Living Off the Grid, a Girl Can Dream

During our recent move to Atlanta, Ga., I was reminded of my ultimate dream of finding a beach community where my husband and I can build a tipi (or a tiny home) and live happily ever after. Of course, this means our dream home would be totally off the grid. I was pleasantly surprised to find out, when […]

During our recent move to Atlanta, Ga., I was reminded of my ultimate dream of finding a beach community where my husband and I can build a tipi (or a tiny home) and live happily ever after. Of course, this means our dream home would be totally off the grid. I was pleasantly surprised to find out, when digging around online, that 750,000 Americans are living off the grid, according to Nick Rosen, author of “Off the Grid.” The only other population count I could track down, from Home Power Magazine in 2006, put the count at 180,000 families. Either way, I’m stoked that Americans are really doing this and can’t wait to one day be a part of that community.

There are some universal tips when considering living off the grid. More importantly for those of us not ready to jump in head first, here are several tips to lessen our home’s footprint and become partially off the grid:

  1. Use solar or wind technology to help offset or replace your reliance on electricity fueled by burning coal.
  2. Install a private water well and join the 17 million other American households that get water from a private source.
  3. Set up a septic system for your home and get off the grid’s sewer line.
  4. Consider a tankless water heater to save money on your energy bill while also conserving more energy than a traditional water heater.
  5. Avoid packaged foods and start a garden. Make sure to compost, and recycle those items that can’t be dumped in your compost pile.

I frequently peruse homes for sale on coldwellbanker.com with an eye for “off the grid” included in the property description. Here are my three favorites, which would make anyone’s off-the-grid dream come true:

  1. Living on the edge in Pahoa, Hawaii
  2. Modern design in Prescott, AZ
  3. Mountain retreat in Rifle, CO

Photo credit: Steffen Ramsaier

Senior Manager, Public Relations & Giving for Coldwell Banker. Grew up in Sarasota and attended college at Western Carolina University. Athena wanted to wake up in that city that doesn’t sleep so headed to Madison Avenue to start her marketing career. She has been with this awesome brand for more than 15 years and can be found generating buzz about CB in every way possible. Athena helps to grow the brand’s position as the most storied real estate company within the industry and has led many high-profile endeavors; she was at the forefront of the brand’s pioneering smart home campaign, raised $6 million in two years to build 130 Habitat for Humanity homes, and led the Homes for Dogs program in partnership with Adopt-a-Pet.com that resulted in tens-of-thousands of dogs finding their furever home. She currently leads the CB Supports St. Jude program, which encourages the Coldwell Banker network’s 96,000+ real estate agents to make donations to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital for every real estate transaction they represent. In her spare time, you can find her either digging up a new area in her yard for another flower bed or planning her next travel adventure. She's the proud mom of three cats Jolene, Ziggy and Lucy.

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5 Comments

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    May 19, 2014

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  5. franklin
    November 19, 2014

    .

    tnx!

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