Stupid Things People Say on Off Grid Forumns.

I follow several off-grid and homesteading groups on Facebook, and ever so often there are posts like:

1) How can you be off-grid if your on Facebook?

I guess in the strictest sense, if you are not “off-grid” if you not an anti-social hermit. But many people who live off-grid or are thinking of buying an off-grid property aren’t thinking of becoming anti-social hermits. We just want to live on our own land, on a backroad, a ways back from the power lines and provide our own power via solar, micro-hydro, small scale wind or a generator. I know personally I would forgo having a high-speed internet connection in favor of my low-cost smartphone that meets 90% of my internet needs, but many do run wires back or use cellphone networks to get internet.

2) Why would you bother to spend tens of thousands to go off-grid and build an electrical system that is able to power a large-suburban house without any reduction in use of energy?

Off-grid power systems can be expensive, especially the larger scale ones. But usually over time, they do pay themselves back by not having a utility bill. And many people who live off-grid, priorize conservation and using as little electric power as possible, often replacing the most energy intensive loads like heating, stoves/ovens, hot water production with propane or other fuel. Many also cook on woodstoves. Others will go to the laundromat to do their clothes. People usually go off-grid because they seek to use less energy, they want to be closer to nature.