The Joys and Challenges of Living Off the Grid
I’ll never forget the day my wife turned to me and said, “This is bullshit. The apocalypse is actually here, and we’re scared of our own snacks.” At the start of the pandemic, we found ourselves trapped in a typical suburban neighborhood, anxiously wiping down our groceries, far from the self-sufficient life we had always dreamed of. Something had to change.
So, we did what any sane, restless couple would do – we went online and stumbled upon a Craigslist listing for a small, off-grid house made of straw bales and stucco, nestled in a quirky community just 20 minutes outside of town. The basic structure appealed to our desires for downsizing and minimalism – one cozy bedroom, a few common areas, a bathroom, and a loft for our teenager. But there was one catch: the house had no solar system, no internal electrical wiring, and no plumbing.
This was going to be the ultimate pandemic project. As someone with past experience installing solar systems and plumbing on RVs, I figured, “How hard could it be?” Little did I know the journey that lay ahead.
Powering Our Off-Grid Oasis with Solar Energy
Solar energy was the first order of business in our quest to live off the grid. My wife suggested calling in professionals, but during the lockdown, wait lists were long, and they might not even be willing to drive out to our remote location. I argued that doing it ourselves would allow us to better understand the system and how to maintain it.
I dove headfirst into YouTube tutorials, consulted friends and relatives with experience, and studied building codes to figure out the right way to get this done without burning the house down or flooding it. There were a few close calls along the way – like the time I tried to run a vacuum cleaner off the car battery I was using as a backup during construction. Rookie mistake!
Slowly, much slower than I ever imagined, it all came together. Today, our power comes from a sleek array of photovoltaic panels and lithium-ion batteries, no more sketchy car batteries in sight. It’s a system that feels like pure sorcery – clean, free energy that powers our little off-grid oasis.
Conserving Every Drop: Managing Our Water Supply
With solar power sorted, our next challenge was securing a reliable water source. Luckily, our quirky little house came with a built-in solution – the roof and gutters feed two 1,600-gallon tanks behind the house, providing us with water straight from the sky.
During dry spells, we can have water delivered by tanker trucks or haul it ourselves from a community well, all for a fraction of the cost of staying connected to the municipal grid. And in good years, the summer monsoons fill our tanks with enough water to last us until the end of winter.
To conserve this precious resource, we’ve made some lifestyle adjustments, like swapping out our flushing toilet for a compost model and adding an outhouse as a second bathroom. Sure, it’s not the lap of luxury, but it’s a small price to pay for the joy of living in our self-sufficient oasis.
We’re also obsessive about recycling water, with the gray water from our sinks and bathtubs flowing into buried trenches where we grow a thriving garden, complete with fruit trees and berry patches. It’s a little microclimate we’ve created, using every last drop to its full potential.
Minimalist Living: Embracing a New Relationship with Energy and Water
You might think that with all this solar power and abundant rainwater, we’d be living large, running every appliance and gadget we can get our hands on. But the truth is, we’ve embraced a minimalist lifestyle, carefully controlling our consumption of both water and electricity.
A little device called a Kill-a-Watt has become one of my best friends, revealing precisely how much power each appliance is using. I can tell you how much energy my laptop is consuming, whether it’s running full blast or in sleep mode. And we’ve had to part ways with some beloved appliances, like the noble clothes dryer, Instant Pot, and Vitamix, as we’ve discovered they’re simply not worth the power they demand.
The flip side of responsibility is accountability, and we’ve found that having a closer relationship with our resources has led to a newfound respect and appreciation for them. We no longer take a drop of water or a watt of electricity for granted.
In fact, I’d argue that our solar energy system is one of the most magical pieces of modern technological sorcery. The idea that we can harness the power of the sun to light our home, charge our devices, and even heat our water is nothing short of a miracle.
The Unexpected Joys of Off-Grid Living
When we first embarked on this journey, I’ll admit, I had my doubts. Could we really survive without the conveniences of modern life? Would we be constantly frustrated by the limitations of our self-sufficient setup?
But the reality has been far better than I ever expected. Sure, there have been challenges and a few close calls, but the joy and freedom we’ve found in living off the grid have been truly remarkable.
By taking responsibility for our own water and energy, we’ve gained a deeper understanding and fascination with the natural and built systems that sustain us. I feel like a smarter, more capable human being, and my respect for the essential resources we often take for granted has grown exponentially.
And the benefits extend beyond just us. Systemic change begins with personal change. By living an off-grid lifestyle and sharing our story, we hope to inspire others to rethink their relationship with the environment and consider the possibilities of sustainable living, even in urban settings.
At Solar As Systems Inc., we’re passionate about empowering people to take control of their energy and water needs, whether they’re dreaming of an off-grid oasis like ours or simply looking to reduce their environmental footprint. So, what are you waiting for? It’s time to start living your best off-grid life with renewable energy.
