Comments on: What It’s Like Living Off-Grid

By: Jeremy Hood-Daniel

Jeremy Hood-Daniel — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 16:46:00 +0000

Your essay on sustainable off-grid living was fun reading. My wife and I lived for about 4 years beside the sea about 3 miles away from the electric lines, when we were first married and, as for you, washing and refrigerator was a problem, until we got a -hand propane fridge and used the gas for cooking as well. We had a 12v wind turbine for lights and radio (cb) for communications, and we had a small boat and outboard so we could get fish from our pots, until we watched someone steal the pots in weather too rough for us to put out in. Currently our house in the town we live in has a 1kw turbine and 1800watts of solar panels, so we dont get the power cuts that bother everyone else. Our farm up on the mountain will eventually have a solar/wind hybrid system as well. Cheers
Misty Mountain Herbs

By: Phoenix

Phoenix — Sun, 07 Oct 2012 17:25:00 +0000

Time lost to what matters…working for things that are meaningless.

By: Greg Seaman

Greg Seaman — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 15:01:00 +0000

Your brief comment says it all. Thank you.
I share your sentiment entirely, and one of the main reasons we moved off grid was so we could raise children without the barrage of information typical in modern living.

By: Debra

Debra — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 15:48:00 +0000

When my children were young and the 6 o’clock news was getting too graphic with heinous crimes being described we decided to disconnect from cable TV to protect our home from allowing that trash into it and have lived over twenty years without it. My six children never missed it. They are all grown now and have so appreciated the environment we created for them and realize how much better adapted they are to adult life. We also taught them to work around the house ans so they stand above their peers in work ethic. Today they thank me for how we’ve raised them.

By: Greg Seaman

Greg Seaman — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 15:27:00 +0000

Many of the luxuries we North Americans strive for take the best years of our lives to achieve, and in the balance they are simply not worth it.
The benefits of off-grid living can be enjoyed anywhere. It just takes a commitment to live more simply and look to ways of becoming more self-sufficient.
Thank you for your interesting comment.

By: Laura

Laura — Mon, 21 May 2012 02:34:00 +0000

We use pin lights and we have lights all year long. We bought deep cycle marine batteries and we take them in and out for charging with solar. We have a inverter that powers the pin lights. We run a radio on it and a charge our drill battery on it. You have to figure what you use before you run it till the thing beeps and says “I am almost empty!!” We charge the batteries with a few solar panels 30 Watt and our 64 Watt (one hooked to each. We have 4 batteries so we can have two charged and two getting charged. The pin lights will last a week if we just used them for lights. Our place isn’t totally built yet, so the battery sits on a stool and the pin lights are strung like Christmas lights in areas we use the most. We use a 13 Watt compact florescent sometime a few at a time. I like the light to read by. I hope this gives you some new idea.

By: Greg Seaman

Greg Seaman — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 16:28:00 +0000

Good luck with that. I hope you get the chance to return to the simple life you so appreciate.

By: Greg Seaman

Greg Seaman — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 16:27:00 +0000

Clever idea, I like it.
We have since bought a DC refrigerator that runs on solar. It is a full size chest model and only draws 40 watts, so we can run it on a single panel and a couple batteries.

By: Singlefin70

Singlefin70 — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 08:53:00 +0000

i have just started living off grid myself in the uk,its the best thing ive ever done,i love reading about others,i dont miss anything at all ,im just a bout to start my own blog when im back from my vacation,thanks for your blog..

By: Greg Seaman

Greg Seaman — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:15:00 +0000

Hi Emily,
Our wood cook stove has a water jacket in the firebox, so when the stove is on the hot water tank fills up. We have a very simple 1/2″ copper plumbing system that leads from the water tank to a shower, a sink and the the kitchen sink. I drain the system during a freeze.Our approach towards health care is to stay healthy. Living in a natural environment and being very (very!) active has enabled us to stay healthy. We had a great book Taking Care of Your Child which enabled us to diagnose and treat most childhood illnesses. That book saved us much anxiety, it is worth its weight in gold.Our place is water access, so we come and go by boat. Most of the time we use a dory and row to where we need to go. Our home has no road to it. I could have put in a road but I don’t want to disturb the natural beauty and don’t want to contribute to fossil fuel use any more than necessary. If we have to go further than we can walk or bike, then someone on the road will give us a ride. People are very helpful and I think they appreciate those who try to live without a car.Greg

By: Emily

Emily — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:41:00 +0000

I’m a young wife and mother of a 7 month old boy. I’ve been becoming increasingly more interested in living off the grid, and have started to research it when i can across your wonderful site, i have already learned so much from Eartheasy! I was wondering what else your family lived without while living off the grid, just electricity? what about indoor plumbing, health insurance, a car?

By: Willowarchway

Willowarchway — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 13:46:06 +0000

We were just trawling through some sites when we came across yours and thought 'wow' someone else is living how we do! We built a wooden cabin with wind and solar for our power.It's only a small system, but it does us.We also use oil lanterns for lighting and we wash our clothes in the bath! Actually they come out cleaner! We started our building project 5 years ago and started to write a blog about 3 weeks ago in the hope that it might help people see that it is all possible(with alot if hard work!!) LJ

By: Greg Seaman

Greg Seaman — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 03:11:55 +0000

Helen, thank you for your comments. I read them out loud to my wife sitting nearby, and she says hello and thank you as well.
Your son has every reason to succeed in his lifestyle adventure, especially with his affinity for gardening. Young people of a certain age do need a lot of socializing, but when they're ready to settle down maybe with a partner or group of friends, then I think a simpler, more self-sufficient and sustainable lifestyle is ideal. And as you noted, it is a wonderful lifestyle in which to raise a child.
It bears reminding that this lifestyle takes a lot of work, especially compared to living in town and working a job. But the work is of direct benefit, it is creative and satisfying, and it keeps you in sound mind and fit body.
I hope your son takes the plunge when he ready!
Warm regards, Greg

By: Helen

Helen — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 23:02:03 +0000

You know, I was just looking for a natural remedy for apple tree fungus problems, and after a lot of interesting trawling through relevant info, found your site and oh my goodness, how heart-warming and exciting it is. I'm the (increasingly elderly) mother of 3 young adults, living in suburban cheek-by-jowl land-of-the-bland territory on the Gold Coast in Australia. My younger son is a keen and increasingly adept organic gardener, heavily into permaculture, sustainable solutions of all sorts, and intends eventually to establish exactly the kind of lifestyle you describe. What's great is that you've actually done it, thus proving it's possible, and that really there is pretty much no excuse not to give it a go, specially if you're young. Your children are so blessed to have had the luxury of a real childhood untrammelled by status anxiety and all the superficial narcissism that characterises our times. It seems to have worked: you've produced young people who clearly have a strong and positive sense of self, gosh what an amazing gift to give them. Beats the hell out of $500 running shoes or a stupidly expensive car or whatever.
Sorry this was so long, I didn't have time to make it shorter. *grins*
You guys have a truly impressed and respectful new fan. love, Helen

By: Greg Seaman

Greg Seaman — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 21:20:34 +0000

Thanks Caroline!
It would be interesting to hear your observations as you explore your new lifestyle. Maybe you will send us an article from time and time and we can post it to this blog.
I wish you well and hope you enjoy the lifestyle as my family and I have.
Greg