I just found this blog, we are about to try out a similar life. Dropping off the grid sounds like a life saver to us right now :) I was wondering where in Ontario you might be, we are in Thunder Bay. With the Picture I guess in the Southern part. Here the grass was just starting to green along the edge of the sidewalks inches away from 3' snow banks.
Hi Ryan, welcome to the shack! I guess from reading my profile you could easily be left with the impression that the log cabin is our home (and it would be if other family members were not quite so attached to the idea of indoor plumbing and light at the flick of a switch). The truth is that the cabin is a recreational property and we live a terribly ordinary life on the grid (with electric heat!), while trying to reduce our footprint.
My revolution is mostly in my head. I'm thinking a lot about how to live fully in the moment, aware of the state of the world but not falling into despair. That's why my posts alternate between cute pictures of puppies and flowers and rants against the man.
We're in the Ottawa area where spring does not always arrive so nicely on schedule!
I've been researching for a few years now, and am convinced that not only is it possible, but after some "breaking in" time, it will be a much more enjoyable way to live. We will be moving (fingers crossed) a 2.5 hour bike ride outside of town, to build a cordwood home complete with a humanure toilet system, earth fridge (like a root cellar), and a grey water system. My daughter will love it, she is 17 months, and I'm pretty sure my wife is on board :) I guess we'll see come the fall.
I have the impression that your list of books checked out from the library over the last few years looks much like mine!
Not only will you have a more enjoyable way to live, you'll be entitled to a sense of smug superiority over the rest of us big footed galoots as you live lightly on the earth. Good luck!
Well I will have a sense of satisfaction to be able to say I told you so, I am doing this as an experiment really. Life for me has taken on a different meaning when its viewed that way, as apposed to a linear view of birth, work, consume, death. Besides, after saying I told you so, people will need direction and mentoring to be able to feed themselves...all the more reason to practice up.
That is ok that you do not "do" Santa Paz full time, you too are experimenting. We've been experimenting for the last few years, once for 2 years we went without a vehicle and just rented a car once a month for a big grocery shop (and a cruise because I loooove to drive), as well as other trial experiments. Change is hard to do when you have easier alternatives, but given a choice, I'd like to act rather than react.
I did notice a striking resemblance to our ways of thinking. I told my wife that it was like reading my blog 2 years into the future :). I started my blog in the hopes of finding other people, non-doomsdayists hopefully, to discuss a variety of topics. Collaboration and community will be necessary in the future, so why not start now.
Hey, I've just been over to your blog - I see what you mean. There are probably quite a few of us - I don't know what you'd call us - people who don't see a future that resembles the last 50 years working out, disguised as regular folks all over Canada.
I just found this blog, we are about to try out a similar life. Dropping off the grid sounds like a life saver to us right now :)
ReplyDeleteI was wondering where in Ontario you might be, we are in Thunder Bay. With the Picture I guess in the Southern part. Here the grass was just starting to green along the edge of the sidewalks inches away from 3' snow banks.
Hi Ryan, welcome to the shack! I guess from reading my profile you could easily be left with the impression that the log cabin is our home (and it would be if other family members were not quite so attached to the idea of indoor plumbing and light at the flick of a switch). The truth is that the cabin is a recreational property and we live a terribly ordinary life on the grid (with electric heat!), while trying to reduce our footprint.
ReplyDeleteMy revolution is mostly in my head. I'm thinking a lot about how to live fully in the moment, aware of the state of the world but not falling into despair. That's why my posts alternate between cute pictures of puppies and flowers and rants against the man.
We're in the Ottawa area where spring does not always arrive so nicely on schedule!
I've been researching for a few years now, and am convinced that not only is it possible, but after some "breaking in" time, it will be a much more enjoyable way to live. We will be moving (fingers crossed) a 2.5 hour bike ride outside of town, to build a cordwood home complete with a humanure toilet system, earth fridge (like a root cellar), and a grey water system. My daughter will love it, she is 17 months, and I'm pretty sure my wife is on board :) I guess we'll see come the fall.
ReplyDeleteI have the impression that your list of books checked out from the library over the last few years looks much like mine!
ReplyDeleteNot only will you have a more enjoyable way to live, you'll be entitled to a sense of smug superiority over the rest of us big footed galoots as you live lightly on the earth. Good luck!
Well I will have a sense of satisfaction to be able to say I told you so, I am doing this as an experiment really. Life for me has taken on a different meaning when its viewed that way, as apposed to a linear view of birth, work, consume, death. Besides, after saying I told you so, people will need direction and mentoring to be able to feed themselves...all the more reason to practice up.
ReplyDeleteThat is ok that you do not "do" Santa Paz full time, you too are experimenting. We've been experimenting for the last few years, once for 2 years we went without a vehicle and just rented a car once a month for a big grocery shop (and a cruise because I loooove to drive), as well as other trial experiments. Change is hard to do when you have easier alternatives, but given a choice, I'd like to act rather than react.
I did notice a striking resemblance to our ways of thinking. I told my wife that it was like reading my blog 2 years into the future :). I started my blog in the hopes of finding other people, non-doomsdayists hopefully, to discuss a variety of topics. Collaboration and community will be necessary in the future, so why not start now.
Hey, I've just been over to your blog - I see what you mean. There are probably quite a few of us - I don't know what you'd call us - people who don't see a future that resembles the last 50 years working out, disguised as regular folks all over Canada.
ReplyDelete