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Welcome to Life Unplugged, your guide to living off grid with alternative energy
on the modern homestead. It is not necessary to give up all modern conveniences
to reduce your carbon footprint when you utilize alternative energy and green building
techniques. Passive solar design coupled with straw bale, cob, cordwood, or earthbag
construction can yield an efficient, comfortable, and green built structure for
your homestead. Solar panels and wind turbines are tried and true forms of alternative
energy, but new technologies such as geothermal, micro hydro, and bio-diesel offer
additional flexibility to power your off grid homestead. Explore our collection
of articles covering new and old technologies that are sure to be of use in your
modern homesteading adventure. |
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Building a Cordwood Home
Building with cordwood is a great way to construct a unique and energy efficient
green home from locally grown wood and scrap wood found on your property.
Cordwood homes are pleasing to the eye and require very little maintenance. |
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Basics of an Off Grid Micro Hydro Installation
 Only a small percentage of parcels are suitable for a
micro hydro installation. But if you have an adequate change of elevation and
sufficient water flow, micro hydro may be the most efficient and cost effective
way to power your homestead. Discover how to evaluate your site and what
components are a part of every installation
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Save Energy and Eat Fresh: Unplug Your Refrigerator
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, refrigerators use more power than
any other commonly owned appliance -- about twice as much as a dishwasher.
Believe it or not, going fridge-free isn't as hard as it sounds and some of the
benefits may surprise you. |
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Benefits of an Earth Sheltered Home
Some people assume that an earth
berm home is dark, cave-like, and buried in the ground, but it is in fact quite
the opposite. Instead of the builder placing the home under the ground, he or
she brings the earth up, so to speak, to cover the outside walls of the
dwelling. Earth berm homes (and earth sheltered homes) have many benefits to
both the homeowner and the planet. |
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Homesteading is hard work whether you are collecting eggs from the chickens,
feeding the livestock, or tending the garden. Growing organic produce
can be an adjustment for those used to using chemical pesticides, herbicides, and
fertilizer but I wouldn’t say that organic gardening is more difficult. Composting
your kitchen scraps, livestock manure, leaves, and lawn clippings takes time but
not labor to produce free nutrient rich compost for your homestead’s garden. Mulching
with your compost fertilizes the soil and aids in water retention which reduces
labor requirements and conserves water. Who knows what hormones are injected into
the animals that provide our eggs, beef, chicken, and pork. Save money and enjoy
fresh nutritious meat and eggs by raising your own livestock and poultry on your
homestead. Learn more about raising livestock and organic gardening on Life Unplugged,
your source for all things on the environmentally responsible modern homestead. |
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Harvesting Rainwater with Rain Barrels
Few measures so simple can make such a dramatic contribution towards a
sustainable, self-sufficient lifestyle as collecting rainwater in rain barrels.
While you should not drink the water without filtering it, it can be used for
almost anything else. Go buy a rain barrel today, or better yet, learn how to
build your own. |
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Want to be on Television?
Are you trading in your cul-de-sac for a cabin? Or just tossing the kids' toys
as you plan to downsize from a McMansion to a city-based rowhome? A prominent
television production company is developing a series profiling families opting
to trade in their status quo lifestyles for something more intentional and/or
unusual. |
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Gathering Wild Fruits and Vegetables
Hundreds of varieties of wild fruits and vegetables can be found in the
United States, many of which undoubtedly grow overlooked in your own yard. In
fact, most wild plants are edible and many are both delicious and packed with
nutrients. |
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Making Soap From Goat Milk
Goat milk
soap is sometimes thought of as gimmicky, but it's popular for good reason. Goat
milk contains three times as much beta-casein (a type of protein) as cow's milk
does, which along with the butterfat content, moisturizes and conditions skin.
It's also rich in Vitamin E and fatty acids, both of which nourish the skin and
keep it healthy. |
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Generate Electricity with a Wind Turbine
Wind energy is the fastest-growing source of energy in the United States. Clean
and relatively inexpensive wind turbines harness the energy in wind and are an
attractive option for those looking for an alternative way to power their
homestead.
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How to Build a Wood-Fired Cob Oven
 A growing number of people are realizing the fun
and functionality of building cob ovens. Wood-fired cob ovens can be built to
whatever size best suits the user. Some restaurants have earthen ovens
that are six feet across! No matter the size of the oven you wish to build, the
techniques used are very similar. |
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