Off-Grid Eco-Village!

What did you think of The Story of Stuff? It really makes you think before making that shopping list, huh?! It is amazing how little we really need, and that, how many things we purchase as "comfort purchases". My rule of thumb is this; if its not something that you use every day, or every week, then its probably going to end up in a junk box, then in storage, and then the landfill. I'll be frank; I can no longer be surrounded by people who shop, hoard and pack-rat things. This is why I ask that you see the videos, and ponder your lifestyle. I will say outright, that people who are addicted to shopping, need psychological help; it is a mental illness (more accurately, an emotional illness). I don't care if you shop at Gucci or Wal-Mart, the need to buy things beyond base-needs, is a symptom of a deeper problem; a Spiritual emptiness that is trying to find fulfillment with the filling of a shopping cart!

THE MORE YOU KNOW, THE LESS YOU NEED!
The comm-unity I'm seeking is eco-economic-based; that is, I'm trying to drastically reduce expenses (and live debt-free and simple), not get into another mortgage under another banner (such as IC or co-housing)! I call consumer-debt "payment-pressure", and drugs are prescribed for those who unknowingly suffer from it. This is true with taxation as well, and so, if you only needed 7 grand a year of cash, then you would not earn enough to owe income taxes. The (economic) rat race is for rats, it's not healthy for humans: Like many others, I'm just plain sick of it! Personally, I just want to write/publish books, and work with my hands on the land; build, hike, fish, things like that! If my published books yield enough dollars, then I will not need to do anything else for more dollars (I'd rather need zero dollars, but that's in a perfect world!). As for physical work, I work out some, bike, hike and walk a lot. I enjoy building things: buildings, furniture, cabinetry; doing plumbing and electrical work, and, I'm learning more about alternative-E, to turn that electric meter backwards for a change (or, just eliminate it)! I'm all for off-the-grid, but in a larger community, it would require a sizable investment upfront, and/or, everyone would have to learn to live around limited power supply. This would be ideal, but again, only in a perfect world, I imagine!

I could do all of this alone, but I'm longing for community. I am not wanting to live in one big box however; bad idea! I'm planning to build myself a private cabin to live in. A healthy mix of privacy and socialism, is good for everyone! Teaching others (esp. children) by lifestyle example, how to live independent of "the system" would be a good thing! Unlike those in serious denial, oil is not eternal; and worse. its toxic to our biosphere. Dependency is how humans control other humans, but that's a deep, philosophical issue! All those involved here must understand land stewardship. Humans need to quit looking at Earth as a resource to exploit; stop defining success as improving in that extraction exploitation; seeing the natural world in dollar increments. Our ambitions need to be tempered by the reality around us: Global Warming, Deforestation, mass-pollution of everything, resource degradation, collective ecocide, need I go on? If you (now) want to be a part of the solution, instead of contributor to the problem, such a "paradigm-shift" begins at home!

As for building/living Community, for me it's more about financial freedom: that is, simple living than for any other reason, though there are certainly other reasons (read on). I see living on a large acreage so that there's room to grow, as well as to hunt and fish (for sport or necessity). Personally I'm not a big meat-eater, but I believe that eating non-commercial meat (like fish & wild turkey, or whatever is abundant and local) is as important as eating organic fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains; things that we could grow on the land, and trade (excess) locally. That's why location is important. But I could easily be a vegetarian if I was surrounded by them, and they cooked: I have vegan friends and love their cooking! I believe that living grocery-store-dependent is hazardous (and certainly unnerving), especially if there's a future crisis, man-made or natural, which most believe will come, to a lesser or greater degree. I don't mean zero shopping; not survival paranoia, just to be ready at all times to live independent of the system! Thus, fruit trees, a veggie garden and a greenhouse, would be awesome, fun and inexpensive. We need to shop for food at our gardens and greenhouses, not our grocers!

Without any other model, we become Capitalists who know of no other way to live upon the Earth. We are trapped within this little box, where those of our time and our society, become the expanse of the universe, and we are ready and willing to sell our Souls just to be important within it. This is why the Westernized world is so conquered with the need to be recognized; to be validated; to be made into a somebody, especially via the media; Oh, If I could only get on TV! If I could only be well-known, then I'd be respected, and from that respect, I'd be important; a somebody! Now, when you try to share this concept with un-westernized simple people, they just smile but with a blankness. Much of the world's cultures are community-based; they do not look at the self, quite so selfishly.

