nature hikes and keeping in shape while doing so. Fishing, hunting, ....picking fuckin' berrie's...there is no shortage of things to do in the bush.
Look at the pics of those homes again. Notice the lack of living space? It's because there eating n' sleeping places. Not sit infront of the TV all day n' chill places.
lol...if you can't get with the program. You should probly stay in the city.
Great thread sour, just got to reading it now.
I am going the other direction . I want servants and all the extras. fuck chopping wood and all the bs that off the grid living involves. well maybe after my year here in sequoia lol wheres wonder woman? I got a stiffy
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High everyone,
i thought to post here as i read trough the whole topic and this subject is of such importance and interesting to me that it´d be good to keep the conversation and development of collective ideas on.
I have made it my target from which to go on in life, to have at some point off-the-grid home somewhere and i have researched quite much about different kind of possibilities, ways and materials (cob,earthship methods, hempcrete! etc.) to build from and technologies to use..
I´ll just post these links in order to get my post finished;
Tinderbox, generates some electricity from heat-cool-differential. Not very much though, but anyway some, for charging batteries or to light a house with LEDs.
http://www.thefireweaver.com/the-tinderbox---wood-stove-generator.html
Someone posted permies.com link here earlier,, there´s a lot of good info. More specifically i thought to link to Rocket Mass Heaters at richsoil.com which is connected to permies... here: http://www.richsoil.com/rocket-stove-mass-heater.jsp
and then -Heat from compost:
Jean Pain´s compost heating
Jean Pain - A french innovator who developed a compost based bio energy system that produced 100% of his energy needs. He heated water to 60 degrees celsius at a rate of 4 litres a minute which he used for washing and heating. He also distilled enough methane to run an electricity generator, cooking elements, and power his truck. This method of creating usable energy from composting materials has come to be known as Jean Pain Composting, or the Jean Pain Method.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHRvwNJRNag
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGCj7NA0OIs
Another one, not so big and efficient but good clip of the basic concept anyway:
500 showers heated from one small compost pile how to tutorial
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Jm-c9B2_ew
And I post still this one, nano paint which insulates heat/cool very very efficiently;
http://www.nansulate.com/homeprotect.htm
Takes some investment but as part of building energy efficient house, this kind of paint could be very good thing to use.
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High everyone,
i thought to post here as i read trough the whole topic and this subject is of such importance and interesting to me that it´d be good to keep the conversation and development of collective ideas on.
I have made it my target from which to go on in life, to have at some point off-the-grid home somewhere and i have researched quite much about different kind of possibilities, ways and materials (cob,earthship methods, hempcrete! etc.) to build from and technologies to use..
I´ll just post these links in order to get my post finished;
Tinderbox, generates some electricity from heat-cool-differential. Not very much though, but anyway some, for charging batteries or to light a house with LEDs.
http://www.thefireweaver.com/the-tinderbox---wood-stove-generator.html
Someone posted permies.com link here earlier,, there´s a lot of good info. More specifically i thought to link to Rocket Mass Heaters at richsoil.com which is connected to permies... here: http://www.richsoil.com/rocket-stove-mass-heater.jsp
and then -Heat from compost:
Jean Pain´s compost heating
Jean Pain - A french innovator who developed a compost based bio energy system that produced 100% of his energy needs. He heated water to 60 degrees celsius at a rate of 4 litres a minute which he used for washing and heating. He also distilled enough methane to run an electricity generator, cooking elements, and power his truck. This method of creating usable energy from composting materials has come to be known as Jean Pain Composting, or the Jean Pain Method.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHRvwNJRNag
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGCj7NA0OIs
Another one, not so big and efficient but good clip of the basic concept anyway:
500 showers heated from one small compost pile how to tutorial
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Jm-c9B2_ew
And I post still this one, nano paint which insulates heat/cool very very efficiently;
http://www.nansulate.com/homeprotect.htm
Takes some investment but as part of building energy efficient house, this kind of paint could be very good thing to use.
nice links! Any updates?
PS. Well then sl, create your own thread called "In Pursuit of Bling Things that harden my ding ding...rape the planet to death and have life mean nothing" thread, or something like that!
PS. Well then sl, create your own thread called "In Pursuit of Bling Things that harden my ding ding...rape the planet to death and have life mean nothing" thread, or something like that!
