Downsizing shelter and expenses

[Ron Mauer Sr]

Shelter can be mobile (http://ronmauer.net/blog/?page_id=4738) or fixed (http://ronmauer.net/blog/?page_id=189).

Some significant problems with building tiny homes are the local building code regulations. If you can supply your own water (http://ronmauer.net/blog/?page_id=4151), electricity and have a composting toilet (http://ronmauer.net/blog/?page_id=216), you may only need to rent some real estate from a farmer. If neighbors do not complain it is a big plus. If a tiny house is built on a trailer with wheels, it is not taxed (here in Virginia) as a residence so the real estate tax man can be avoided.

Campers of various types can be one way around the building code issues. In many areas campgrounds are available. Here are examples of how some people have become nomads. Shelter, life on the road (http://ronmauer.net/blog/?page_id=4738). The ability to move to a new location may become very valuable.

Rainwater, in many areas, can supply much of one's needs if harvested (http://ronmauer.net/blog/?page_id=4151) and filtered (http://ronmauer.net/blog/?page_id=178) correctly.

If one has food, one should have a composting toilet (http://ronmauer.net/blog/?page_id=216). Hauling water to flush is rarely a good idea.

[EFO]

Hi Ron,

A few weeks ago I've took a peek on your web site and I found interesting ideas "How to...",but many of them could be applied only in US and probably in Canada.Therefor,I kindly ask you if you want to transform this thread into a thread where Avalon members could describe the particularities of building houses in their own lands.

Many thanks.
Adrian

[Ron Mauer Sr]

Hi Ron,

A few weeks ago I've took a peek on your web site and I found interesting ideas "How to...",but many of them could be applied only in US and probably in Canada.Therefor,I kindly ask you if you want to transform this thread into a thread where Avalon members could describe the particularities of building houses in their own lands.

Many thanks.
Adrian

All forum members are free to add helpful information to this thread that may be relevant to their country of residence.

[ghostrider]

Skills that need to be learned again, building shelter, getting your own water, supplying your own food, making your own energy according to your needs... something past cultures did very well, they had no Walmart, no clothing store, no power company et... the world is enslaved to a lifestyle of dependence... it's good to down size, and get expenses down to a practical number...tiny homes are awesome, you really need a friend or family member who has property outside the city limits...

[Ron Mauer Sr]

Skills that need to be learned again, building shelter, getting your own water, supplying your own food, making your own energy according to your needs... something past cultures did very well, they had no Walmart, no clothing store, no power company et... the world is enslaved to a lifestyle of dependence... it's good to down size, and get expenses down to a practical number...tiny homes are awesome, you really need a friend or family member who has property outside the city limits...

It may be really important to learn how to live as a poor Mexican does. They have skills that most of us no longer have.

During the great depression, many people still had basic skills.

33855

[Michelle Marie]

I'm learning. It feels great!

Live in the woods with nature.

:heart:MM

[ghostrider]

All the laws of creation are found in nature, if you pay attention she will teach you many things, that across the universe iis the same and absolute...

[Linderlou]

Thank you for the info Ron... have bookmarked your site as a reference. I've been following Bob at Enigmatic Nomadics for a while (as well as his site). My job is ending, I've been downsizing, gathering info and preparing for a life on the road... although having lived in NYC for years, I still don't own a vehicle yet!

[EFO]

All forum members are free to add helpful information to this thread that may be relevant to their country of residence.

In Romania is very easy to have your own vegetables garden,an orchard or having your own animal farm because nobody is asking for license.All these of course at country side,in cities is a little difficult due to lack of land.We fertilized the land with manure and compost.In the most Romanian villages water came from wells or springs in mountain or hilly areas.

Personally,beside common fruits (apricots,apples,pears,peaches,cherries,wallnuts,plums,grapes and so on) and vegetables (potatoes,tomatoes,cabbages,corn,garlic,onions and so on) two years ago we start to grow goji and we have 13 plants from which we already eaten some fruits and we expect to live more than 100 years. :) :)

[Nikola Tesla]

That is very cool. We did the same in a land side of Croatia. Beside the "normal" stuff we plant chia, schisandra (wu wei), astragalus tragant and I am waiting for gotu kola seeds and I try do get in contact with one man in Romania who grows Catina on a big scale. Here is link but unfortunatly I do not undetstand romanian and I was not able to get in tuch with him. Maybe you can help me with this? http://cameraagricolavn.ro/catina-ecologica-romaneasca-vazuta-prin-ochii-producatorilor/

[EFO]

Here is link but unfortunatly I do not undetstand romanian and I was not able to get in tuch with him. Maybe you can help me with this? http://cameraagricolavn.ro/catina-ec...roducatorilor/

Following your link I found your person and also its company here (https://www.bizoo.ro/firma/catinaplant).I hope will be helpful.

