Off the grid: Cosby family builds modern day homestead by hand

. Off the grid: Cosby family builds modern day homestead by hand "...Amber Bradshaw said. "So it means not being connected to the city water, city sewer, city electric." It also means building your home yourself, all by hand. Timmy and his 24-year-old son Gavin used timber from their land to build the two-story, three bedroom home in three months last fall..." Reference: www.wbir.com

TVA contracts to buy solar power for Facebook data center in Huntsville

. TVA contracts to buy solar power for Facebook data center in Huntsville "...TVA officials declined to discuss the rates it will pay for the solar generation, although TVA President Bill Johnson has previously said that building additional solar or wind power tends to be more expensive than existing generation, especially since such generators don't produce power when the sun doesn't shine or the wind doesn't blow..." Reference: www.timesfreepress.com

Tesla's New York Gigafactory Kicks Off Solar Roof Production

. Tesla's New York Gigafactory Kicks Off Solar Roof Production "...a sleek, clean solar product, especially for homeowners seeking to replace aging roofs. The tiles -- from most angles -- look like ordinary shingles. They allow light to pass from above and onto a standard flat solar cell. Tesla, the biggest U.S. installer of rooftop-solar systems, piloted the product on the homes of several employees..." Reference: www.bloomberg.com

Road Dust Podcast featuring Beau Dunavant

. Episode 5 - Traveling the world to build natural houses and to play punk rock with Beau Dunavant "...Beau is sharing the story from his life; from techniques of exploring cities while traveling the country with a punk-rock band to being a traveling EarthShip builder. We also talk about sustainability, environmental activism and a few others random topics..." Reference: roaddustpodcast.com

Man loses fortune, lives alone on desert island for 20 years

. Man loses fortune, lives alone on desert island for 20 years "...I love it here because I have my safety, no matter how old and how tough you are you still want to go to bed knowing you are not going to be attacked.' Self-sufficient David, who was born in Sydney’s Northern Beaches to an Irish family, added there is nowhere he’d rather be than on his “heaven on earth” natural paradise..." Reference: nypost.com

Newly Ordered Review of the Dakota Access Pipeline

. Environmental justice factored into judge's decision on DAPL "...When considering who would be affected by the Dakota Access Pipeline, the federal government focused on two predominantly white counties rather than the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation downstream. That analysis is now key to a newly ordered review of the pipeline, focusing on whether environmental justice was adequately considered for the low-income, minority community less than a mile south of the Lake Oahe crossing..." Reference: bismarcktribune.com

ExxonMobil and Stephen Hawking Just Agreed to the Same Climate Fix

. ExxonMobil and Stephen Hawking Just Agreed to the Same Climate Fix "...there's a new ragtag group of underdogs supporting carbon-cutting. ExxonMobil Corp., Total SA, Raymond Dalio, Laurene Powell Jobs, Stephen Hawking, Ratan Tata, and Michael Bloomberg, the founder and owner of Bloomberg LP, among others, have signed on as "founding members" of a months-old group called the Climate Leadership Council..." Reference: www.bloomberg.com

Dakota Access Pipeline: Big oil still screwing-over the Native American for profit

. Dakota Access Standoff Unlikely to Reroute Pipeline Due to Major Hurdles, Some Experts Say "...Despite growing protests from Native American groups and environmental activists, construction of the controversial Dakota Access oil pipeline is likely..." Reference: abcnews.go.com

Help Stop TPP! Reject the Secret Trade Deal!

. Legislature is Poised to Pass TPP in Lame-Duck Session "... An international tribunal – outside any nation’s legal system – would have authority to order compensation to big corporations and Wall Street firms if they claim profits were lost as a result of a participating country’s regulations. The Obama administration claims the deal will boost exports, but it allows U.S. corporations to outsource even more jobs. “Large corporations can challenge laws that get in the way of profits...The shady deals also pose a threat to public postal services. The TPP includes several rules targeting postal services that were included at the request of the Postal Service’s private competitors, including UPS and FedEx...Please ask your representative to take a stand against this disastrous trade deal. Calling your representative is quick and easy and it makes a difference. (If no one answers, you can leave a message.) To contact your representative, call 1-855-856-7545 or visit http://bit.ly/2dbeRYG..." Reference: www.apwu.org

#BeforetheFlood: Prevent catastrophic disruption of life on our planet

. #BeforetheFlood: Prevent catastrophic disruption of life on our planet "...unique, impassioned and pragmatic views on what must be done today and in the future to prevent catastrophic disruption of life on our planet..." Reference: roller-cone-bits.blogspot.com

What date do Huntsville area veterans need to show up to protect Marine veteran Tyler Truitt against City of Huntsville?

