The Off Grid Guide - Part 9 | Your Next Steps

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro
00:03 All the Building Blocks Together
05:32 Building Soil & Biodiversity by Living Well
17:10 Community is Key
30:01 Learn More From Our Book List
43:06 Your Next Steps

Introduction
Building an Acorn Home represents a holistic approach to off-grid living, aiming to balance sustainability, community, and self-sufficiency. Here’s an overview of how to create an integrated, off-grid living environment.

1. Foundational Concepts

Vision for a Healthy Home: A sanctuary for safety and well-being, addressing modern challenges like high costs, poor design, and sustainability.
The Acorn Home: Focused on self-sufficiency, community, and sustainability, balancing water, energy, food, and shelter.
2. Designing the Acorn Home

Design Philosophy: Prioritizes resource efficiency and sustainability with passive thermal design and renewable energy systems.
Home Size Options: Blueprints available for different family sizes, adaptable for larger groups or mobility-focused needs.
3. Integrated Systems

Energy & Heating: Solar panels, biogas, and rocket mass heaters.
Water & Waste: Rainwater harvesting, composting toilets, and anaerobic fertilizer tanks.
Food Production: Permaculture gardens, food forests, and small livestock.
Transportation: Micro EVs and walkable paths.
4. Off-Grid Essentials

Focus on independence from mainstream economic systems by addressing energy, water, food, waste, and shelter.
5. Challenges and Solutions

Obstacles: Zoning laws, land costs, education, and financing are major hurdles.
Solutions: Alternative financing options like microloans, grants, or co-ops can help overcome financial barriers.
6. Transition from Traditional Homes

Sustainability Focus: Unlike conventional homes, Acorn Homes emphasize self-sufficiency and sustainability.
Preserving Middle Class: Aims to maintain economic stability amidst changing financial landscapes.
Embracing Simplicity: Encourages a shift to simpler, locally-focused lifestyles.
7. Integrating Solutions

Combines permaculture, clean energy, and local food production to create a resilient future.
8. Preparing for Future Challenges

Sustainable Practices: Build resilience against economic and environmental uncertainties.
Home as Sanctuary: Provides a balanced, purposeful lifestyle.
9. Virtual Exploration

Land Lab SIM App: Offers a virtual simulation of the Acorn Home to explore off-grid systems.
Conclusion
The Acorn Home is a blueprint for a sustainable, resilient future, integrating various systems for self-sufficiency and community-focused living.

Sustainable Living and Off-Grid Lifestyle Tips

1. Local Living and Sustainability

Living Locally: Reduce ecological footprint by minimizing dependence on distant resources.
Sustainable Practices: Eco-friendly choices that maintain environmental balance.
2. Interconnected Living

Holistic Lifestyle: Design homes that work harmoniously with nature.
3. Natural Farming and Composting

Permaculture: Improve soil health and biodiversity through regenerative farming.
Composting: Turn waste into nutrient-rich compost to reduce landfill impact.
4. Energy and Water Management

Green Energy: Utilize renewable sources like solar and wind to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
Rainwater Collection: Use rainwater for irrigation and reduce dependence on local water supplies.
5. Community Building

Collective Resources: Pool knowledge and resources to create a robust support system.
Shared Infrastructure: Community amenities reduce individual costs and promote sustainability.
6. Personal Gains and Legacy

Well-being and Skills: Gain self-sufficiency skills and contribute to a resilient community.
Legacy: Create a sustainable lifestyle that benefits future generations.
Conclusion
Living sustainably off-grid involves building a community, managing resources wisely, and preparing for the future. It's not just a personal choice but a collective effort towards a healthier planet.

[aryanva]

Thank you for this absolutely amazing course. I think it took me nearly a month to finish all 9 videos, but I am so excited that I finished it. Throughout the course I wrote notes with important information for my future project. I am still a teenager and sometimes I get overwhelmed when thinking about starting such a big and complex project as an off-grid homestead. But I know for a fact that it is possible, and I know for a fact that it is even easier when you have friends and family who have similar goals as you 💚

[HunterHemingway]

Thank you again for the work you’ve put into this playlist and your commitment to your purpose in enriching/educating our communities through off grid. Excited to utilize the sim as it gets built out!

