Lately I’ve been watching many videos and reading books about the off-grid lifestyle – the idea of living simply without grid tied electricity and in many other cases things like central heat and a limited water supply. As somebody who spends much of his summer weekends and vacation camping and living out of the back of my pickup truck, it’s a life that is not totally unfamiliar, but there are still many things I need to learn about before even seriously considering moving forward.

One observation I’ve made is how different the off-grid experience is for every one. People have different amounts of land, different housing arrangements, different ways to managing energy and waste. Some people are in to the off-grid live style because they want to save the earth, other because they want to be left alone to shoot their guns, ride four wheelers, hunt and fish the land. Many are a combinations of both things.

Some build exotic cabins others do the shed-to-home other people live in run-down trailers and RVs. There is definitely a lot of diversity. Some people have large battery banks, many solar panels, and wind or water turbines. Some have very fancy houses. Most have diesel or gasoline generators for back up, during winter months, or for devices that demand a high amount of electricity.

There is much to learn. Much to think for 10 or 20 years out. Maybe my views will change but I hate the materialistic suburbanite life with big televisions and high speed internet. I’m much happier living without and would rather have a life without so much technology to break and discard, live a life not of comfort and suburbanite delusions but one based on reality.