. What date do Huntsville area veterans need to show up to protect Marine veteran Tyler Truitt against City of Huntsville? "...Disgusting: You can live in camps under bridges in Huntsville, but veteran can't live off-the-grid..." Reference: www.wtvm.com

Going off the grid

. Going off the grid
"...Thompson’s abode, about the size of a small one-car garage or a large garden shed, is actually owned by a couple of organic farmers in southern Jefferson County who offered the living space to him rent free in exchange for his help with some tasks around the farm. As far as furniture goes ..." Reference: www2.ljworld.com

Want to Get Off the Grid and Live in Harmony With Nature? Build an Earthship

. Want to Get Off the Grid and Live in Harmony With Nature? Build an Earthship "...Earthship homes are off-grid dwellings that are some of the greenest and most economical buildings in the world. They are made from recycled materials such as glass bottles, old tires, reclaimed wood and plenty of elbow grease, and can be built anywhere in the world, according to the founder of Earthship Biotecture Michael Reynolds..." Reference: ecowatch.com

Obama to designate 3 monuments in Calif.

. Obama to designate 3 monuments in Calif. "...Monument status precludes industrial development, from solar and wind farms to new mining. The designations are also expected to bring funding from the federal government, which the National Park Service could use to study wildlife and plant species and to teach visitors about the areas' histories and ecologies. The park service will also promote the monuments, probably boosting tourism. The Sand to Snow National Monument..." Reference: www.kare11.com

What is holding back the growth of solar power?

. What is holding back the growth of solar power? "...“You have a very strong seasonality in solar production. That is a problem at higher latitudes. If you would connect all the countries around the world then always somewhere the sun would shine and problem solved. But we are still quite far from that situation,” he said. Like other renewables that rely on weather, solar is held back by its “capacity factor”, essentially how often it is producing electricity..."
Reference: www.msnbc.com

Electric Grid: California is not 'Off-the-Grid friendly' ...extra fees for solar users

. State regulators set to vote on new costs for solar owners "...The California Public Utilities Commission is proposing increased fees on rooftop solar owners but stopping short of the onerous charges that the state's investor-owned utilities wanted. Southern California Edison, San Diego Gas & Electric and Pacific Gas & Electric pressed the commission to charge solar owners hefty fees that the solar industry said would crush their business..." Reference: www.latimes.com

Conference Program Detail: Jan. 21-23, 2016

Twelfth International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic, and Social Sustainability at Portland State University

Program Excerpt Example: "...The Conscious Human Ecological Experience: Conscious Design and the Evolution of the Built Environment Beau Dunavant IV, Regenerative Revolution, Denver, USA Overview: Conscious design is the act of using our conscious human ecological experience as a tool within the design, or redesign, of the built environment..."

Reference: www.cgpublisher.com

We are the unsustainable super predators

. Study calls humans unsustainable “super predators” "...The study concludes that human "super predators" will need to be "additionally constrained by managers" if we're to have any hope of reigning in the current destruction of ecological and evolutionary processes we've wrought worldwide...." Reference: www.slashgear.com

Earthbag Building Workshop

Earthbag Building Workshop

Earthbag Building Workshop

Off the Grid food truck market to Walnut Creek

. Off the Grid food truck market to Walnut Creek "...Off the Grid’s interest in opening a Walnut Creek market began in 2013, when it partnered with Walnut Creek Downtown to find a locale. After Off the Grid had looked at, and exhausted, many possibilities, about six months ago the opportunity arose to run the market in the parking lot of the former MacDonald’s restaurant. ..." Reference: www.berkeleyside.com

Bill Gates to invest $2bn in breakthrough renewable energy projects

. Bill Gates to invest $2bn in breakthrough renewable energy projects "...Bill Gates has announced he will invest $2bn (£1.3bn) in renewable technologies initiatives, but rejected calls to divest from the fossil fuel companies that are burning carbon at a rate that ignores international agreements to limit global warming...." Reference: www.theguardian.com

City of Huntsville files lawsuit against veteran attempting to live “off the grid”

. City of Huntsville files lawsuit against veteran attempting to live “off the grid” "...“So I basically made all my own utilities, I’ve got my solar panels, I’ve got my rain water collection system and stuff,” said Truitt. ..." Reference: wiat.com

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Worst places to live off-the-grid: Huntsville, Alabama

