These off grid water systems such as gravity fed, rain barrels, cisterns and wells create a source of drinkable water on a self sufficient homestead.
Why Go Off the Grid ?
As the world’s population continues to grow, there is a vast majority out there who are expecting their governments to provide for them. There is nothing wrong with this sort of thinking, but it’s more than a little dangerous. Learning to rely completely on others for our well being has a way of changing our makeup and making us evolve to depend on these sources.
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Take, for example, the extinction of the dodo birds of Mauritius. In 1598 these birds were intrigued by the arrival of strange two-legged mammals on their island. They walked over to these creatures, with unlimited curiosity and limited intelligence. The Dutch sailors saw these plump birds ambling towards them and must’ve believed they’d arrived in heaven. The birds didn’t even run away! By 1662 the dodo had been wiped from the face of the earth.
Right now, we’re behaving a little like dodos. We trust in an economic system that hasn’t let us down yet. However, the amount of pressure that is being put on the system by an ever-growing number of dependents means that we’re not treating it with the respect and support that it sorely needs. What will happen to earth’s 9 billion people when the system that is supporting it collapses?
Going “off the grid” is a way of gaining some independence from a world of reliance on public systems. It’s also a great way to learn how to become resourceful and take some of the pressure off the civil systems of which we’re a part.
How You Can Get Off the Grid
Going from complete reliance to completely off the grid is a process that takes time. Don’t beat yourself up if it’s not happening fast. Remember that there are simple ways that you can start, and build up your independence in time.
The first steps will involve assessing your home and your resources. Do you have a garden? Do you have a roof? Even if you’re renting a property, or living in a flat, there are always ways to conserve resources that the earth hurtles down at us. Let’s take a look at the simplest natural resource we have at our disposal.
Rainwater
Rainwater not only keeps our gardens looking green and fertile, it’s also a great way to start your off the grid project. Inspect your home and look for the points at which rain washes over your property.
If you’ve got a bit of money to spend on the project you can look at home catchment cisterns. These plastic containers can hold anywhere from 750 liters to 500 liters of rainwater within them.
These cisterns can either be fitted with motors or leveraged at a height to use gravity to release the water.
If your property is too small for a cistern of this size, consider purchasing smaller water containers and positioning them on your balcony. You’ll be surprised at how much rainwater can accumulate over a few days of drizzle.
All You Have to Do Is Start
By taking the first steps towards going off the grid, you’re changing the way that you’re thinking about the world. You’re heading into the territory of sustainable living and teaching yourself to rely on your imagination, creativity and ability to learn. Imagine if the dodos had these qualities? We’d probably still have them around today.
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