Storage batteries are not very common from what I can tell. Seems most people who utilize them in their home are off-grid homesteader types. Storage batteries have multiple uses ranging from the primary source of power for the home when in a placed in between the appliances (computers, fridge, stove) and the power collection source (solar panels, wind generators, water generator). With the varying nature of power collection, batteries help regulate consistent distribution by supplying only what's used and storing any spikes or excess energy... or providing stored energy when not being provided enough. Another use is as a back up during power outages for people on the grid... sort of like a computer UPS, but for the home.
If you're interested in something like this, you'll have to look into what kinds of batteries there are out there. I think the cheapest option available right now is nickel-metal hydride deep cycle batteries. Lithium-ion is coming, but I don't think the average person can buy them yet. There are other options out there, but they all looked too expensive to me.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Sunday, July 26, 2009
COPPER AND ALUMINUM ROOFING
Copper Roofing is one of those long term investments. It's amazing in terms of durability cause it's basically the last roof you'd ever invest in. To give you some perspective on how long it would last, copper roofs built in 27 BC in Rome are still standing over 2,000 years later. No one actually knows how long copper will last, it might be indefinitely. Once installed, that's it. They are fire proof, so they will keep your insurance low as well.
Up front costs are substantially more than your normal roof shingle, but with no maintenance fees ever... no replacement fees... ever... unless your home is destroyed by something like a tornado or earthquake. If you are building a home you're going to give to your children, Copper will ultimately be cheaper and more durable, but if you're going to be moving in 2 to 5 years, I don't think it'd be worth the money.
Aluminum Roofing is similar to Copper Roofing in many respects. Depending on brand and grade, they'll last 150 to 300 years so it's a life long investment for you. Another neat feature is that they are recyclable, so in 300 years whoever buys your house and reaches the expected lifespan can recycle the roof and get some money back to invest into the new roof. Again, they are fireproof which helps with insurance costs, but like concrete and copper, they cost more up front. But if it's the last roof you ever buy and you plan to spend 10, 20 or 30 years in that home, you'll actually save a lot of money.
Up front costs are substantially more than your normal roof shingle, but with no maintenance fees ever... no replacement fees... ever... unless your home is destroyed by something like a tornado or earthquake. If you are building a home you're going to give to your children, Copper will ultimately be cheaper and more durable, but if you're going to be moving in 2 to 5 years, I don't think it'd be worth the money.
Aluminum Roofing is similar to Copper Roofing in many respects. Depending on brand and grade, they'll last 150 to 300 years so it's a life long investment for you. Another neat feature is that they are recyclable, so in 300 years whoever buys your house and reaches the expected lifespan can recycle the roof and get some money back to invest into the new roof. Again, they are fireproof which helps with insurance costs, but like concrete and copper, they cost more up front. But if it's the last roof you ever buy and you plan to spend 10, 20 or 30 years in that home, you'll actually save a lot of money.
SOLAR SHINGLES
Solar Shingles are an option for roofing that performs the dual function of protection from the elements and generating power. Depending on the brand and type, the actual shingle type will last about 80 years give or take, which for you is likely a lifetime purchase. Maintenance is primarily on the battery system if you have one installed which is more electrician type work than roofer. Now, it doesn't seem possible to do the entire roof in Solar Shingles, just the center mass so the edges are done in something else of your choosing, I've seen a lot of people incorporate Concrete Shingles. Also, it doesn't appear to be possible to get a battery system if you're on the grid.
For all the stat info, I have the link to OkSolar cause they had the best layout of information to use to put against your power bill that averages for the different areas of the world and grades of Solar Shingles. With very generalized information about location, power production, and size if you paid for this system up front, you'd break even after 30 years of home ownership with the power bill savings. That doesn't include the federal subsidy you can get taken off the price however. It's a better investment for off gridders at the moment.