In the spotlight this week is Huntsville, Alabama. According to a couple of articles coming from local news in the City of Huntsville, if you want to live off the grid in Huntsville, you are not welcome here. In fact, Huntsville has taken an unusually aggressive tone in making sure those wanting to go green and self-sufficient here are welcome to leave! According to WAFF, "Huntsville city leaders say Truitt is bothering them and needs to follow city ordinance or leave." Oddly, Huntsville is known as an eclectic city for those that are familiar with its diverse population that spans all walks of life. However, there is definitely a shift in this beautiful city from a hometown attitude to a blatant "it's all about the money" attitude that is encroaching on the friendly, quaint, southern hospitality that built it. The city now aggressively advertises it is anti-union when it comes to begging for labor intensive companies to move to the town as they proudly shout WE ARE A RIGHT TO WORK STATE! And now they are holding down its citizens even more by trying to make sure they maintain the forced dependence upon the city infrastructure. Gotta keep those dollars rolling in so the city can continue to give crazy tax breaks and incentives to the companies they bribe to come to town ...oops, we didn't mean bribe, we meant incentivize to come to their friendly little burb.

Evidence of a wishy-washy enforcement of the "ordinances" in the situation of this couple wanting to live off-the-grid is easily found. Specifically, they aggressively attempt to stop this couple from living off the grid and saving on utility costs, yet the city is littered with homeless encampments made of cardboard and plywood. We guess that off-the-grid living takes income from Huntsville Utilities while building more appropriate living space for the homeless would be an expense for the city instead of income. Read the story at: City responds to couple trying to live 'off-the-grid'

Reference:Off-The-Grid

City says Huntsville (Alabama) couple can't live 'off the grid'

. City says Huntsville couple can't live 'off the grid' "...City officials also took issue with Truitt's off-the-grid lifestyle. "They came and they condemned our house and told us if we stayed here we'd be arrested for trespassing on our own property, and the reason why is, they said, it was unsafe living conditions because we don't have city utilities hooked up," Truitt explained. The former military member says he just wants the freedoms he swore he'd protect...." Reference: www.waff.com

A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants: Eastern and central North America (Peterson Field Guides)

. A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants: Eastern and central North America (Peterson Field Guides)

A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants: Eastern and central North America

"...More than 370 edible wild plants, plus 37 poisonous look-alikes, are described here, with 400 drawings and 78 color photographs showing precisely how to recognize each species. Also included are habitat descriptions, lists of plants by season, and preparation instructions for 22 different food uses. A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants: Eastern and central North America (Peterson Field Guides) is a vital resource for those living off the grid..."

Reference: Amazon

Intro to The Common Unity Project and Earth Conscious Building Design

. Intro to The Common Unity Project and Earth Conscious Building Design "...Find out what The Common Unity Project is all about. Come learn about the principles behind the design of “The Hive”: A communal, off-grid, self sufficient structure that will begin construction by passionate volunteers the day following this workshop..." Reference: thecommonunityproject.com

Vertical Farming in Jackson, Wyoming

. A Vacant Lot In Wyoming Will Become One Of The World's First Vertical Farms "... On a thin slice of vacant land next to a parking lot, a startup called Vertical Harvest recently broke ground on a new three-story stack of greenhouses ..." Reference: www.fastcoexist.com

Engineered Biomimicry

"...Engineered Biomimicry covers a broad range of research topics in the emerging discipline of biomimicry. Biologically inspired science and technology, using the principles of math and physics, has led to the development of products as ubiquitous as VelcroT (modeled after the spiny hooks on plant seeds and fruits). Readers will learn to take ideas and concepts like this from nature, implement them in research, and understand and explain diverse phenomena and their related functions. From bioinspired computing and medical products to biomimetic applications like artificial muscles, MEMS, textiles and vision sensors, Engineered Biomimicry explores a wide range of technologies informed by living natural systems. Engineered Biomimicry helps physicists, engineers and material scientists seek solutions in nature to the most pressing technical problems of our times, while providing a solid understanding of the important role of biophysics. Some physical applications include adhesion superhydrophobicity and self-cleaning, structural coloration, photonic devices, biomaterials and composite materials, sensor systems, robotics and locomotion, and ultra-lightweight structures. Explores biomimicry, a fast-growing, cross-disciplinary field in which researchers study biological activities in nature to make critical advancements in science and engineering Introduces bioinspiration, biomimetics, and bioreplication, and provides biological background and practical applications for each Cutting-edge topics include bio-inspired robotics, microflyers, surface modification and more..." Reference:

Living Off-Grid: No Longer Just For The Hippies

. Living Off-Grid: No Longer Just For The Hippies "...Many more like the idea of having solar cells for when the sun shines, but a connection to the grid for when it rains too...." Reference: www.forbes.com

Full Circle build project 2014

Full Circle build project 2014

. Full Circle build project 2014 "...We will be building a tiny house in Anton Chico NM starting on September 1st 2014. This will be a great opportunity to lean more about sustainable design while building hands on construction skills. This home will integrate passive solar heating, rain water catchment, and grey water systems all in a tiny house! ..." Reference: Full Circle

