subject: Permanent Living Off The Grid [print this page] Most people like to get away from it all and head to the woods for a few days out of the year. But for some of us, getting away from it all is a lifestyle, and they would rather have it the other way around, spending a few days a year in civilization, stocking up on the things they need to live off the grid. Of course living off the grid means careful planning and plenty of stocking up on the things you will need to survive. So read on to learn about living off the grid permanently.
Shelter
The main thing you will need to live off the grid is some form of shelter. Shelter in needed to protect you from the weather and other aspects of nature. Shelter can be anything from a sleeping bag to a tent to a car or RV to a cabin or house. It does not matter what it is as long as it can protect you from extreme temperatures, the sun, rain, and snow, bugs, and animals. Make sure your chosen form of shelter is suitable for the location you are in and that you are prepared for extended bouts of unseasonable weather. There is always the chance of a week long heat wave or cold front, so plan for the worst at both extremes.
Water and Food
Of course you will need a source of clean water, and it is always good to have an emergency backup supply as well. It will be difficult if you do not have a local supply of water to draw from, as you will have to haul all of you water in, which is time consuming, and not a lot of fun, especially when you realize just how much water you need every day for bathing, cooking, and drinking. You can purify local water with chlorine, iodine, sunlight, boiling, or you can filter it. Boiling is very energy intensive, so you will need ample supply of heat from burning wood or from a fuel source such as propane or diesel. Food is next on the list and you can hunt for it, grow it, or pack it in.
Energy
Living off the grid, the power grid, means that you will have to have your own energy source for light, heat, cooking, and anything else that requires it. There are a few ways to harness nature for energy. there is water power (water wheels, turbines), wind power, sunlight (solar panels, solar heat), and geothermal energy (heat and pressure). The problem with these sources is that you cannot always rely on them to be there 100% of the time. This is why it is good to have a man made backup supply of energy. the best choices for this are fuel operated generators. There are a few choices of fuel, but the power generated is about the same. You can choose from diesel generators, gas generators(natural gas), or gasoline generators, which all accomplish the feat of generating electricity, just with a different fuel source.
