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    Greenies unite here? How are you contributing to your neighborhood?

    No, I'm not asking you to decide to be an Obama supporter and sign up for this and that. Keep politics out of here.

    I was going to post in the weekly flamewar/peoplegettingreallyupsetfornothing/peoplemakinggoodpointsbutnotasatopiconacarforumhow seriousisitreally/political/classes/this and that thread in OT. You know the ones, they always die when someone gets a little too hurt. SRSBZNZ and all that.

    Decided to split it off and start something new.

    Originally posted by dlmpsy View Post
    I always find it ironic when people that live in urban areas discuss how *we* need to do so much more for the environment, how we need to do this or that because *we* are killing the planet, etc. It seems to me that these same people are the problem, they plow-up once productive fields to make a parking lot or subdivision, they drain the river and watershed to water their grass, they live in the desert and crank-up the AC in the summer and crank-up the heat in the winter, they live in earthquake prone areas and build houses and cities, they build houses on the sides of hills that get washed away when it rains or get burned down because brush has taken the place where trees once stood. Buying organic lettuce 'ain't enough, if you're gonna "talk the talk, walk the walk."
    But this is a good post.

    You gotta pay to play. I agree with 100% of what you're saying though.

    If I won the lottery I would never spend a dime on electricity again after an initial investment. How you ask?

    I'm a pretty damn efficient person with my home, you'd probably be jealous on how little I pay for utilities like power right now because of the great weather. Not you California residents though, that's great weather nearly all the time. Now in the summer, of course here spending increases but not for me as much as some where I live. Back to my so called plan if I win the lottery:

    I can live "off-grid" and be free from APS [electricity company if you don't know] inside of my "grid" with the use of solar polar. I can even hook into their lines like I already am, and share my power like Bill Nye. I worked out the math about a year ago. For current usage, with averaging out and a slight increase it's only 25k-30k. The government/APS with all of their rebates will pay for the rest (and it's a lot) for one of the so called kits I've seen. The problem with solar power is it still can be drastically improved. Is this a realistic goal for myself? Oh yes, very much so. Not everyone needs a mansion to live, first thing I'd do living in a non-HOA area is build what I've envisioned, then yes basically make the roof a solar array to capture sunlight. Even without winning the lottery, it is my plan.

    I'm sorry I'm not a complete green freak like some of those documentaries on Sundance, but those people do get the bottom line. I'm not ready to move to a near Amish community to recycle my urine to get the small percentage of drinking water from it to "Not be wasteful." But how can you improve your neighborhood and in turn the environment?
    Project Thread | Instagram | Phoenix, Arizona Events Thread

    #2
    Getting ready to buy an inexpensive house we can afford, and thusly afford to update, built in 1920 by my great-grandfather.
    Need parts now? Need them cheap? steve@blunttech.com
    Chief Sales Officer, Midwest Division—Blunt Tech Industries

    www.gutenparts.com
    One stop shopping for NEW, USED and EURO PARTS!

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      #3
      Moving out of the State I'm in, to an "Off-The-Grid" ranch, preparing to grow my own foods, and leave the lifestyle CA assumes it's residents desire.

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        #4
        Originally posted by z31maniac View Post
        Getting ready to buy an inexpensive house we can afford, and thusly afford to update, built in 1920 by my great-grandfather.
        Win. Realtor saying, "Now is the time." Even more so than 6 months ago.

        I did the same. Not a 20's house though, but by AZ standards almost as old, mine is conversely built in the 70's.

        Originally posted by Farbin Kaiber View Post
        Moving out of the State I'm in, to an "Off-The-Grid" ranch, preparing to grow my own foods, and leave the lifestyle CA assumes it's residents desire.
        Really? That's, the answer. You'll be able to post as much as you want without a job on this cult car forum.
        Project Thread | Instagram | Phoenix, Arizona Events Thread

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          #5
          I live on 100 acres, two fish ponds, timber, fields, two wells and a garden. In the winter I burn wood, and a heat-pump is back-up. One well is not reliant on power. There are also cherry trees, apple trees, peaches, walnut, blackberries, plum trees and three Concord grape arbors. The wood stoves can also be used for cooking. Plenty of deer, squirrels, rabbists and some turkey. Canned, both commercial and home-made is stored in the pantry. A generator, kerosene and candles are also on site for winter power outages. When I was younger I couldn't wait to leave "the farm", now I appreciate the peace and quite, along with being "independent" if need be....

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            #6
            Originally posted by DEV0 E30 View Post

            Really? That's, the answer. You'll be able to post as much as you want without a job on this cult car forum.

            I would not call it "The" answer, but it is the end result of the questions I have asked myself for the past few years about where I want to "stake my claim". I do not want to start/raise a family in the enviroment I am in, and there is nowhere in the state I'm in that fits the bill for me. I look toward the much happer person I'll be when I'm around like minded people. I want the news about recent shootings around me to be an 8 Point buck instead of six members of a local street gang. I don't want to be doing any of the things SoCal life provides, I want to hunt, camp, hike and live off my land instead of consuming all the theings the "Man" produces. I don't want to spend the day in front of the computer learning/reading these traits, as I have for a while now, but to live in the thick of it.


            And everything the guy above said too.

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              #7
              Originally posted by Farbin Kaiber View Post
              I would not call it "The" answer, but it is the end result of the questions I have asked myself for the past few years about where I want to "stake my claim". I do not want to start/raise a family in the environment I am in, and there is nowhere in the state I'm in that fits the bill for me. I look toward the much happier person I'll be when I'm around like minded people. I want the news about recent shootings around me to be an 8 Point buck instead of six members of a local street gang. I don't want to be doing any of the things SoCal life provides, I want to hunt, camp, hike and live off my land instead of consuming all the things the "Man" produces. I don't want to spend the day in front of the computer learning/reading these traits, as I have for a while now, but to live in the thick of it.