Energy-efficient refrigeration

. The worlds most elegant refrigerators are also the world's most efficient "...Sun Frost makes the world's most energy efficient domestic refrigerators and freezers . Our domestic and DC vaccine refrigerators are currently being used in more than 50 countries, and are available for use with AC or DC power. To promote sustainable living, our product line has now expanded to include composters and composting toilets ...." Reference: www.sunfrost.com

Solar-powered retreat on isolated island in Maine

. Tiny Off-Grid Cabin in Maine is Completely Self-Sustaining "...A project 30 years in the making, this tiny off-grid retreat on a coastal island in Maine is almost entirely self-sufficient. Designed and built by Alex Porter for her father, the project features a shed roof and is wrapped in a distinctive blue-grey corrugated skin. Dwell recently profiled the home..." Reference: inhabitat.com

Glassholes, Off the Grid and Ryan Kelly Chamberlain II

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Note: We are not the same 'Off the Grid' mentioned in the following article. In fact, we are so far off the grid that we had to look up what a Glassholes are. The definition of Glasshole or Glassholes as defined by CNN as well as Google is Yes, Google itself used the derogatory term "Glasshole" (although it's been massaged into a description of bad behavior, as opposed to its broader meaning as a slur, voiced by some critics, used to describe anybody wearing the headset).

Nationwide Alert For S.F. Man Wanted By FBI For Possessing Explosives "... by all accounts he looks like a totally normal guy who goes to Off the Grid and posts things about GlassHoles. This is how he describes himself in his..." Reference: sfist.com

Off-the-Grid: people who are doing it

. 4 People Who Are Doing it: Living Greener, Off-the-Grid: "...Eighteen years ago, Kirsten Jacobsen moved to Taos to build Earthships — sustainable buildings made with recycled materials such as earth-filled automobile tires, aluminum cans and glass bottles. The brainchild of architect Michael Reynolds, the Earthship exceeds LEED standards and building codes while integrating its own power, water, sewage treatment and food systems...." Reference: www.thedailystar.com

It’s a necessary skill for a prepper

. The Lost Art of Scratch Cooking "... Many preppers have pounds and pounds of rice, beans, wheat berries and oats, but they won’t do you much good if you don’t know how to prepare them...." Reference: www.off-grid.net

A collection of Off-the-Grid homes

. 21 Amazing Off-the-Grid Houses "...Richard Carbonnier's tubular eco-house in Pond Inlet, Baffin Island, Nunavut, Canada..." Reference: gizmodo.com

Working homestead off the grid in NM offering experience

. Off grid help wanted in New Mexico "...My mother and I are wanting people, couples, families, etc come join us on a working homestead, gaining experience to live off grid and be minor “preppers” in case of a financial collapse. We are also looking for fun along the way! We are non smokers, non drug users and non drinkers. We prefer non smokers/drug users. Beer drinking on occasion is fine. ..." Reference: www.off-grid.net

Living off the grid

. What It's Like Living off the Grid "...Living off the grid means many things these days. Some say they're "off the grid" if they go camping and leave their mobile phone at home for a weekend. Others think being off the grid is living like hermits and runaways, stuck somewhere in between a bush and a hard place. Like the Canadian government we think that off-grid means being disconnected from electricity. Electricity, after all, is the mother of all grids...." Reference: www.huffingtonpost.ca

off-the-grid community increasingly reliant on solar power

. North Fork offers more remote experience at Montana's Glacier National Park "...The North Fork doesn't have the grand old lodges like those near Glacier's principal gateways, but this piece of paradise isn't without comforts. Rustic, marvelously tasty and memorable, they are in Polebridge, a mile from the park's northwestern entrance. This off-the-grid community increasingly reliant on solar power is the hub for an area where the summer population numbers maybe a few hundred, up from five to 10 in the winter...." Reference: www.greenfieldreporter.com

A story of off the grid living

. Earthship, New Mexico "...A few months later I was living in Taos, New Mexico, on another mesa, this time in an earthship with a stonemason boyfriend I picked up along the way. People say that earthships are the most ecologically sustainable housing thus far created—built halfway into a hill so the earth does the heating and cooling and the temperature stays around 70 all year, with big south-facing greenhouse windows and raised garden beds inside, a grey water recycling system, and windows on either side of the long corridor so the wind blows through. And somehow, when you’re inside, looking up at the big blue sky and the castle-like clouds drifting by, you actually feel like you’re in a ship, moving like a giant worm across the desert...." Reference: www.brooklynrail.org