NYTimes.com – Life (Mostly) Off the Grid

NYTimes.com – The Dervaes are living the green life in Pasadena, Calif.

25 Comments Post a Comment
  1. pac1811 says:

    Makes you wonder/think. YouTube -
    Peter Joseph: “Where are we going?” Nov. 15th ’09 [Part 1 of 4]
    The Venus Project Lecture City University of London Pt 01

  2. shackashackado says:

    …..I can see the plants being ok by the city ordinances but,how do you get by keeping livestock within city limits?

  3. shackashackado says:

    ……this is just to cool !! We all consume…but,how many realy produce?…to be as self-sustaining as possible is intelligent living!!

  4. Marleyites says:

    @xherdarkangelx : good for you! planning, learning, starting one project at a time, slowly but surely, even if you are renting, you can still get started. The physical part of it is only a part – you can use your time while renting to learn, get things set up & then you’ll be ready to be successful at this. Earthworm composting, distilling alcohol (for fuel), design & use composting toilet, design & build your rocket stove, plan your garden, buy seeds, identify livestock you want, just do it!

  5. Marleyites says:

    @joejjl : nobody NEEDS genetically modified farming – just like global warming, it’s a myth/lie sold to the people for profits of monsanto, etc.

  6. fujoethebunny says:

    It’s legal in the city of Los Angeles as longs as it’s a certain amount of feet away from the neighbor’s property.

  7. shackashackado says:

    The great thing about America is we can choose where we live…if you want a gated community with strict zoning and regulations…go for it ! …if you want to be free of regulations there are still places like that around.What bugs me is big brother always thinking he knows best how I should live. Regulations are ok up to a point… then we become OVER-REGULATED. The Mexicans have taught us an important lesson…when it comes to survival,sometimes you have to ignore the bureaucrats !

  8. 99cachorro says:

    please come and help me convert my one acre into a place like that!

  9. grumble5005 says:

    love this

  10. esiosan says:

    A hydroponic garden would be more productive and less likely to be lost in case of “bad weather”. A couple of greenhouses and solar panels and they would be set.

  11. Char503 says:

    I would LOVE to keep chickens and a goat or two. I think it would be less obtrusive to have a neighbor with small goats that one that owns BIG Rottweilers or Pit Bulls. At least goats don’t bark all hours of the day or run out and maul the neighbor’s children. These people ROCK!

  12. judge6754 says:

    Whats going to happen when you get old . and your kids aren’t married , or are married .or just gone. How will one be able to sustain ones self.

  13. Gemadi says:

    tomato’s,beans,weed ….

  14. tacosrtasty says:

    we have chickens in our urban backyard, our neighbors dont care, haha and we have had them for like 3 years and before that we had ducks.

  15. siszam says:

    Many cities allow you to keep chickens. Not sure about goats. You can check your local codes. There are some good books on raising chickens in your back yard too.

  16. siszam says:

    Wow, what an attitude you have. When you lose your job and can’t afford food you will want someone to care about you. But these people will be living well still. If the grid goes down these people can produce most of their own electricity and still cook it. You won’t be able to. See how that works? You life may be easier…….till the modern world starts to fall apart.

  17. viksra says:

    “If the grid goes down”… okay, let’s say the grid DOES go down… it’ll be down for a maximum of what, 12 hours at most? Maybe in an extreme situation, 2 or 3 days. That part of California doesn’t have to deal with hurricanes or volcanoes, or anything of that sort, therefore they don’t need to worry about power being out for weeks-on-end. They’re making their life harder by the lifestyle they chose to live. “Till the modern world starts to fall apart”… oh please… give me a break.

  18. Kelidiscope says:

    Well said.

  19. Kelidiscope says:

    … your being blinded by the comforts you live by.. This is strictly my opinion.. But know, that our current model of society cannot sustain itself indefinetly.. And there will have to be dramatic changes involving conflict, chaos, and struggle, for Humans to be able to live peacefully and freely upon this planet. If you cannot see this, then I pitty you..

  20. Sylvia441 says:

    how can you say your “off grid” when you are hooked up to sanitation & the water company? I see a pigme goat, do you milk or eat them?
    You want to see a REAL off grid place, go to: “hawkhilloffthegrid.” We have a compost toilet & wood stove in NE Pa. & we both work for a living!!

  21. brianwesley28 says:

    I think that it was pretty amazing that they are able to make the $25,000 off of the 1/5 acre. It shows you how much food can be grown on each acre of land, if nothing else. I LOVE the idea of being off of the grid, but I am also an Aquarian, so I’d incorporate more green technology, under the right circumstances and with the right initial resources. But, like they said, they have a TV. They did some pretty amazing stuff with only 1/5 of an acre.

  22. bksnx says:

    Wow, this family will never go hungry once an economic collapse of US occur. Once the collapsed occur, there will be riots because of hunger. The fanily needs to buy fire arms to protect themselves.

  23. doyouseewhatisee2010 says:

    OK LOL

  24. MrEnergyCzar says:

    They have motivated me to try and grow as much food as possible on my 1/3 of an acre….raised beds are the way to go…

  25. MlleButterfly says:

    They are amazing.

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