[Vrinda]

The same we learned from Ladakh. For more see Helana Norberg-Hodges' Antient Futures: Learning From Ladakh.
It is available in book format, but it used to be a documentary available in English for free.
Now it is only available in YouTube in Portuguese.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAiDPDV2sk4&t=927s

Unfortunately, there is only a trailer in English language. What impressed me most, when I saw it over 6 yrs ago, was that a 12 yr old child in Ladakh knew how to make mud blocks and how to build a house, and how to grow the food to be self-sufficient. Beats how we live in the US of A.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_UT1ROfNiw

[Bill Ryan]

The same we learned from Ladakh.

Off-topic here: (I apologize!) I led a handful of spiritual treks to Ladakh back in 1988-9. Quite something else. I was also inspired by Helena Norberg-Hodge's book. A wonderful, wonderful place, well worth its own thread.

:star:

:focus:

[Bill Ryan]

The same we learned from Ladakh. For more see Helana Norberg-Hodges' Antient Futures: Learning From Ladakh.
It is available in book format, but it used to be a documentary available in English for free.
Now it is only available in YouTube in Portuguese.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAiDPDV2sk4&t=927s

Unfortunately, there is only a trailer in English language. What impressed me most, when I saw it over 6 yrs ago, was that a 12 yr old child in Ladakh knew how to make mud blocks and how to build a house, and how to grow the food to be self-sufficient. Beats how we live in the US of A.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_UT1ROfNiw


It's here: :thumbsup:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayFTIcmO_Fw

[bluestflame]

back to basics nCKkHqlx9dE
link below is the series
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGnWLXjIDnpBR4xqf3FO-xFFwE-ucq4Fj

[Vrinda]

Thank you for sharing, Bill. Not off topic at all. What a wonderful experience! Did you get to see Helena's documentary?
She has continued speaking on the topic. Last documentary of hers I saw was at Schumacker College, UK (cofounded by Kumar Satish, another fantastic contributor!). They are easily found in YouTube now. But how sadly different things are in Ladakh now.

Our group was so encouraged and hopeful when we saw this documentary, we had great hope for the rest of us. Do you know of efforts implementing similar communities in the US? I have heard of Michael Reynolds, Garbage Warrior, and his eco ships using old tires, and there is a group of feminists in the northwest building and teaching how to use bale straw for building, but little on self-sufficiency as experiment in the US.
I tried to connect with Woofers in Puerto Rico. Most groups are led by young folks, doing great work... nothing off-grid yet.
Intergenerationality is another challenge.

Have you followed the folks in Vichada, Colombia, Las Gaviotas, fully off-grid, award-winning. They have had solid funding from Gunter Pauli, great eco-philanthropist, founder of ZERI, and together with Janine Benyus co-creator of biomimetism.

Paulo Lugari, architect of Las Gaviotas
http://www.friendsofgaviotas.org/events--updates.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xogJew_nlko

Gunter Pauli, ZERI
http://www.zeri.org/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcstYY6DXfc
This used to be a wonderful one hour lecture by Gunter.. much reduced now
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35SnYcMXTzY&list=PL30C791DB2623532C


The women in the northwest I believe are:
https://www.strawbale.com/womens-natural-building-workshop/

Let me tell you, I am so technically challenged that I would hesitate to start a thread, but what a great idea. If you get it started, I'd be happy to contribute the links and folks I encountered along the way in systems studies and the transformative leadership program. Folks who are creating eco-sustainable alternative ways of living... and the theorists who inspired them, like Gregory Bateson. On the same course, I was immensely impressed by ecofeminist and MP Marilyn Waring on political design to depress whole segments of society. There is a wealth of data available for folks who love to read that I would be delighted to share. And hope other folks are inspired to join in and share what they are doing. Also, there is much that needs to be analyzed. For example, Gunter Pauli is doing wonderful things, but I need help finding out what is he doing in the Club of Rome? Likewise, Erwin Laszlo, what are these folks doing at the Club of Rome? This does not sound too good to me, but I have not gone deep enough in that area and adopt a hermeneutic of suspicion, while recognize their good works.

