Self Sufficient Homes

One of the main goals of the people who own self-sufficient homes is to live as simply as possible.

Honestly, unless you are open to living an extremely austere lifestyle (think Pioneer times), completely self-sufficient living is difficult to obtain, so it does take a large amount of dedication. Here are the things that people who live in self-sufficient homes do:

• Grow their own food – People grow fruits and vegetables in a greenhouse or garden. After the harvest, the food is either canned or frozen for future use.
• Generate their own electricity and heat – This is done either through solar, water or wind power and wood burning stoves.
• Raise their own livestock – Some self-sufficient home owners choose to raise chickens for eggs and have cows for dairy.

On the surface, one of the main goals of self-sufficiency is not having to rely on public utilities for water, electricity and gas and to grow and harvest the food they eat. This is referred to as "living off the grid". By generating their own electricity and heat using [[Alternative Energy Sources|alternative energy sources], not only do they save money, but they aren't contributing to the depletion of non-renewable resources.

Those living in these homes are careful to use only what they need. Using renewable resources allows these homes to have a far less negative impact on the environment and the people living there leave a much smaller carbon footprint. Their carbon footprint is further lessened by growing their own fruits and vegetables.

By growing, freezing and canning fruits and vegetables, self-sufficient homeowners are not contributing to:

• Unfair trade practices of fruit and vegetables imported from other countries.
• Carbon monoxide emissions that result from the transporting of the fruits and vegetables. Not buying fruit that has to be imported or shipped also lessens the use of fossil fuels.

Aside from the eco-friendly behavior of those living in self-sufficient homes, the homes themselves have many different aspects that allow them to live in an eco-friendly manner:

• Photovoltaic systems – These systems use solar energy that is stored in batteries and converted to AC when needed to be used for household appliances.
• Wind generator – Turbines are installed on the property to generate renewable energy for household needs.
• Rain water harvesting systems – These systems carry rainwater to a storage tank via gutters and downspouts. The collected water goes through a filtration system for use in the house and is also used for irrigation.
• Solar hot water systems - The hot water used in the house for things like showers and doing dishes is heated through a series of tubes attached to the roof. The sun heats the water as they move through the tubes. This system is also used to heat the house during the cold months.

Before you decide to live off the grid, make sure to realistically consider a few things:

• The weather – Living off the grid is much easier in climates that don't experience drastic temperature drops. Especially when relying on the sun to heat the home and the water.
• Local and state zoning ordinances – When installing items like large solar panels and wind turbines, be sure to check with your state and local ordinances to see if it's possible.
• Lifestyle changes – If you're used to having an air conditioned home in the summer months and comfortably heated home in the winter months or can't do without modern technology, you may want to consider what you're willing to give up to go off grid. While most all off grid homes have modern conveniences such as Internet access, the access is limited.

Taking small steps to going off grid and eventually live in a home that is completely self sufficient makes the transition easier. Consider starting slow with items like solar panels, photovoltaic systems and making a concerted effort to use less energy everyday. Even if you find you simply cannot live completely self-sufficient, any effort, no matter how small is better than no effort at all.

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