The less crap one buys or builds, the less income is required. Utopia is only a dream for those who are programmed by their culture to believe in materialism & consumerism as foundation to self-worth; self-identity. They, like the culture-mold, have reduced/converted the self into US dollar increments (just like the Capatilist-mentality concerning Earth). People do not boast of their wealth, they boast with it; This illness is considered 'normal' in this time/culture. The bottom line is simple psychology: Power-mongers come in all shapes, sizes and styles. Capitalists do not like any form of Egalitarian construct because they would have to relinquish power over to the group; they want to be land Lords, not land Stewards; employers, not workers; to have more than others, not the same as others. They crave superiority and the Capitalist-model provides them with this possibility (economically), as the American experiment has proven empirically. Indeed, I'm a Social Ecologist! The Planet heaves and groans from the human infestation over-taxing it, and I fear it will soon scratch us off like a flee on a dogs back! Global warming is not an "opinion" any more!

The Amish, who build their community around a religious paradigm, are true IC's; they, and other's like them, are USA's Utopia's in its strictest definition. The same basic community can be achieved without it being centered on religious dogma, per say, but surely on the lifestyle of simplicity and (communal) unity. I do not think one must avoid electricity, tools, computers or refrigeration to live a simple lifestyle. On the other hand, I do not think we need all the machines and tech being offered either. Growing organic foods is more logical than purchasing expensive, potentially dangerous chemicals because the Community is not a commercial farmer worried about acre yields, we just want to eat healthy! Since humans are omnivores, ones dietary choices should in fact, be individual. No one person should ever impose ones beliefs upon another, so long as those in the Community do not affect the others in their lifestyle/s. In all things, moderation: Therefore, logic should dictate all decisions implemented, not any one person's opinions: The building of the Community should reflect this logic. Building living spaces should be of a design that's cheap to construct and to maintain, with local materials and/or certified sustainable. In fact, I design/build maintainance-free exteriors, and each and every building is a rain-catchment system.

I can build energy-efficient natural Cabins for a materials-only cost of about $15,000 each (+/- depending on size/finishes), with no poured concrete needed. The size is like a 500 SF studio, w/ energy-efficient vinyl doors/windows and a covered deck/porch. A full bath w/washer/dryer and a kitchen (full or partial) w/breakfast bar: Simple! The design idea is to blend in with nature and be at near-zero maintenance. They'd be small because the idea is to limit the space needed to be heated/cooled and cleaned. Other building options are tree-houses, earth-shelters which are basically underground concrete boxes (would require poured concrete, expensive in rural primitive sites; but, are tornado-proof, fireproof, require far less heating/cooling, and have other advantages and disadvantages, like costing more to build, having sky-lites but few/no windows, etc.). Keep in mind, there are even cheaper alternatives, Cabins that can be built for $2000 bucks (materials only)! Each individual or family would have the cost of their own Cabin (home) based on what they need, all communal costs would be split up between the group; the more people the cheaper for the land, utilities and common areas will cost per household. The land would be in a common trust or other equitable legal devise that an Attorney would setup. We would keep it simple & natural, no junk yards; not third-world looking, like some properties end up becoming!
As for what to do, those options are many. I have been looking into raising Alpacas; what an interesting and attractive animal (photo at right)! You can google them (or click on the photo), but in short, they're like sheep; when sheered they produce a wool-like material that clothing (many things) are made from; its really cool. I want to have an Alpaca coat. Any kind of animal husbandry is fulfilling, be it horses or goats; dogs or chickens.

I personally love to hike, to build and to grow! I want to build a simple greenhouse and try my hand at growing herbs; an elevated garden to grow potatoes and tomatoes, broccoli, asparagus and cauliflower (all organic of course). As for fruit, anything; whatever the location can support, whatever can be grown. The location will determine the choices, but logic and reason should prevail anywhere. Trying to find, intelligent, sane and reasonable people here in the US is the biggest obstacle. The ideals of Intentional Communities have just gone wild; I am thinking of just living with the Amish, accept that they would want me to be Baptized into their church group and then learn to speak German (or Pennsylvania Dutch). Why can't we all just get along? Why try to change someone into you? Why not embrace diversity, no matter how weird it is to us!?! And so if you are out there just wanting to live simple on Earth, please consider me into your plans, or include yourself in mine. I really do not care if I join an existing group, or start a new one, so long as it IS (I think, therefore I am)! Oh, one more video below: Affluenza! Gotta see this 6-part series on you tube; it originally aired on PBS as a series!

THE GREAT leader of the Native American Suquamish Tribe, Chief Seattle (after whom the WA. city is named) was a scholar with great love for his land and people. He said to his white conquerors: "Teach your children what we have taught ours, that the earth is our mother. Whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons of the earth. The earth does not belong to man; man belongs to the earth. Man did not weave the web of life; he is merely a strand in it. We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children." {PS: Those white conquerors were self-professing "Christians"...what I call the Godless-religious!}