Cost Breakdown
Installation Cost: (1,200 sq ft of roof): $10,800 (without battery), $13,944 (with battery system)
Yearly Cost Savings (averaged over the different systems, grades and locations): $350
For all the stat info, I have the link to OkSolar cause they had the best layout of information to use to put against your power bill that averages for the different areas of the world and grades of Solar Shingles. With very generalized information about location, power production, and size if you paid for this system up front, you'd break even after 30 years of home ownership with the power bill savings. That doesn't include the federal subsidy you can get taken off the price however. It's a better investment for off gridders at the moment.
Cost Breakdown
Installation Cost: (1,200 sq ft of roof): $10,800 (without battery), $13,944 (with battery system)
Yearly Cost Savings (averaged over the different systems, grades and locations): $350
GEO-THERMAL EXCHANGE HEATING AND COOLING
This method is where air or water or some other transfer system is piped into the ground and cycled through the natural temperate earth and back out. This allows the air/water to come out warmer in the winter and colder in the summer and boost the efficiency of whatever pumping system you're using in your home. When you're cycle air/water that is within 20 degrees of the interior temperature as opposed to the air that is 50 to 100 degrees different outside of the home, it boosts efficiency by 400% in many cases.
There are a couple of methods also, one has pipes run horizontally a few feet underground for a few hundred feet or so and the other involves drilling deep for more stable temperatures. However, drilling costs a bit and may not be worth the money you'd spend on a residence... it's more efficient for businesses that would be around for a while and would benefit from the cost savings more quickly.
Cost break down:
Installation with heat pump unit: $6,500 (average home)
Drilling/Digging for a vertical line: $20,000 (averaged, varies on ground type)
Yearly Cost Savings: $861.84
There are a couple of methods also, one has pipes run horizontally a few feet underground for a few hundred feet or so and the other involves drilling deep for more stable temperatures. However, drilling costs a bit and may not be worth the money you'd spend on a residence... it's more efficient for businesses that would be around for a while and would benefit from the cost savings more quickly.
Cost break down:
Installation with heat pump unit: $6,500 (average home)
Drilling/Digging for a vertical line: $20,000 (averaged, varies on ground type)
Yearly Cost Savings: $861.84
PASSIVE SOLAR HEATING AND COOLING
Typically adapted with masonry walls (concrete, brick, adobe...), it's a system of building that takes into account the natural solar cycle and uses it to regulate temperature. A main theme is summed up best I think by OurCoolHouse.com:
'Since the Earth's axis is tilted, the Sun rises higher in the sky in summer than in the winter. In a northern hemisphere winter, the sun rises in the south east, stays low in the south sky and then sets in the south west. In summer, the Sun rises more in the north east, quickly gains height to a higher elevation than in winter, and then sets back in the north west. So the best things to do in the northern hemisphere are:
* Orient the house such that the major axis runs east - west.
* Limit the number and size of windows on the northern side of the house, to reduce summer
heating of the interior.
* Place more windows on the southern side of the house. Use wide eaves and tall shade trees
to limit solar radiation in the summer, yet provide plenty of solar heating in the winter.
In colder climates, it's important to store as much of the incoming solar energy during the day as possible and then allow it to continue heating the house during the night. The best way to store this heat is in a large thermal mass. One popular (and patented) way to do this is with a thick slab floor. This floor could be solid concrete or a layer of rock. Since the incoming sunlight will only heat the south side of the slab (via the windows) several ingenious methods have been devised to circulate air through the slab. This air serves to moderate the temperature of the slave during the day and help heat the air within the house during the night.'
'Since the Earth's axis is tilted, the Sun rises higher in the sky in summer than in the winter. In a northern hemisphere winter, the sun rises in the south east, stays low in the south sky and then sets in the south west. In summer, the Sun rises more in the north east, quickly gains height to a higher elevation than in winter, and then sets back in the north west. So the best things to do in the northern hemisphere are:
* Orient the house such that the major axis runs east - west.
* Limit the number and size of windows on the northern side of the house, to reduce summer
heating of the interior.
* Place more windows on the southern side of the house. Use wide eaves and tall shade trees
to limit solar radiation in the summer, yet provide plenty of solar heating in the winter.
