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Living off the grid gains popularity as an efficient way of living in America
Laura Bush gives us a tour of their Off The Grid ranch w/Ann Curry
by Joseph Ernest March 7, 2011
Newscast Media -- In the 90s not too many people would have been willing to abandon the comforts and conveniences of living in the city and move to a rural area.
The most famous off the grid residence is George Bush's Crawford ranch that has a very environmentally friendly heating and cooling system, and a mechanism to recapture groundwater. The Bushes installed a geothermal heating and cooling system, which uses about a quarter of the electricity that traditional heating and air-conditioning systems consume. It is also eco-friendly and sits on 1600 acres of Texas prairie land.
Today, more and more American are deciding to move to the country, and are downsizing their lifestyles. The decline in the housing sector and foreclosure-gate have also played a part in homeowners’ willingness to move back to the basics.
Off-the-grid life literally means no more electric bills, water bills and to a certain extent cable bills. To maximize living off the grid one has to be committed to making sacrifices in every area of life. The first area that experiences the transition is naturally one's social life. In the country, the land is wide open with few neighbors as opposed to urban areas. This step requires maturity and adaptability in order for one to fully adjust to not being around as many people as one was previously accustomed to. There are people who do not handle solitude well, so this kind of life wouldn't suit them.
The trips to important places like grocery stores, banks and gas stations will indeed be a lot longer so an off-the-grid practitioner should be an efficient organizer who plans far ahead in terms of self-sustenance. Most people who live off the grid plan months or even years ahead of time before making that quantum leap. The most important element in living off the grid is water. There are many companies that specialize in digging wells that supply all the necessary water one needs. Rain is also another important source of water for off-the-gridders, even though it is not as reliable as water from a well.
The biggest benefit is the health benefit, because most people who live off the grid have their own organic gardens that supply food all-year-around. The water is also Fluoride-free and people often raise their own free-range farm animals. Leading a less stressful life is also another advantage of living off the grid, because one has more time to reflect and enjoy the simple pleasures of life, as opposed to being caught up in the daily grind. Add Comments>>
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