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14 Off-Grid Projects to Cut Your Energy and Water Usage

Whether you!re bui"ding a cabin in the woods that!s disconnected from any power or water sources# or just want to reduce your uti"ity bi""s# going partia""y or tota""y off grid can be done on the cheap with a "itt"e creati$e thin%ing. &here are many sma"" ways to reduce your e"ectricity and water consumption and e$en do without a septic or sewer system. &hese '() off grid home projects inc"ude mini wind turbines# so"ar coo%ers# water fi"tration# greywater systems and "ow-tech refrigeration. Mini Wind Turbine Setu

!i"age #ia$ t%e&e#dog' &hin% a wind turbine is out of reach* (f it seems "i%e too big of a project or you just want to supp"ement so"ar or grid power with wind when possib"e# consider bui"ding your own mini wind turbine. +"ogger ,e$in -arris pro$ides a step-by-step tutoria" on how to bui"d a mini wind turbine capab"e of generating .0-2.0 watts with just /1.0 in materia"s.

Outdoor Wood-(ired ) So*ar O#ens

!i"ages #ia$ i *o#e cob+ ecofriend' (n the summertime# it!s too hot to coo% inside# anyway. 0$oid adding e1tra heat to your house by coo%ing outdoors. 2ri""s are great# but wood-fired o$ens and so"ar coo%ers wi"" a""ow you to ba%e bread# coo%ies and "ots more. 3ob o$ens are made of mud and straw# and get hot enough to churn out de"icious wood-fired pi44as in "ess than three minutes5 instructions for bui"ding them can be found a"" o$er the internet and on )ou&ube. 6o"ar coo%ers can be bui"t with "itt"e more than a cardboard bo1 and some a"uminum foi" or a windshie"d sun ref"ector# and re7uire no more than the sun to coo% your food.

,oc&et Sto#es

!i"ages #-a$ yuic%iro %ag+ rootsi" *e+ t%e ./Y 0or*d' 8oc%et sto$es are another great option for outdoor coo%ing. &hey!re rea""y cheap and easy to bui"d# and a"" they re7uire to produce "ots of heat is sma"" branches. &he '() wor"d has a tutoria" for bui"ding a sma"" portab"e roc%et sto$e out of cans# and 8oot 6imp"e offers instructions for a more permanent bac%yard sto$e made of bric%s.

Co**ecting ,ain0ater

!i"age #ia$ darin"c*ure+ "useu" #ictoria' 3o""ecting rainwater for irrigation use in the garden can sa$e a "ot of water# and if you "i$e in an area with moderate to high rainfa""# you cou"d e$en re"y e1c"usi$e"y on rainwater for a"" of your water needs. )our co""ection system might range from roof gutters and a sing"e rain barre" to a "arger-capacity stac%ed system or e$en an e1tra-"arge tan%# which can be abo$e-ground or buried. When co""ecting rainwater# the sing"e biggest factor determining how much you can co""ect 9aside from a$erage rainfa"": is the si4e of your roof. ;earn more about your options at 8aincentre <6.

Si" *e Grey0ater Treat"ent

!i"ages #ia$ grey0ater1co"+ 0ater2ua*ityinsinga ore' Want to s%ip the sewer or septic system* )ou can recyc"e the =greywater! from your home# which is waste water from the sin%s# showers# tubs and washing machines. 0 bac%yard greywater system typica""y in$o"$es routing this waste water# which may contain traces of dirt# food# grease# hair and househo"d c"eaning products# out to the yard to irrigate non-food-producing p"ants. 2ra$ity-based systems that don!t re"y on pumps or fi"ters "ast the "ongest and are the easiest to maintain. (f you produce more wastewater than you need for irrigation# you can create =constructed wet"ands!# which fi"ter and absorb the water natura""y. (f you don!t produce much wastewater at a""# you can e$en set up a system of p"anters that wi"" fi"ter the water# as pictured abo$e. ;earn more about a"" of your options# and what not to do# at >asis'esign.net and 2reywater0ction.org.

T%e 3rt of Co" osting Toi*ets

!i"ages #ia$ "ot%er eart% ne0s+ co" ost jun&ie' ?$ery day# we!re co""ecti$e"y f"ushing bi""ions of ga""ons of perfect"y drin%ab"e water down the toi"et# whi"e c"ean water grows e$er more scarce and mi""ions of peop"e in de$e"oping nations die without it. When proper"y maintained# composting toi"ets turn human waste into harm"ess soi"# and they!re easier to ta%e care of than you might imagine. )ou can buy a commercia" composting toi"et# or ma%e a rea""y simp"e one yourse"f out of "itt"e more than a buc%et# a toi"et seat and some carbonrich composting materia"s "i%e sawdust# cedar chips or shredded oa% "ea$es. &hey!re emptied regu"ar"y into a specia""y-prepared outdoor compost bin that!s %ept separate from the compost you use for $egetab"e and herb gardens. 2et more info at @other ?arth Aews and the -umanure -andboo%.