In colder climates, it's important to store as much of the incoming solar energy during the day as possible and then allow it to continue heating the house during the night. The best way to store this heat is in a large thermal mass. One popular (and patented) way to do this is with a thick slab floor. This floor could be solid concrete or a layer of rock. Since the incoming sunlight will only heat the south side of the slab (via the windows) several ingenious methods have been devised to circulate air through the slab. This air serves to moderate the temperature of the slave during the day and help heat the air within the house during the night.'
CONCRETE STRUCTURES
Concrete is a sweet insulator that acts in many ways like a temperature sponge, performing well very naturally with Passive Solar Heating and Cooling. The common use for concrete is as the base of a home or for the basement, and if you stop and consider basements you've been in, during the summer (at least to me) they've always been comfortable and cool. But it's uses aren't limited to just that function, you can use concrete for an entire structure and it will typically out perform anything on the market at regulating the temperature. It's also fire proof, so your insurance will be cheaper typically.
And, this isn't exactly 'green' related, but if there is one thing this country can do, it's make concrete. Concrete structures almost HAVE to be made to custom order by American workers. But let's say you've bought a standard above-ground, ranch home in the suburbs. You can still get the benefits of concrete with concrete shingles and roofing tiles. They are a bit more expensive on purchase, but are projected to last 50+ years through even extreme weather conditions.
Think about vinyl siding and how easy it is to damage; how thin it is. It's almost entirely for appearance; where concrete siding is tough, durable, and a great insulating layer. Think about single roofing and how much it costs to get your roof done every 10 or 15 years, or after a bad storm. Concrete shingles take a beating, insulate your roof where you lose most of your heat in the winter and you only have to pay for their installation once for every 4 or 5 times you'd have to reshingles your roof with the flimsy tiles we currently use. And, additionally, they are paintable which means you can customize your siding like normal, but also your roof which most people don't think about.
Cost Savings will be dependent on how much concrete you use and how long you stay in the home. You can incorporate concrete just for the basement, as an above ground structure, with an earth-berm home or full covered earth home. Each way will vary costs to build (more concrete = more expensive) and yearly costs for utilities (more concrete = less expensive). So concrete is good for someone looking to stay put for a long time because the up front investment will save a lot of money over a long period of time. It's not so good for someone that moves often because they'd never get their money's worth out of the additional up front expense.
And, this isn't exactly 'green' related, but if there is one thing this country can do, it's make concrete. Concrete structures almost HAVE to be made to custom order by American workers. But let's say you've bought a standard above-ground, ranch home in the suburbs. You can still get the benefits of concrete with concrete shingles and roofing tiles. They are a bit more expensive on purchase, but are projected to last 50+ years through even extreme weather conditions.
Think about vinyl siding and how easy it is to damage; how thin it is. It's almost entirely for appearance; where concrete siding is tough, durable, and a great insulating layer. Think about single roofing and how much it costs to get your roof done every 10 or 15 years, or after a bad storm. Concrete shingles take a beating, insulate your roof where you lose most of your heat in the winter and you only have to pay for their installation once for every 4 or 5 times you'd have to reshingles your roof with the flimsy tiles we currently use. And, additionally, they are paintable which means you can customize your siding like normal, but also your roof which most people don't think about.
Cost Savings will be dependent on how much concrete you use and how long you stay in the home. You can incorporate concrete just for the basement, as an above ground structure, with an earth-berm home or full covered earth home. Each way will vary costs to build (more concrete = more expensive) and yearly costs for utilities (more concrete = less expensive). So concrete is good for someone looking to stay put for a long time because the up front investment will save a lot of money over a long period of time. It's not so good for someone that moves often because they'd never get their money's worth out of the additional up front expense.
EARTH SHELTERED DESIGN
While on a road trip to Texas with my friend Steph, we went to Meramec Caverns. The tour guide said the constant temperature inside the cave (where I felt extremely comfortable if it weren't humid) was a constant 67 degrees all year round. So I asked him, 'dead of winter?' '67 degrees' 'height of summer?' '67 degrees'. Immediately visions of Bilbo Baggins and the home under the hill flashed into my mind and I when I got back, I spent a lot of time the following months researching earthen homes... something I was previously unaware of. But it made sense when I thought about it. My dad's basement was the most comfortable place to be in his house all year long and the heater and AC vents are closed... it's just a concrete basement insulated on 3 sides by soil. Now, you don't have to build the in ground home from concrete but for sake of generalization I am. There are other options like sand-filled tires and what not.
