Our transition towards ecological living is very much, and no doubt will always be, a work-in-progress. We certainly have not found all the answers, or fully broken our dependence on systems and supply chains that abuse the earth and our fellow humans. We have a great deal still to learn, from the First Peoples of this land, our ancestors, and many who are forging a path of innovation and rediscovery in our time.
Our own paths have led us to some exciting pieces of the puzzle — most noteably, an unconventional approach to meeting our household energy needs, applying the DC microgrid developed at Living Energy Farm (LEF) to an existing house in town. This will allow us to light and heat our home, take a hot shower, store and cook our food, power our tools and charge our devices, all without highly destructive energy sources and centralized grid power.
That is a significant feat! According to the National Academy of Science, household energy consumption in the United States accounts for a fifth of all U.S. carbon emissions, and the sixth largest source of carbon emissions globally. Meeting these needs with energy from the sun is a powerful step away from the damage wrought by extracting and burning fossil fuels and nuclear energy.
We are documenting the renovation process, and look forward to offering tours and workshops in the future, to help other households replicate and adapt these systems.
We also recognize that this model is not possible for everyone, and is just one step in a global shift that is needed, which extends into every resource and relationship in our lives. We continue to search and explore ways our choices can bring mutual benefit and restoration rather than exploitation and depletion, both for our fellow human beings and our planet. We look forward to sharing more of this journey, and what we learn along the way, in our Down to Earth Reflections.
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