So*ar-Po0ered 3

*iances ) Gadgets

!i"ages #ia$ suns%ine 0or&s+ ecob*e+ o sci' &here are so many sma"" opportunities to disconnect from the grid# and whi"e some of them in$o"$e somewhat pricey# high-tech so"ar gadget chargers# others are decided"y simp"e. &here are so"ar-powered $ersions of a"" sorts of e"ectronic de$ices a$ai"ab"e# inc"uding "aptop chargers# phone chargers# stereos and e$en refrigerators5 you can a"so bui"d your own '() so"ar charger for about /1.0. 'on!t forget handcran% gadgets# too# which inc"ude coffee grinders# b"enders# gadget chargers and more.

Manua* 4aundry Mac%ine

!i"age #ia$ tiny %ouse b*og' ;aundry machines are some of the hardest e"ectrica" app"iances to part with when you!re trying to go partia""y or comp"ete"y off-grid. @ost of us ha$e an idea of manua" c"othes washing as being a rather arduous tas%# re7uiring a who"e "ot of e"bow grease and time. +ut there are some simp"e manua" washing machines that re7uire no power at a"". &he Wonder Wash is a sma"" drum with a hand-cran% that can wash up to . pounds of c"othing at a time and on"y ta%es about two to fi$e minutes of =churning! to get the "aundry c"ean. (t a"so re7uires "ess detergent and water than a standard washing machine or e$en doing hand-wash in a buc%et. &he Wonder Wash se""s for about /.0. Want to go e$en simp"er* )ou can '() your own off-grid "aundry machine. 2et the instructions at @0,?. >nce the c"othes are c"ean# wring them out and hang them up to dry. )ou can get wringers to ma%e the process easier# as we"" as a $ariety of c"othes"ine so"utions# at ;ehmans.com.

Easy ,oot Ce**ars ) 4o0-Tec% (ridges

!i"ages #ia$ in%abitat+ ractica* action' 8oot ce""ars are an ancient method of preser$ing fruits and $egetab"es "i%e app"es# onions and potatoes throughout the year. &he stab"e temperature of the earth be"ow the frost "ine creates enough natura" =refrigeration! to %eep these items fresh. Whi"e traditiona" root ce""ars were often wa"%-ins# most of us don!t need that much space for one househo"d. )ou can create a root ce""ar using recyc"ed and rec"aimed materia"s. +ury a non-wor%ing chest free4er or e$en a trash can in the ground. Want to go without a refrigerator a"together* &here!s a coo" "ow-tech way to %eep items coo" on the countertop. Bot-in-pot refrigerators# %nown as 4eer pots# can %eep $eggies fresh for up to 20 days# e$en in hot c"imates. &he contents are %ept coo" by a "ayer of damp sand between two terra-cotta pots5 as the water in the sand e$aporates# it he"ps coo" the inner pot. ;earn how to ma%e your own 4eer pot.

./Y Water (i*ters and So*ar Sti**s

!i"age #ia$ "ot%er eart% ne0s' @any off-gridders# especia""y those "i$ing in tiny houses# re"y on +ig +er%ey water fi"ters to ma%e rainwater safe for drin%ing. +er%eys are tab"etop water fi"ters and storage tan%s that come in $arious si4es# and are %nown for their re"iabi"ity and durabi"ity. +ut you can ma%e your own +er%ey-sty"e water purifier for much cheaper# using buc%ets or ine1pensi$e p"astic pitchers and a /.0 +er%ey fi"ter insert. 6o"ar sti""s are a"so a coo" '() option# purifying water by means of disti""ation.

6hare 5ee Going$ 6ie0 ,e*ated WebEcoist 3rtic*es ) Ga**eries$

,ain Co**ecting S&yscra er Cuts Water Usage &he C3o""ect the 8ainC s%yscraper has a conca$e roof# an e1terior sheath of cur$ing gutters and a funne"-shaped core to co""ect as much rainwater as possib"e.

Green 7ouse$ 18 Gadgets to Sa#e Energy+ Water ) Cas% &hese 12 eco-friend"y gadgets# "i%e shower timers and therma" "ea% detectors# wi"" he"p you cut uti"ity costs at home by reducing power and water consumption.

9oo:e it U ; 1< Ways to ,euse G*ass 9eer ) Wine 9ott*es &ransform your empty beer# wine and "i7uor bott"es into "amps# bird feeders# she"$ing units# wind chimes - e$en a so"ar water heater or a house.

,ain Co**ecting S&yscra er Cuts Water Usage &he C3o""ect the 8ainC s%yscraper has a conca$e roof# an e1terior sheath of cur$ing gutters and a funne"-shaped core to co""ect as much rainwater as possib"e.

Green 7ouse$ 18 Gadgets to Sa#e Energy+ Water ) Cas% &hese 12 eco-friend"y gadgets# "i%e shower timers and therma" "ea% detectors# wi"" he"p you cut uti"ity costs at home by reducing power and water consumption.

9oo:e it U ; 1< Ways to ,euse G*ass 9eer ) Wine 9ott*es &ransform your empty beer# wine and "i7uor bott"es into "amps# bird feeders# she"$ing units# wind chimes - e$en a so"ar water heater or a house.