One thing I'd like to point out is that insurance is cheaper on Earth Shelters because they are storm proof, fire proof and termite proof. I won't be adding the insurance savings into the cost because it varies too much, not too mention your city codes may have an effect on the tax rate, but that's something to take into consideration as well. Also, maintenance is very low if any... for example if your water pipes bust, there's no risk of water damage to the concrete structure like there would be with a wood structure.
It's not all roses though, if you do require it because of something like structure settling... big money to repair that. Air flow is important with this kind of house because moisture can get trapped in an earth home, if you design it poorly, you'll have mushrooms growing in your closet because of stagnant, moist air. A couple of things to keep in mind.
Solutions: Earthen Insulation (Earth Berm Homes) is the equivalent of free temperature regulation. Most don't even need AC units attached to the homes, some don't even need heaters. So you save on installation of the AC and heater, the electric and gas bill for both and the cost of produced insulation.
Cost Savings Breakdown: Insulation $4,000 (averaged, cost of material and installation cost)
Central Air Conditioner $2,000 (averaged, item plus installation, not
including duct work)
Gas Furnace $3,500 (averaged, item plus installation, not including
duct work)
Cost of AC/Heater use $3,000 (averaged, one year of use)
Installation Cost Savings: $8,500
Yearly Cost Savings: $3,000
As a side note, here's a site for a gentleman who combined a few different technologies to make his home and he keeps good tabs on the information.
One thing I'd like to point out is that insurance is cheaper on Earth Shelters because they are storm proof, fire proof and termite proof. I won't be adding the insurance savings into the cost because it varies too much, not too mention your city codes may have an effect on the tax rate, but that's something to take into consideration as well. Also, maintenance is very low if any... for example if your water pipes bust, there's no risk of water damage to the concrete structure like there would be with a wood structure.
It's not all roses though, if you do require it because of something like structure settling... big money to repair that. Air flow is important with this kind of house because moisture can get trapped in an earth home, if you design it poorly, you'll have mushrooms growing in your closet because of stagnant, moist air. A couple of things to keep in mind.
Solutions: Earthen Insulation (Earth Berm Homes) is the equivalent of free temperature regulation. Most don't even need AC units attached to the homes, some don't even need heaters. So you save on installation of the AC and heater, the electric and gas bill for both and the cost of produced insulation.
Cost Savings Breakdown: Insulation $4,000 (averaged, cost of material and installation cost)
Central Air Conditioner $2,000 (averaged, item plus installation, not
including duct work)
Gas Furnace $3,500 (averaged, item plus installation, not including
duct work)
Cost of AC/Heater use $3,000 (averaged, one year of use)
Installation Cost Savings: $8,500
Yearly Cost Savings: $3,000
As a side note, here's a site for a gentleman who combined a few different technologies to make his home and he keeps good tabs on the information.
AIR WATER VAPOR PROPERTIES
Have you ever watched a glass of ice water in the summer. Water bubbles up on the outside of the glass normally... that's not water seeping through the glass, that's moisture in the air migrating toward the colder temperature of the glass. If you have humidity issues in your area, you can use this property to your advantage by installing a chilled waterfall or something. Having running water may seem like it would act contrary to the humidity issue in a home, but using the vapor properties, the colder water would attract the moisture in the air to the waterfall. Some people find it relaxing to listen to as well, although I just find it annoying... course my cat loves drinking from it.
There's not really a huge cost savings benefit to this... it's sort of the poor man's dehumidifier.
There's not really a huge cost savings benefit to this... it's sort of the poor man's dehumidifier.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
OF TECHNOLOGY AND SAVINGS
The way the following posts will work is I'm going to cite different technologies and how much they will save as best I can. I won't be able to average all costs and savings, but the ones I can I'll average are going to be averaged over the entire United States, not just my area in the Midwest. Average American house size of about 2000 sq ft, all locations averaged together so if you're in a higher or lower income area you can add/subtract from totals and average use. So if these costs don't line up with where you are at, that's probably why. I'm trying to be as general as possible.