Please let me know if you or collaborators can help start a thread on these topics around sustainability--off grid living, I'd be delighted to participate.

Best always,
Vrinda :flower::flower::flower:

[Vrinda]

THANK YOU, Bill !!!!!!
It´s been a few years I wanted to see it again, it takes us back to being there!!!
Such a wealth of experiences! The challenge is to adapt it to wherever we are!
These are the thoughts and the ideas it so abundantly brings to the viewer!
I can see it again and again, until I feel empowered to do it!
But, nothing is accomplished alone.
Let's get inspired!

Great Love to all! :highfive::star::star::star::star::star:

[Bill Ryan]

THANK YOU, Bill !!!!!!
It´s been a few years I wanted to see it again, it takes us back to being there!!!
Such a wealth of experiences! The challenge is to adapt it to wherever we are!
These are the thoughts and the ideas it so abundantly brings to the viewer!
I can see it again and again, until I feel empowered to do it!
But, nothing is accomplished alone.
Let's get inspired!

Great Love to all! :highfive::star::star::star::star::star:

:flower:

New thread started here, to continue this discussion about Ladakh:


Ladakh: the last, unspoiled mountain kingdom (http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?94994-Ladakh-the-last-unspoiled-mountain-kingdom)

[Richard S.]

Hi Ron,

A few weeks ago I've took a peek on your web site and I found interesting ideas "How to...",but many of them could be applied only in US and probably in Canada.Therefor,I kindly ask you if you want to transform this thread into a thread where Avalon members could describe the particularities of building houses in their own lands.

Many thanks.
Adrian

Hi,

Input, input, input, yes...

I have a lil bit, if I may.

Flushing needs to stay our commodity, I would go for a RAM Pump. Mind you location is key, but if you can haul it, methinks you can RAM pump it :-)

oGufwDOWbKs


A note on trailers around here, most cities don't allow them for more than a month during a year.


Thanks for the thread!
Rick...

[Ron Mauer Sr]

Ram pump applications and home made instructions can be found here (http://ronmauer.net/blog/?page_id=4151).

[Peace in Oz]

Homeless shepherd shares hunter-gatherer diet & survival tips
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For more than a decade, Aaron Fletcher has lived as a nomadic shepherd, mostly out of a micro-camper pulled by his sheep. He supports himself as an itinerant farmhand through work trading, bartering his sheep’s milk for food and supplies. He also skill-shares in exchange for food, “including wool felting, wool spinning, cheesemaking, survival, bushcraft, etc.”

He considers himself a herder-gatherer and his diet consists of a lot of milk and cheese (courtesy of his sheep), as well as foraged foods (wild greens, seeds, and even ingredients to make his own toothpaste) and some traded meat, potatoes, and citrus (especially after learning he was deficient in Vitamin C).

He’s lived in apartments and conventional homes, and he was about to purchase a home before deciding to go nomadic a dozen years ago. He now lives all year, even during the snowy Oregon winter, in his tiny sheep cart that is fitted out with a bed, folding table, solar freezer, wood-burning stove, and solar cooker.

He defines himself as “homefree” or “the opposite of being homeless... it’s also the opposite of being housed, it’s like the third side of a coin. There have always been the haves, and the have-nots (possessions), but homefree means being a have-not-want”. Fletcher sees his sheep-pulled as the ideal-sized home: more equipped than living off pack boxes, but less cluttered than a traditional house.

[onawah]

Living in a greenhouse: sustainable living in the student dormitory ESA
SWR Room Tour
77.2K subscribers
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801,374 views
Premiered Nov 22, 2020

(This is a very innovative lifestyle for students, on the way to learning how to live off grid, and certainly more fun than living in a dorm! Sadly, the written text on the youtube page is all in German, but there is translation into English of what the students are saying in the video itself.)

mcOEusVXltQ

[Johnnycomelately]

Living in a greenhouse: sustainable living in the student dormitory ESA


Cool vid, Natalie. From the magnificent shared space and artful expressions, to the strong and gentle community, to the wondrous personal powers of these two presenters. Bravo to them.

Regarding the latter, these two persons’ charming and confidence-inspiring comportment and communication, I see great examples of male and female principles. And for myself, as am growing out of some personal deficits in mind and in body, they warm my heart. Their life shines bright.

[Tintin]

There are some pretty neat ideas here provided one makes the time to put the hard yards in :sun:

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