[AnUtterSimpleton]

You guys are the realest for this, I'm absolutely saving this playlist.

[herrerad]

Great series. I’m here for all of it. I accept your challenge to build a community. I bought a 1/2 acre property 2 years ago. I installed Solar and a water cistern. I have 9 fruit trees and 6 raised beds. I’m adding 6 more raised beds and a greenhouse this year. I’m excited to watch the rest of your series. ✊ 🤜 🤛 ✊

[kimberlydickenson]

I came across your channel last year. I purchased your book and have thoroughly enjoyed these videos. I just need to find some like minded people !

[HermannAlbertoGalvezSanchez]

Thank you so much!!!
One of the best interventions !
Spread your ideas ❤

[siho_]

I never comment on videos but I had to make an exception here. Thanks for putting this series out! I just finished watching all nine videos. I have been looking into this lifestyle and trying to figure out how to make the transition from a suburban living to an off-grid setup. I am looking into systems, trying to learn skills, etc. It is overwhelming but this has been a very good resource to be able to structure the areas and the options within those areas that I need to look into to better sequence my acquisition of systems and my focus of learning. I will definitely look into your community and see how to integrate. Do you guys do live meetups or workshops? I am in GA and would love to get together as a community of people learning all of this.

[taliaafoa]

I believe in your vision! Taking notes and running with it this year. Will spread your word! ❤

[thinkathena]

Loves this series.❤ Thanks for sharing. Look more to seeing more from this channel. 😊

[stephanied.]

Such a helpful and inspirational series! Thank u so much!

[LorenzoJensen-ss]

Though legendary, I can’t relate to those pioneer farmers who grew up on a farm, and chose a better way to farm. I’m grateful for you all doing what you do. I can relate a little more! It makes the step to doing what you do(which systems and technologies I love learning about) feel more within my reach. Looking forward to learning more from you!

[josgha]

I would love to see a video dedicated to Passive Home design!

You inspired me to blueprint a “tiny house” although it isn’t quite tiny, it is still less than 1, 200 sq ft and could theoretically support two adults and four children (possibly even six).

I would love to have more resources from your great channel and refine my blueprint and one day capitalize on it😊

[Jason-Skywalker]

I think living off grid would be much better and easier if done as a community. Please make a series addressing making ecovillages.

[jtcsderp]

That's it, I've gotta move out now! 🤣🤣🤣

[NewsChannel-yg]

one thing i see missing from this at the start is that it doesn't appear to address man hours required to upkeep all of these systems

[carolineawinja]

I remember we used to walk with a basket picking mushrooms, today its hard to find wild mushrooms because of chemicals used on our farms

[OmDesk]

Wait I thought he hates communal things. What's the difference between "living in a community" vs "communal living" . At 26:14 last video episode 8. There are communes that you own your own land. So I am confused.

[Andre-qoek]

13:40
what is funny about community is that capitalism is kinda forcing us back into community by being bloated and oppressive. since we can't survive on out own, we HAVE keep generational houses going. have have to lean on and support our neighbors.
unfortunately the mental shift away from consumerism is not being crushed fast enough.

i really do love the sustainability movements.
i just feel like we need them more in the cities, than in suburban rural and country areas.

people in suburban rural and country areas have the room to do this on their own, they don't need help other than knowledge.

the cities, they need dedicated solarpunk teams with significant powers and funding.
the individual suburbanite is a drop in the bucket compared to the paradigm shift updating the cities would be.

[objektivone]

You need guidance:
Your setup here quickly becomes hypocritical and superficial, because you are riding many horses at the same time.

What do you want with your YouTube channel?

Save the world from destruction or be a true off-grid enthusiast?

"Share the world and rule your share"
instead of
"Invade the whole world and lose it all".