The averaged year costs will be dependent on how many years you've been somewhere, so I'll separate installation and yearly total cost savings and you can do your own rough numbers depending on whether you built the house, moved in to an already existing home and how long you've been there. I'm not going to include maintenance costs because they vary too much to apply to the generalized system I'm using.
The averaged year costs will be dependent on how many years you've been somewhere, so I'll separate installation and yearly total cost savings and you can do your own rough numbers depending on whether you built the house, moved in to an already existing home and how long you've been there. I'm not going to include maintenance costs because they vary too much to apply to the generalized system I'm using.
THE OPTIONS
When it comes to homes, I was basically in the dark on what my options were. I'd imagine many people are with me on that judging by the suburban sprawl. As I began searching, I started reading about straw homes, tire homes, in-ground homes, mud homes, cargo container homes, tiny homes... etc... Each has different benefits and unique advantages by location. I settled on in-ground homes and tiny houses. I did a lot of research on the in-ground homes and the different ways to power them; taking a lot of wonderful tips from Our Cool House in particular, before I discovered tiny houses.
For a long time, I've wanted to hop in an RV and just drive around the country, so in looking through RVs one time; specifically Air Streams, I cam across Jay Schaefer's Tiny Houses. It made a lot of sense to me as a single guy to use something like this. It big enough for someone like me that isn't home much; but when I am, I just basically sit in front of the TV playing video games. And since they can be built on wheels, if I get a job in a different location, I can simply move my entire house... no need for trailers, moving fees or packing. I just hitch up my house and go.
In all reality, college kids could use these while going to school, travel with them to wherever it is they are going after college and if they buy a house with someone, they can just plop the tiny house in the back yard as an office or extra bedroom. It would actually cut school costs a lot and provide people with a lot more privacy.
Tiny Houses are very efficient because you're basically only heating or cooling a room. Not to mention, due to their size, you can incorporate extremely high quality materials that you may not be able to afford in the larger home to increase efficiency. Also, many of the amenities you may want to incorporate like refrigerators, water heaters, microwave are all produced in streamlined energy efficient RV models that will shrink your overall energy use... which translates to money.
Now, Jay Schaefer isn't the only guy that makes tiny houses, and after looking at interior pics of a lot of the different types, lay outs and designs, I decided the only way to do this was to go from scratch. I saw Julie Matrin's tiny homes were 10' x 20's, so I decided to just design inside that size restriction and see what happened. I've evolved through several layouts learning how to utilize space and keep things open. I'm beginning to think that 120 sq ft may be too large... But there's really only one way to find that out for sure and that's to do it and see how much of the space I use. Better to have too much than not enough.
For a long time, I've wanted to hop in an RV and just drive around the country, so in looking through RVs one time; specifically Air Streams, I cam across Jay Schaefer's Tiny Houses. It made a lot of sense to me as a single guy to use something like this. It big enough for someone like me that isn't home much; but when I am, I just basically sit in front of the TV playing video games. And since they can be built on wheels, if I get a job in a different location, I can simply move my entire house... no need for trailers, moving fees or packing. I just hitch up my house and go.
In all reality, college kids could use these while going to school, travel with them to wherever it is they are going after college and if they buy a house with someone, they can just plop the tiny house in the back yard as an office or extra bedroom. It would actually cut school costs a lot and provide people with a lot more privacy.
Tiny Houses are very efficient because you're basically only heating or cooling a room. Not to mention, due to their size, you can incorporate extremely high quality materials that you may not be able to afford in the larger home to increase efficiency. Also, many of the amenities you may want to incorporate like refrigerators, water heaters, microwave are all produced in streamlined energy efficient RV models that will shrink your overall energy use... which translates to money.
