In
part one of this article I talked briefly about the pros and cons of living self-sufficient in the city verses the country. We went over some of the he reasons people may choose either option and some ways to help you make that decision. In part two I want to touch on some specific styles of homes that are out there and talk briefly about those different options. Of course I couldn't cover all the styles and options because truthfully when it comes to creating your own home the options are really about as endless as your imagination will allow. In the past when talking about sustainable and self-sufficient living I've said to think outside of the box and to not allow yourself to be conformed to what society might deem "normal". In my mind this lifestyle is almost an abstract way of living. Allow yourself to be creative. Even when confined to the restrictions of the city and it's regulations there are still many ways to change your living habits so that you are becoming more one with the natural flow of nature. I believe this is really a key point to the success of this life. Regardless of the reasons that have driven you to this journey we must stop living as if we are a parasite on this planet, only devouring to suit our needs without any consciousness of consequences of our actions.
Understanding how nature works and learning to live in that system will enable us to thrive and not just survive. Although it may not seem so, this is really a great principle to take with you when creating your sustainable home.
If your path leads you to urban sustainable living then, as I have previously stated, your options are more limited on the style of house to choose from. But that is usually where the limitations end. Whether in a house or an apartment you can still make a major impact in your self-sufficient life just by making certain changes. Think of this as a challenge to build a small eco-system on your city lot. For most, it is still possible to use solar power or at least supplement your usage with it. Solar can also be used to cook with (solar ovens) and heat with (solar heaters). Even just supplementing your usage can have a great impact. I read about a family in California that added 4 solar panels and changed how they used their power and was able to drop their electric bill from about $300 a month to under $20. Rain collection is also something to do to use to water your garden. This can be done very cheaply and limit your water connection to only household use.
Food production is usually very important to living sustainably and this can easily be done in the city. Many may have heard about the
Dervaes family and their urban homestead. They live almost completely off their land and that is only a small 1/8th acre lot in Southern California. They have learned the importance of utilizing every square inch of their property. In fact they produce so much they have a good business selling their produce locally. One option for urban homesteaders is to look for vacant lots that can be turned into community gardens with the owners permission. This has become very popular and is bringing the knowledge of self-sufficiency to even our inner most cities. Growing food does not have to be just a rural thing. Plant your urban gardens and watch how it opens the door to strengthening your community. Greenhouses, walipini's and hydroponics are also ways to increase your food production amongst the brick and mortar life.
One of the benefits to city life is the ease in building close nit communities. The ability to barter and help each other becomes very convenient when your neighbor is only a few feet away. Because of this and because of the obvious disadvantages of living in the city it is really a must to build these connections with your urban neighbors.
One other thing easily possible in the city is to cooperatively buy or rent out a place with other like minded friends. In many towns it's much more affordable to purchase a large older home in some of the older historic areas of town and as a group create your self sustaining oasis.
In the rural areas where there are less restrictions and the ability to build more it allows more options. Of course there are many existing farm houses and for the sake of this article they can be treated much the same way as a house in the city. By adding better insulation, utilizing solar energy and harvesting rain water you can take an old farm house and turn it into and thriving sustainable homestead.
But what about those that want to actually build their home? Lets briefly go over a few of the options for those willing to take on this task.
Traditional Log Cabin: Nothing says living off the land as the log cabin. For just about anyone living in North America this is what they think of when they envision living off the land. Over all this style of home can be a good option. They can be economical, long lasting and good comfort and warmth. Depending on what style you build they can also be something someone with moderate knowledge can handle. They are labor intensive to build and don't be fooled by some Hollywood movie showing a few people erecting a log cabin in a matter of days. Even for the experienced builder they can take a minimum of two months to build. If the site your building on has enough natural resources to supply the build they can be very economical. It is also possible to buy them as a kit where the logs are already cut and numbered so putting them together is like a really big Lincoln Log set. These are beautiful natural homes but the reality is they usually aren't that efficient so there are some negatives on the sustainability aspect.
Cord Wood Home: This is really just a simpler version of a log home. Instead of long logs stacked on top of each other you are using short pieces, about the length for burning, as bricks with some type of mortar in between them. They are much easier to build with a lot less heavy labor in them. They have their own unique beauty and are about as efficient as a log home. They can be considered more eco-friendly since you can use a variety of types of cordwood from just about anywhere you live.
