Dreaming of an off-the-grid life? If yes, then OffGridWorld is paradise found. It has the latest information about living off the grid, sustainable living, solar power, wind power, renewable energy, hydroponics, recycling, DIY projects and more.
The majority of the world’s poor still have no electricity, and they use charcoal or kerosene for lighting. Some innovative breakthroughs enable people in poor and remote areas to light their homes.
Deciwatt a startup company, has created NowLight. It is all-in-one emergency generator, light and power bank. By pulling the cord, it generates electricity. A minute of pulling will generate up to 2 hours of light or enough power for a 15-minute phone call.
Kudos to the people who have conceptualized and realized these truly sustainable and cost-effective ecologically designed lighting systems that benefit the ones that need them most.
Are you a survivor buff? I have good news for you that I’m sure will brighten up your gloomy outlook. Survivor Library has a huge collection of literature dedicated to surviving almost any disaster or just living in the absence of modern technology. Nuclear war? Pandemic? Or just living off the grid? Don’t panic and proceed to their site in a calm and orderly fashion and read the various topics.
My personal idea of a sustainable lifestyle is a place located in a secured gated community and a concrete typhoon-resilient house that is elevated to help avoid floods. The primary water source is rain, collected from the rooftop and stored in a watertight compartment below the house, which is one of the reasons why it is elevated. Deep well with wind powered pump as secondary in case of prolonged El Nino event.
Electricity is mainly solar-based with a diesel generator for backup. The house is surrounded by assorted veggies raised in vertical gardens and properly spaced fruit bearing trees. Goats will be raised to provide milk, along with chickens and ducks for a variable meat source.
Even with limited real estate, you can be self-sufficient with meat and eggs by raising chickens in a coop with a tractor. A coop is a shelter where chickens roost and lay eggs, while a tractor is a mesh-enclosed area beside a coop where chickens freely roam. The tractor is moveable.
There are plenty of designs on YouTube and I’ve selected these videos as they have some of the features I wanted.
In the video below, aside from talking about the design, the presenter also shared a lot of useful and practical information.
The coop and tractor height in this is just right. The extra perches in the tractor give the chickens more area to roam and rest. The height also allows sunlight inside.
The portable concept with wheels and handles is a very useful addition. Chickens eat grass, and you can actually use them to check grass overgrowth. Moving them not only provides fresh grass to peck but also new ground to scratch.
The neat coop structure with the nesting area tucked inside, instead of bulging outside, is another likable feature. The door near the nests allows easy access to the eggs and chickens. However, I prefer a coop without the ladder and the floor as the birds can reach the nests by using the perches alone. The width is also limited.
The coop and tractor on this one are the size I’m looking for, but the most notable aspect of the design is the waterer and feeder. The waterer using water nipple is genius; there’s no need to frequently clean it. However, I need to add a water indicator, maybe in the form of a transparent pipe. The feeder can be further improved so it will reduce wastage. A vertical PVC pipe with a 5-way cross pipe at the bottom and a 45-degree elbow at each end would do the trick.
Ahh, it would be nice to realize all these and retire in such a place. I’ll be updating this wish list based on developments.
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