Now, Jay Schaefer isn't the only guy that makes tiny houses, and after looking at interior pics of a lot of the different types, lay outs and designs, I decided the only way to do this was to go from scratch. I saw Julie Matrin's tiny homes were 10' x 20's, so I decided to just design inside that size restriction and see what happened. I've evolved through several layouts learning how to utilize space and keep things open. I'm beginning to think that 120 sq ft may be too large... But there's really only one way to find that out for sure and that's to do it and see how much of the space I use. Better to have too much than not enough.
THE GOALS
The average family consumes an average of around 1,020 - 1,050 kWh a month... unlike Mr. Gore who uses about 20,000 kWh or more a month... inconvenient truth indeed... That's about $185 a month for me where I'm at, but I know this is area dependent. So, the goal is to make a house that runs on as many 'free' sources like sun, wind, water... to curb power costs and still meet the monthly power outputs... or at least close. If I can manage 500 - 900 kWh a day, consistently, then I'll consider that a victory since this will be a single person residence.
Grocery bills range from $5,000 to almost $10,000 a year depending on the family size. I'll be approaching it from the perspective of a single guy perspective first to make sure I find something functional and then try to expand it. My goal is to trim $500 - $1,000 off my yearly grocery bill.
Water is another major component of the house and people absolutely need potable water to live. My average water bill is about $25 (for just me, with my roommates it's $80) a month, so while that isn't bad, I know that can vary depending on where in the country you're at. My goal is to drop my monthly water bill $5 or less. Most homes use gas to heat their water, heat the home and cook. My house costs me about $35 - $45 a month (averaged over the year) in gas. I'd like to completely get rid of gas as a cost in my home, so the goal is $0.
Ultimately, freedom. Freedom from debt. Freedom from taxes. Freedom from the fear of losing my job. Freedom from over regulations. Freedom to go where ever I want, whenever I want. My definition of freedom.
Grocery bills range from $5,000 to almost $10,000 a year depending on the family size. I'll be approaching it from the perspective of a single guy perspective first to make sure I find something functional and then try to expand it. My goal is to trim $500 - $1,000 off my yearly grocery bill.
Water is another major component of the house and people absolutely need potable water to live. My average water bill is about $25 (for just me, with my roommates it's $80) a month, so while that isn't bad, I know that can vary depending on where in the country you're at. My goal is to drop my monthly water bill $5 or less. Most homes use gas to heat their water, heat the home and cook. My house costs me about $35 - $45 a month (averaged over the year) in gas. I'd like to completely get rid of gas as a cost in my home, so the goal is $0.
Ultimately, freedom. Freedom from debt. Freedom from taxes. Freedom from the fear of losing my job. Freedom from over regulations. Freedom to go where ever I want, whenever I want. My definition of freedom.
THE INTRODUCTION
I've searched the inter-webs long and hard for gamers into self-sufficient living. It seems the two do not go hand in hand, although when I go to trips such as ZombieCon with Zombie Squad, I meet people of 'geeky' credentials that are completely into survivalism, minimalism and self sufficient living. So, I know that I'm not alone, it's just no one is broadcasting. Or maybe no one has figured out how to merge them together. Regardless, I've been searching for a better way to live while meeting my personal desires since about... 2007. Before we go any further, here's a little bit about me.
My name is Nathan Crowe, I currently live in O'Fallon, IL in a 'first-time' house. I currently do computer graphics and video teleconferencing. I'm also a Dell and Gateway certified PC hardware technician. I've been here for right around 4 years now figuring out what to do next.
Prior to my purchase of the house, I spent 6 years working Air Force Intelligence. I wasn't one of those remarkable airmen that did all kinds of volunteer work for bullets on the Enlisted Performance Reviews, I just did my job and I was lucky enough to have supervisors that rewarded hard work over 'schmoozing' for points. I won a bunch of awards that I don't really remember anymore (I wasn't there to win awards, but it was nice to get them for the right reasons instead of watching ass kissers get them for all the wrong ones) and got out in 2005.
Before that, I tried my hand at college, but I've always been more of a worker than a student. I've basically always been an average student; not for lack of intelligence in any way, my IQ is supposedly 155, but by disinterest. I became apathetic to subjects early on because I observed adults and tried to fit things like algebra and biology into their lives... even asked how often they used the subjects. It became apparent to me early on the school was a sort of funnel... you go in one end and when you come out the other, employers don't care how you did, simply that you did.
