My independence

I subscribe to a newsletter from Terrapass. I haven't been able to read it lately because of all the brain bleeding I've experienced. This last one had something that caught my eye. It was a blog about being able to store energy in batteries from renewable resources that are not constant or reliable (wind, solar etc.) I'm really interested in building a home and a life that is off the grid so the idea of "saving [energy] for a rainy day" is really appealing to me. You'd think because of my major I'd want to be off the grid to reduce my footprint in terms of electricity generated from coal (I'm from SK) but that is not really the case.

Actually I am ultra pessimistic and a little paranoid. I watch movies like water world, the day after tomorrow and I am legend and all I can think of is how it COULD happen (potentially) in my lifetime. I have crazy fantasies (not in the good way) of how I will have to defend my land from traveling gangs trying to take my precious resources. I think of simple clean renewable ways to get off the grid and help my family survive when the end of the world comes. I want to be as knowledgeable and as skillful as our pioneer ancestors on how to survive without much of today's technology. I want to be fully independent and grow my own food, grow and grind my own wheat to make flour to bake bread etc., and even learn how to make my own beer or wine (not from a kit.) I want to make my own candles and sew my own clothes. I want to know how to make my own cheese! Wouldn't that be nice...mmm...cheese.

I like to use the word "independent" but this lifestyle also has "sustainability" woven into it.

Click on the link above and check out the article especially the comment section. It's an interesting read.