Everyone has their own version of a dream home. For some, that’s a penthouse suite in the heart of a bustling city. For others, that’s a large farmhouse in the sprawling hills of the countryside, and for many it’s somewhere in between. There are those, however, whose dream is to abandon any semblance of society and live somewhere remote and off-the-grid.
Off-the-Grid Living
But what does that really mean, anyway? According to Off Grid World, the meaning of living off-the-grid changes from person to person. For some, it means primitive living and cutting all ties with technology and modern life. For others, it’s a form of survival and preparedness, called “prepping”. These people see it as a way to be ready in the case of an apocalyptic event.
For most people, however, it’s simply a way of living a sustainable life and reducing the number of resources they use. These people generate their own electricity, grow their own food, and live what some refer to as a “green” lifestyle.
The actual term, “off-the-grid”, refers to the electrical grid, or the system that delivers electricity to a community. To be off the grid, then, simply means to be disconnected from that system. There are those who believe that to be truly off the grid, you must disconnect from all utilities and live a completely self-sustainable lifestyle, but at its core it means not relying on a centralized power grid to provide electricity for your home [1].
Washing machine generates free electricity
Marty T. has been living off the grid for sixteen years. He operates a YouTube channel, where he shares his ideas, creations, and adventures in an effort to show people how easy it is to live off the grid and save money [2]. In his most recent video (see below), he explains how his washing machine generates free electricity for his home.
“I rewired the smart-drive washing machine motor to generate electricity, the generator is rotated via a water driven Pelton Wheel ( Hydro Turbine ),” he explained in the video description [3].
He says that his washing machine generates electricity enough to heat his water, run all of his appliances, and power most of the tools in his shed. He admits that he does have issues with it occasionally, which means he has to go down to the river and figure out what’s wrong with it.
“[That’s] a small price to pay to avoid paying a power bill,” he says [3].
Others Living Off the Grid
While they are still a small minority, there are many others around the world who have opted to live this “alternative” lifestyle. One couple has built their own self-sustaining, floating island off the coast of Vancouver, British Columbia.
There is a growing trend among senior citizens to purchase tiny homes and live off the grid for their retirement years, and in some places, you can find entire communities of people who have the traditional modern life behind.
Of course, there are some places that are more well-suited for this type of living for a variety of reasons, so if you’re considering becoming an off-the-gridder, you may want to consider moving.
While not all of us are willing to leave the conveniences of regular life behind completely, there is a lot we can learn from these extraordinary people about becoming more self-sufficient, and living in a way that has less of a negative impact on our environment. If we all adopt some of the principles of off-the-grid living, it may just lead to a healthier planet.
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