That in itself was sort of stupid to me. I started working right away at 15 with a worker's permit (Hardee's) and jumped through various jobs during my 3 1/2 year high school career. The only reason there was 1/2 year is because they required me to take at least one class for the first half of my senior year... I was actually hoping to graduate a full year early and just work full time.
That was my first lesson in exercising personal choice vs the system expectation. Here you have a student who took extra classes with the intent of finishing high school early to work; but instead of acknowledging that he was able to take 4 years worth of classes in 3 years, they expect a 4th year despite all requirements being met. So they waste taxpayer money and force him to take 1 class in the fall semester. Why? What an absolute waste of time.
In Dec 2005, I bought my first house and initially was exhilarated at the perceived freedom it provided. But it became apparent to me within the first year that a house is not freedom, it is just a very pretty cage. All the things I wanted to do were immediately snatched away from me by pipe ruptures, electrical failings, flooring replacement... blah blah blah... There's no money left in my budget to do the one thing I absolutely loved: travel. I went from being wasteful to frugal in about 2 years of trial and error... well, at least what I consider frugal. I've been called a miser before I felt like I became frugal, so I'm sure those people think I'm downright scrooge-like now.
Simple bills like electricity, water, gas, insurance... when I began to calculate how much it all cost I was appalled that people just accepted it with a, 'that's just the way it is' attitude. Something else that may help some people understand my inability to accept 'the standard' is the personality test scores that stick me in a category called INTJ grouping. It doesn't mean much to me, but if you know anything about the INTJ mentality, it may prove to be a useful bit of knowledge on the things that drive me.
I knew that there had to be a better way to live; and after only a year, I was ready to sell my house. However, there were things that had to be fixed before I could sell it. To this day, I have been unable to uncountable reasons to finish the house do to accidents, things breaking, my cat pissing blood, having to buy a car when mine broke down and being unable to fix it... I think if you own a home, you know exactly what I'm talking about. The act of treading water but never being able to get out of the ocean.
For 3 additional years, I've been in the house longer than I wanted to, trying to get ahead.
So that's me, now here's what I want to do. I want to build a home that is not only sustainable (to use a modern catch word), but self sufficient (which definitely not something politicians want to hear). Not because I want to be eco-minded or believe in global warming, I really don't. I want to do it for financial reasons because I don't believe I should be required to PAY to LIVE. I don't believe I should have to trade hours of my life in order to pay for imaginary money shortages in a system that benefits the regulators of 'laws' and not the common person. In creating this sustainable self sufficient low cost home, I also want it to do something I enjoy... play video games and watch movies.
The last point seems to be the single biggest hurdle to cross... everything else was surprisingly easy. In fact I found multiple solutions to many different issues I faced and requirements I'd have to meet. But it always seemed to come back down to consumption of power. Many eco-minded entrepreneurs; such as the folks at O.U.R. Ecovillage for example, have a natural inclination to not include the power yields needed to power a 'typical' American house because they don't believe that the current model is sustainable. In many ways, I think they actually find the idea of having a TV and playing video games contrary to the world they imagine. I don't completely disagree with them, I love the outdoors and I thoroughly enjoy my time in the country when I get it.
But the fact is, Dick Cheney was somewhat right when he said, 'the American way of life is not negotiable'. While I don't go that far, I refuse to accept that it is impossible to mesh the 'green' way of life, 'modern' way of life and the 'frugal' way of life. I believe they can all go hand in hand if some thought is put into it.
My name is Nathan Crowe, I currently live in O'Fallon, IL in a 'first-time' house. I currently do computer graphics and video teleconferencing. I'm also a Dell and Gateway certified PC hardware technician. I've been here for right around 4 years now figuring out what to do next.
Prior to my purchase of the house, I spent 6 years working Air Force Intelligence. I wasn't one of those remarkable airmen that did all kinds of volunteer work for bullets on the Enlisted Performance Reviews, I just did my job and I was lucky enough to have supervisors that rewarded hard work over 'schmoozing' for points. I won a bunch of awards that I don't really remember anymore (I wasn't there to win awards, but it was nice to get them for the right reasons instead of watching ass kissers get them for all the wrong ones) and got out in 2005.
