the really simple life

now here is an inspiring example of simple living... looks more like camping year round! don't think it would work too well with kids though. also a little too cold in canada; but well worth the read.

"We must achieve the character and acquire the skills to live much poorer than we do. We must waste less. We must do more for ourselves and each other. It is either that or continue merely to think and talk about changes that we are inviting catastrophe to make."

Wendell Berry, from the essay "Word and Flesh," What Are People For? North Point Press, 1990

Living Outside the Box

gridblog: earthday

well, john's request for an earthday post fest ties in with my thoughts as of late. unfortunately, i'm too lazy to read up on the earthday site other than the front page. so, it looks like it's about climate change. ok. on that topic i would point everyone to the half plan at builditsolar. This family cut their energy usage by 1/2 in one year. sure it cost some money, but the return on saved energy bills was 45% the first year! oh, yah and they saved loads of CO2 emmisions.

now, i'm thinking that living off-grid would save even more (money & green-house-gas). not using nasty utility energy or burning fossil fuel. all we need are good electric cars and it's perfect ;-).

back to the half plan. they have stuff to help you make your own half plan. hey what have we got to lose? save money, and our kids' future while your at it!