Earthships: This is rapidly becoming a popular style of sustainable housing. It is one of my personal favorites. When built properly they encompass all the energy, water and even food needs into the construction of the home. This style of home was developed by architect and designer
Michael Reynolds. He has spent the last 40 years perfecting this design. They encompass thermal energy heating, passive convection cooling, rain water collection for all the homes water needs and a built in greenhouse for year round growing. They offer their own unique beauty, some comparing their style to something from Star Wars. and much of the supplies needed for building them literally come from the trash. There are really very few negatives to this style of structure other than the big one and that is cost. Since the only one building this home is Mr. Reynolds and each one is a unique design the cost for a home can easily reach over $180,000 and that's not including the land. It is possible to learn how to build your own earthship through his academies he hosts on how to build your own home but the systems in the home to make it work are quite advanced so this would definitely be for the advanced builder.
Cob or Straw Bale Homes: As far as simplicity this style may be the best fit for the novice. These two styles are very similar, cob is simply a mud or clay covering over some natural or recycled inner walls. Straw bale is just that, bales of straw covered in mud, clay or some type of stucco. This style is probably the cheapest and one of the easiest to build. Once a foundation is built, usually a poured concrete, the walls are as easy as stacking bales of straw, bags of sand or earth, earth pounded tires or several other recycled items. Generally these houses are naturally fire retardant and depending on the design are easy to incorporate thermal energy heating. I find the love or hate of the look of these homes usually splits down the middle. They have a much more primitive look with usually a hint of southwest styling but this does not have to be standard. One of the biggest advantages in this style is to possibility to incorporate a lot of artistic styling in the home. Rounded walls, colored bottle walls, circular windows and enclosed courtyards are just a few of the possibilities in this style. Using the roof to collect rain water or to grow a living roof can either make the roof practical or add natural beauty.
Yurts: Although not seen as much anymore a yurt can still be a good option for a temporary or even permanent home. Traditionally a yurt is simply a circular tent structure held up by a type of foldable lattice wood infrastructure. These have been used for centuries by nomadic people because of their ease in building and the ability to transport the home when you move. Yurts can also be permanent and there are companies that sell permanent kits that are easily built. They can have simple canvas walls or cob, metal or many other materials. Generally they are simply one big circular room but can be broken up with curtains or even solid built walls. Depending on the materials, these can be very easy to build and fairly economical. They generally aren't able to utilize thermal heating and the canvas models aren't as strong in areas of high winds and tornados.
Metal Storage Containers/Silo Homes: These aren't technically a natural home but are very eco-friendly since a good majority of the materials used to build the home are recycled. It is as simple as buying a used storage containers, the kind you see on flatbed train cars or ocean freight ships and setting them together or buying an old grain silo and having it cut down to live in. As odd as these types of homes may sound they offer a very strong and sustainable home. Both storage containers and silos are made from thick strong steel meant to last a very long time. They do have an industrial look but for many that is a plus. Storage containers can be set side by side or on top of each other, welded together and doorways cut in them. They are easy to build since the roof, walls and floors are already built. All that needs to be done to them is simply finish the interior and run your utilities through the house. They are pretty economical, usually running $800-2000 a container depending on size and condition and once the heavy work of setting and connecting them is done the interior can be as simple or elaborate as you like. Silos are very similar. They are usually cut in half and set side by side with either a doorway or breezeway connecting the two. These usually range from 18' to 36' in diameter and can easily have two or three levels. This is not the cheapest style of home because of the cost of moving and erecting the silo and making reading to finish the interior but the silos themselves can be purchased fairly cheaply. If this industrial look is for you these types of homes can offer a strong, long lasting home that is built very green.
All of the above styles can easily have solar, rain collection, composting toilets and certain types of natural heating built in them. This by far is not a comprehensive list but it does give you some variety when considering a natural or eco-friendly home. Each one has their own unique beauty and benefits so thorough research needs to be done before one is decided upon.
Whether an apartment, mobile home or Earthship finding the home that fits your needs and especially your budget will help make your journey to a self-sufficient life easier and so much more enjoyable.
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