              And everything the guy above said too.

              I was poking a little fun about your posting habits as you know. I wouldn't want to live in that sort of environment either, even though the greater Phoenix area here will become like it if things aren't carefully looked at. The fact you've taken a step back and are willing to take the dive into something new is something to be proud of. We've all had aspirations of this and that, but to make it happen is great when it pays off. Some people feel the need to live in a society that is urban. Many reasons from jobs, schools, family, food, convenience, or whatever the reason. The green thinkers are shattering that mold with the off-grid ranches and what not. It really is interesting. I've always been into architecture but some architects are really coming up with new ideas. Some of course are using the green movement without being green to earn a few bucks, but hey that's life. Could I live off-grid on a ranch. At this point in my life no. Who knows about the future though.

              I have priced out a wee house and other prefabs for the summer somewhere up north though. Again, you've got to pay to play. The answer to everything is to start somewhere.

              Something you may want to look at: http://www.weehouse.com
              Project Thread | Instagram | Phoenix, Arizona Events Thread

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                #8
                i agree that solar power should be developed and implemented as quickly as possible. all that sun is going to waste.
                http://instagram.com/dslovn.drives

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                  #9
                  Originally posted by DEV0 E30 View Post
                  Win. Realtor saying, "Now is the time." Even more so than 6 months ago.

                  I did the same. Not a 20's house though, but by AZ standards almost as old, mine is conversely built in the 70's.
                  Yup. The plan is to buy and immediately update the original knob and tube wiring. Add insulation to the house (apparently insulation was unheard of back then), in the attic, crawlspace and in the outside walls if we can afford it.

                  Remove the carpets and refinish the original Oak floors, install as energy efficient CHA system as we can afford, hopefully new Thermal Windows (Tulsa based company) but I have a feeling that will be out of reach due to the old, original LARGE windows. $15k on windows for a $40k house is a bit much at the moment.

                  And we are keeping a relatively small footprint as the house is only around 1200 sq ft.

                  The great thing is, even assuming we can do all this work upfront (included in the purchase price), we will still be able to pay the house off in under 10 years, then we will be in our mid-30s and own a property. We could easily buy more based on our income, but we don't wish to be "House Poor" like most of America and what does a couple with no kids really need a 2500 sq ft house for?

                  Then we would like to do exactly dlmpsy is doing (although more 5-10 acres) and use the current place as an in town house or rental property.
                  Need parts now? Need them cheap? steve@blunttech.com
                  Chief Sales Officer, Midwest Division—Blunt Tech Industries

                  www.gutenparts.com
                  One stop shopping for NEW, USED and EURO PARTS!

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by DEV0 E30 View Post

                    Thanks, and awesome. I have been putting together pland for most of the new construction intended for my property to be repurposed shipping containers. They are below the cheap, and with 5-6 of them craftily placed can make quite a nice, solid structure.

                    Cargo containers are of increasing interest to architects who plan to make them into homes, offices and other buildings through simple modifications and conversions.




                    ^^^ Forty shipping containers, a bit big for my plans...

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                      #11
                      One thing I have learned is that the "peace and quite" gives you more time to think, or being alone with yourself. It takes awhile to get use to being with "yourself". In more hectic environments there are plenty of things to keep you distracted, people, noises, things, etc. Introspection can be a difficult thing for some people to adapt to.... Nature does have it's rewards once you learn to appreciate it, watching a deer graze, a tree you plant producing apples, knowing you'll have food, water and heat if the power goes out, etc.

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                        #12
                        Me and a few friends have been planning to get a nice piece of land here in Texas and begin homesteading, I really enjoy growing and raising my own food. Been saving and searching for land for a few years now. Sustainable living FTW.

                        And I LOVE the idea of turning shipping containers into a home. I have been toying with that idea since I saw it on a episode of this old house.

                        But as of now, Nothing. I rent a small house with a buddy of mine.

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                          #13
                          Originally posted by dlmpsy View Post
                          I live on 100 acres, two fish ponds, timber, fields, two wells and a garden. In the winter I burn wood, and a heat-pump is back-up. One well is not reliant on power. There are also cherry trees, apple trees, peaches, walnut, blackberries, plum trees and three Concord grape arbors. The wood stoves can also be used for cooking. Plenty of deer, squirrels, rabbists and some turkey. Canned, both commercial and home-made is stored in the pantry. A generator, kerosene and candles are also on site for winter power outages. When I was younger I couldn't wait to leave "the farm", now I appreciate the peace and quite, along with being "independent" if need be....
                          I didn't see this. I envy you! lol

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                            #14
                            now I'm in someone's sig...

                            Comment


                              #15
                              I am looking to do much as Fabin is just not the off grid thing and preferably not old containers as it gets cold up here. I need to get out more I spend way too much time on this fucking magic box, I live in one of the best places anywhere, and I hardly enjoy it. I was out feeding the horses last night late at about mid night and I looked up at the stars and thats when it hit me, that so many people need to slow the fuck down and enjoy life and the wonders of the world. Rather than spend all the time in our wonders of the modern age.

                              I think I was born 100 years too late some times. I love the back country, but I dont get spend much time out there because I am out working, and when I am at home there is 12-25 feet of snow and hiking it is nearly imposable. Its my own fault and its really easy to fall into the easy life of sitting on the computer all day and not enjoying life.
                              Originally posted by Fusion
                              If a car is the epitome of freedom, than an electric car is house arrest with your wife titty fucking your next door neighbor.
                              The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public's money. -Alexis de Tocqueville


                              The Desire to Save Humanity is Always a False Front for the Urge to Rule it- H. L. Mencken

                              Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants.
                              William Pitt-

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