Living “Off The Grid”

            While not everyone may be familiar with the term living “Off The Grid”, it essentially means living in a home or area that does not have access to the public grid, aka electricity and water. This is not a new concept, as the US passed a Homestead Act in 1862 where individuals could gain ownership to land after improving it and much of our country’s historical roots have been passed down through the frontier lifestyle [1]. While many American families have humble and rural roots, some of the trades and skills of past generations have been lost through the modernization of America and popularity of metropolitan areas. That being said, more recent generations have found a need to reinvigorate these traditions whether it be to establish more healthy food sources, escape government tyranny, or leave behind overly stressful lifestyles.  

People choosing to live off the grid must provide their own sources of food, water and electricity. Some of the most publicized benefits have been the idea of not paying utility or mortgage bills or separating oneself from government control/restrictions without the use of currency or public goods. As you can imagine, providing these recourses in remote areas can be a full-time job in itself through hunting, fishing, tending agricultural fields, and home building. Home steaders as many still call them must be a jack of all trades. Interestingly enough, this culture has caught on with mainstream Americans as countless magazines, articles, and tv shows have articulated this type of subsistence lifestyle.

Some of the most familiar manifestations of this have been seen through the Tiny or Small House Movement. These consist mainly of homes less than 2,000 sq ft that can take up very little space and can be built at low cost by the resident [2]. These types of homes also endorse the use of salvageable materials like windows, doors, or wood that can be obtained for little to no cost [2]. These small homes are even sometimes built on flat bed trailers where they can be transported to different places or be relocated into tight spaces like friends backyards. These homes usually use renewable energy like solar panels and have the ability to reuse existing water. Essentially, a person can live with almost non-existent monthly costs out of one of these homes and not be required connection to the grid.

TV shows like Yukon Men, Alaska: The Last Frontier, or Mountain Men also depict the subsistence lifestyle. Alaska: The Last Frontier depicts the Kilcher family, who originally fled Europe during WWII and started a 600 acre homestead in Alaska more than 80 years ago [3]. 3 generations of the Kilcher family now live on this homestead near the town of Homer, Alaska [3]. As the Kilcher brothers manage the livestock, hunt moose and deer, and maintain the cornucopia of log cabins, the remainder of women and children harvest and preserve vegetables for the winter and other homestead tasks. That being said, during much of the show the Kilchers appear to be having a good time during family barbeques or goofing off around the property. They seem to have found their own slice of heaven.  

While this type of lifestyle may be to dramatic of a transition for many, renewable energy and recourses, access to organic foods, and time spent in the great outdoors is becoming more valued by Americans. While it is in our roots, many seem to be yearning back to those traditions as their 8-5 day jobs sitting in a cubicle or the several hour-long commutes have become increasingly mundane. These more rural lifestyles have gained popularity as the negatives aspects of metropolitan areas like traffic, density, and pollution have reared it’s ugly head. Whether this trend phases out or gains more moment who really knows, but it is obvious that many feeling trapped and are looking for a different life’s path closer to nature.

Work Cited

[1] “The Homestead Act of 1862.” National Archives. October 1997. 1 December 2013. Web. <www.archives.gov>

[2] “What is the Tiny House Movement.” The Tiny Life. 2 December 2013. Web. <www.tinylife.com>

[3] “Alaska: The Last Frontier.” The Discovery Channel. 2 December 2013. Web. <dsc.discovery.com>