First steps, first
So I've been busy planning away how this is all actually going to happen. Before I start building my dream eco-home I'll need to do the following: 1. LEARN LEARN LEARN
- Gardening skills
- Building and safety
- Medicinal plants
- Cooking skills
- Drivers licence (yes I know, 22 and no licence... I blame boarding school and my fear of roads but I know I gotta face the fear!)
2. Purchase a tray-back truck
- As I will need to be transporting wood, bricks, compost, plants, and many more building/gardening related items I probably won't want a shiny little comfy auto, so I'm opting for a manual that will get the job done. I'm aware the use of petrol is not sustainable and depends on having an income, but this is the only way I see this working with my location and situation and will have to find a way to work with it.
3. Purchase a caravan - Second hand of decent quality, it doesn't have to be perfect because I'll have plenty of time to spruce up the interior/exterior if needed... but it does have to be roadworthy
- If I'm renting and I have space to park the caravan, I'll buy it when I can so I can get started on decorating it to my idea of a perfect motorhome!
4. Purchase solar panels and fit onto caravan
- Ensure appropriate KW solar panels are installed for the amount of energy I'll require
- This project will also include purchasing of special batteries, wires and fittings
- To cut costs I plan on learning how to install the panels myself, this knowledge will also come in handy for installing solar panels later on (once I move onto the land!) and if I come across any problems I would like to be educated enough to fix them myself.
5. Find land and buy it!
- I'm looking for land that isn't 'rural' but isn't in the city centre. I guess I'll have to look at my budget and the peropety market furthur down the track.
- As big as possible! For the garden of course.
6. Sort out an alternative income
- Living sustainably (as possible) am hoping to grow more food than I can eat, organically. I will then sell any excess fresh produce onto organic market stalls.
- I will however still need a stable income, I'm opting for a web-related job so that I can do as much gardening as possible.
7. Acquire everything else I need + emergency savings
- Gardening tools and supplies (for the making of sustainable food)
- Rain water collection system (for the collecting sustainable water) - Humanure composting supplies (for disposing of human waste)
- Waste disposal bins (recycling, composting and rubbish*)
- Set up and internet/phone plan (another ongoing cost I choose not to avoid, as communication is very important)
- First aid course done and kit purchased
- Emergency supplies (food, water and wood for at least 4 weeks)
- Basic cooking/household materials
- Comfortable clothing appropriate for all seasons
*I plan to reduce rubbish to an absolute minimum but I am aware that I may come across unorganic/unrecyclable materials from time to time, in which case I will have a bin that collects such materials which I will have to dispose of by taking to a local dump rather than paying council rubbish collection fees.
So as you can see the initial costs aren't cheap, but when I have it all set up the benefits I will get back will be more than I could ever want! I then plan to expand and build my own eco home using natural materials where possible.
8. Extra step because I'm a woman
- Sort out alternatives for disposable santiary products, I've done some research and there are great alternatives such as cups (http://divacup.com) and specially designed underwear (http://www.shethinx.com/)
- Find suitable replacements for moisturisers, facewashes and soaps that are natural and get the job done and stock up on a few of these products so I have back ups
- Have a few outfits for formal events.
If anything changes (which I'm sure it will as this is a very unrefined plan and when more information comes to light I'm sure not everything will happen they way I have planned) I'll be sure to repost this updated.
