Monday, August 9, 2010

Lifestyle Choices

I’ve been living off the grid for 13 years now; no power lines, no phone lines, no propane delivery. We didn’t make this choice because we’re ecologically “pure.” When the local utility quoted $45,000 to bring out a power line, the choice to invest in alternative energy was clear.

Living off the grid does not require a 19th century lifestyle, but it does require commitment and consciousness. We have to do periodic maintenance on our battery array and twice-yearly repositioning of our panels (we don’t have a tracker – yet.) We never, ever leave a light on when we exit a room. I turn off the shower as I wash my hair and turn it back on to rinse. All of our electronics are plugged into power strips to eliminate “ghost loads.” Our house is heavily insulated and its passive solar construction keeps us deliciously cool in the summer and above freezing in the winter . Our woodstove is small but efficient and, you know what they say: wood warms you twice, once when you cut it and once when you burn it. We do not make superfluous trips to town; if we’re out of milk, we’re out of milk.

"Lifestyle upgrades" require power, but not as much as you might imagine. I refuse to be a martyr to ecological purity. We choose to stay “plugged in” and have purchased enough panels to support that choice. We receive TV and the internet via satellite and lobbied our cell carrier until they finally upgraded our tower to digital. I can surf the web, but I don't have a microwave or a dishwasher or a toaster (heating elements are notorious energy hogs.) We have a washing machine, but not a dryer. (Personally, I wouldn’t use a dryer even if I lived on the grid. With a clothesline outside and a drying rack inside, who needs one?) I have an electric toothbrush but no blow dryer.

Our commute would make a compelling SUV commercial, but I spend much less time in my car than my friends who live in the suburbs of major metropolitan areas. The only traffic jams on my road are caused by free-range cattle.

My lifestyle definitely does NOT save money. It will take a lifetime to recoup our upfront and ongoing investments in panels, pelton wheels, inverters, back up generators and batteries. My lifestyle is not going to save the planet. When I compare the carbon footprint of our commute, well pump, woodstove, back up generator and replacement batteries to our carbon savings on lights, appliances, air conditioning and heating, I figure we come out dead even or maybe a little ahead.

My advice: Don’t choose this lifestyle unless you’re willing to work hard and do it yourself. It’s not for those who are easily discouraged. But, if you’re up for the challenge, it’s pretty sweet to be “the captain of my fate, the master of my soul,” at least, electronically speaking.

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