Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Living Off The Grid

One of the surest ways you can go about reducing your carbon footprint is to aim to live off the grid. What this actually means is to live without the reliance on public utilities such as electricity and water.

One might wonder, then how to live off grid and the first step may well be to start producing your own electricity. Two simple domestic options are available to you. The first is solar panels installed on the roof of your house or other structure that enjoys full sun for a majority of the day. The second might be a wind turbine. Essentially you must generate more electricity than you use.

However you go about living off the grid, your energy consumption is going to have to be tightly managed and the electrical gadgets you use will be cut to a minimum. Unless you're already used to living a frugal lifestyle there are going to have to be some major lifestyle changes made.

One thing is for certain, if you make the choice to live off-grid you will soon develop a special affinity to the environment, perhaps appreciating the taste of organically grown vegetables on your own property. Living off-grid is one of the steps towards self-sufficiency and could be the source of major carbon footprint reductions for you and your family.