Before that, I tried my hand at college, but I've always been more of a worker than a student. I've basically always been an average student; not for lack of intelligence in any way, my IQ is supposedly 155, but by disinterest. I became apathetic to subjects early on because I observed adults and tried to fit things like algebra and biology into their lives... even asked how often they used the subjects. It became apparent to me early on the school was a sort of funnel... you go in one end and when you come out the other, employers don't care how you did, simply that you did.
That in itself was sort of stupid to me. I started working right away at 15 with a worker's permit (Hardee's) and jumped through various jobs during my 3 1/2 year high school career. The only reason there was 1/2 year is because they required me to take at least one class for the first half of my senior year... I was actually hoping to graduate a full year early and just work full time.
That was my first lesson in exercising personal choice vs the system expectation. Here you have a student who took extra classes with the intent of finishing high school early to work; but instead of acknowledging that he was able to take 4 years worth of classes in 3 years, they expect a 4th year despite all requirements being met. So they waste taxpayer money and force him to take 1 class in the fall semester. Why? What an absolute waste of time.
In Dec 2005, I bought my first house and initially was exhilarated at the perceived freedom it provided. But it became apparent to me within the first year that a house is not freedom, it is just a very pretty cage. All the things I wanted to do were immediately snatched away from me by pipe ruptures, electrical failings, flooring replacement... blah blah blah... There's no money left in my budget to do the one thing I absolutely loved: travel. I went from being wasteful to frugal in about 2 years of trial and error... well, at least what I consider frugal. I've been called a miser before I felt like I became frugal, so I'm sure those people think I'm downright scrooge-like now.
Simple bills like electricity, water, gas, insurance... when I began to calculate how much it all cost I was appalled that people just accepted it with a, 'that's just the way it is' attitude. Something else that may help some people understand my inability to accept 'the standard' is the personality test scores that stick me in a category called INTJ grouping. It doesn't mean much to me, but if you know anything about the INTJ mentality, it may prove to be a useful bit of knowledge on the things that drive me.
I knew that there had to be a better way to live; and after only a year, I was ready to sell my house. However, there were things that had to be fixed before I could sell it. To this day, I have been unable to uncountable reasons to finish the house do to accidents, things breaking, my cat pissing blood, having to buy a car when mine broke down and being unable to fix it... I think if you own a home, you know exactly what I'm talking about. The act of treading water but never being able to get out of the ocean.
For 3 additional years, I've been in the house longer than I wanted to, trying to get ahead.
So that's me, now here's what I want to do. I want to build a home that is not only sustainable (to use a modern catch word), but self sufficient (which definitely not something politicians want to hear). Not because I want to be eco-minded or believe in global warming, I really don't. I want to do it for financial reasons because I don't believe I should be required to PAY to LIVE. I don't believe I should have to trade hours of my life in order to pay for imaginary money shortages in a system that benefits the regulators of 'laws' and not the common person. In creating this sustainable self sufficient low cost home, I also want it to do something I enjoy... play video games and watch movies.
The last point seems to be the single biggest hurdle to cross... everything else was surprisingly easy. In fact I found multiple solutions to many different issues I faced and requirements I'd have to meet. But it always seemed to come back down to consumption of power. Many eco-minded entrepreneurs; such as the folks at O.U.R. Ecovillage for example, have a natural inclination to not include the power yields needed to power a 'typical' American house because they don't believe that the current model is sustainable. In many ways, I think they actually find the idea of having a TV and playing video games contrary to the world they imagine. I don't completely disagree with them, I love the outdoors and I thoroughly enjoy my time in the country when I get it.
But the fact is, Dick Cheney was somewhat right when he said, 'the American way of life is not negotiable'. While I don't go that far, I refuse to accept that it is impossible to mesh the 'green' way of life, 'modern' way of life and the 'frugal' way of life. I believe they can all go hand in hand if some thought is put into it.
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