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SELF-SUFFICENCY 
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Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2012 4:34 am
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Location: Beautiful Bryon Bay
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First Steps to Self Sufficiency


Urban micro-gardening. No help will be coming from Washington when there is trouble. Help yourselves, help your neighbors.




Self-sufficient living is the ability and practice of providing for all of your own needs and the needs of your household without outside aid or resources. It relies on a myriad of knowledge and skills, as well as a spirit of independence and motivation. Its attempt is certainly not for everyone, but those who choose it tend to be passionate about their reasons.

"Freedom is the greatest fruit of self-sufficiency."
~ Epicurus


Reasons For Self-Sufficiency

Here are the common reasons why a person may choose to live self-sufficiently:

Preparedness: This is generally the main reason for self-sufficiency. A person feels the desire to be prepared for potential catastrophes, an end to cheap oil, or any political threats. Preparedness may also be a religious mandate. Learning how to become self-sufficient offers peace-of-mind and security in the event of a disaster.

Political: The stereotype is of a conspiracy-theorist that wants to "stick it to the man" by disappearing off the grid. That's usually not the case. Instead, most people see the real corruption in unconstitutional wars and powerful lobbyists and distrust the government to escape from its current political stature unscathed. Whatever comes down the road, they wish to be independent of assistance or oversight from shaky government agencies.

Social:
A self-sufficient person may see the flaws within our current social structure. They may see that the food infrastructure relies too heavily on corn and long distance growers, and wish to not be a part of that unhealthy system. And they likely disagree with our cultural habit of over-consumption and waste. Learning how to become self-sufficient gives them a way to feel connected within a disconnected society.

Personal: Perhaps the simplest explanation for self-sufficiency is the personal satisfaction one gains from the lifestyle. Many people enjoy the practice of growing their own food and the accomplishment of learning something new. They may enjoy raising animals or building their home. And they likely take pride in providing for their family independently. For them it's about living a satisfying life, working hard and going to bed tired and fulfilled.


Environmental: A growing trend is the mitigation of environmental degradation through self-sufficient living. Your carbon footprint is diminished when your food is not shipped from around the world, your waste is reduced to almost nothing and your home is not powered by coal. You are prepared for environmental emergencies, changing political landscapes, and a breakdown in infrastructure with the coming climate changes. And you can take personal pride in your positive effects while also inspiring those around you.

The Problem with Self-Sufficient Living

The first problem with total self-sufficiency is that it assumes a person (or family) can do everything themselves. Burnout is a serious issue when we attempt to take on everything ourselves. We are, by our very nature, dabblers in everything and specialists only in certain areas. Our nature prefers diversity, but attempting that diversity alone is overwhelming at best and narcissistic at worst. Refusing to rely on anyone else will likely mean living a very boring, unsatisfying life, exhausting our bodies and resources quickly and lacking any real time or ability to enjoy the life we're creating for ourselves.


Self-Sufficient Communities Are the Real Answer


A better way to approach how to become self-sufficient is to approach it within the workings of a small self-sufficient community.

to read more - http://www.sustainablebabysteps.com/sel ... iving.html

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Tue Mar 20, 2012 9:51 am
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Alternative Living off the grid with little money

In the heart of Devon, a quiet revolution is taking place. A group of like-minded people have rejected modern living and are striving for complete self-sufficiency in the Dartmoor woods. Tree bogs, 'feelings' meetings and wooden mansions.


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Tue Mar 20, 2012 10:08 am
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There's No Place Like Here: Communal Living with Nikki Silva


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Tue Mar 20, 2012 10:20 am
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How to thrive off the grid with no electricity, internet, TV


This woman is passionate to live a life in the most natural way.
She lives in Costa Rica for very little money.



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Tue Mar 20, 2012 10:24 am
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How to have a home with no house payments and no utility bills!


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Tue Mar 20, 2012 10:35 am
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I am all for being self sufficient, but also realize that it doesn't matter how big your garden may be, or how much food you have tucked away, if you can't defend your food...you will starve just like the one who had nothing. When humans get desperate for food...it matters not how educated they may be...they will be no better than the next beggar wanting what you have. You can share with some, but what about those you have no food for, or those who want it all for themselves?

At this point almost none of us has any real life experiences with what survival in a collapsed economy is like. We want to believe in humanity, well we shall see what we are up against when the conveniences are stripped away. I dare say at that time we will not want to deal with other people, for even your own family will fight you for whatever food there will be...why...because we failed to PLAN for it. :roll:


Tue Mar 20, 2012 12:17 pm
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