Comments on: My Summer Vacation off the Grid http://www.starstryder.com/2008/08/10/my-summer-vacation-off-the-grid/ Blogging one sidereal day at a time Fri, 03 Sep 2010 21:50:48 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Brian http://www.starstryder.com/2008/08/10/my-summer-vacation-off-the-grid/comment-page-1/#comment-25259 Brian Tue, 12 Aug 2008 16:19:53 +0000 http://www.starstryder.com/?p=708#comment-25259 All that off the grid living and still using propane to heat the water? Solar works very well in that part of the country for domestic hot water and compared to solar electricity is very inexpensive. Also, having lived in the country most of my life, this is not news. I would have a hard time finding a neighbor who does NOT raise their own vegetables or fruit, canning, etc. These things tend to be more unpractical the closer you get to cities where its just easier to go to the store. We just finished canning blackberries and raspberries which we do every year and have so much left over that we trade with other people for veggies we don't grow or can. I agree we all need to do more. Unfortunately the only way we can make people conserve these days is to make the resource too expensive to waste. Brian. All that off the grid living and still using propane to heat the water? Solar works very well in that part of the country for domestic hot water and compared to solar electricity is very inexpensive. Also, having lived in the country most of my life, this is not news. I would have a hard time finding a neighbor who does NOT raise their own vegetables or fruit, canning, etc. These things tend to be more unpractical the closer you get to cities where its just easier to go to the store. We just finished canning blackberries and raspberries which we do every year and have so much left over that we trade with other people for veggies we don’t grow or can.

I agree we all need to do more. Unfortunately the only way we can make people conserve these days is to make the resource too expensive to waste.

Brian.

]]> By: Rob Knop http://www.starstryder.com/2008/08/10/my-summer-vacation-off-the-grid/comment-page-1/#comment-25258 Rob Knop Tue, 12 Aug 2008 15:18:43 +0000 http://www.starstryder.com/?p=708#comment-25258 The one thing about all that is... Satellite Internet = high latency, due to the cursedly finite speed of light. This isn't a problem for email, and is even only somewhat noticable for web browsing, but it makes things that require low latency (like, say, Second Life) very annoying (at best) to use. (Yes, I can find a reason to whine in pretty much any situation :) .) The one thing about all that is… Satellite Internet = high latency, due to the cursedly finite speed of light. This isn’t a problem for email, and is even only somewhat noticable for web browsing, but it makes things that require low latency (like, say, Second Life) very annoying (at best) to use.

(Yes, I can find a reason to whine in pretty much any situation :) .)

]]> By: Beth http://www.starstryder.com/2008/08/10/my-summer-vacation-off-the-grid/comment-page-1/#comment-25254 Beth Tue, 12 Aug 2008 02:58:17 +0000 http://www.starstryder.com/?p=708#comment-25254 Great post. I've enjoyed many wild blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries this summer hiking. They are nature's gift to the hiker. When we had to replace our heat pump several years ago, we switched to a ground source one. It uses excess heat to preheat water in an extra unplugged water tank. I still have over a ton of coal in my bin because we just stopped using it. But we could do a better job of shutting things off. Great post. I’ve enjoyed many wild blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries this summer hiking. They are nature’s gift to the hiker.

When we had to replace our heat pump several years ago, we switched to a ground source one. It uses excess heat to preheat water in an extra unplugged water tank. I still have over a ton of coal in my bin because we just stopped using it.

But we could do a better job of shutting things off.

]]> By: SF Reader http://www.starstryder.com/2008/08/10/my-summer-vacation-off-the-grid/comment-page-1/#comment-25248 SF Reader Mon, 11 Aug 2008 19:41:31 +0000 http://www.starstryder.com/?p=708#comment-25248 *sigh* Pretty much what I expected from your Twitter notes. I'll catch you live one of these days! A prior job was in Westford, in the shadow of the Nashoba Valley Ski area, so when a mention of your childhood there went by, the info stuck. Cheers! Dennis *sigh*

Pretty much what I expected from your Twitter notes. I’ll catch you live one of these days!

A prior job was in Westford, in the shadow of the Nashoba Valley Ski area, so when a mention of your childhood there went by, the info stuck.

Cheers!

Dennis

]]> By: pamela http://www.starstryder.com/2008/08/10/my-summer-vacation-off-the-grid/comment-page-1/#comment-25247 pamela Mon, 11 Aug 2008 16:20:28 +0000 http://www.starstryder.com/?p=708#comment-25247 Hi Dennis, Actually home already. It was a purely personal trip. It is odd to see someone say "Not far from Westford. I grew up in Westford and we were always "Not far from Lowell/Nashua/Chelmsford" Hi Dennis,

Actually home already. It was a purely personal trip.

It is odd to see someone say “Not far from Westford. I grew up in Westford and we were always “Not far from Lowell/Nashua/Chelmsford”

]]> By: SF Reader http://www.starstryder.com/2008/08/10/my-summer-vacation-off-the-grid/comment-page-1/#comment-25246 SF Reader Mon, 11 Aug 2008 15:49:35 +0000 http://www.starstryder.com/?p=708#comment-25246 I've been very happy to note that newer chargers for cellphones and PDAs are much smaller, lighter, and don't get hot, in use or not. At least in broad strokes, this means that they waste far less power doing their job. Pamela, are you doing anything public on this trip? We live in the Boston 'burbs, not far from Westford.... Dennis I’ve been very happy to note that newer chargers for cellphones and PDAs are much smaller, lighter, and don’t get hot, in use or not. At least in broad strokes, this means that they waste far less power doing their job.

Pamela, are you doing anything public on this trip? We live in the Boston ‘burbs, not far from Westford….

Dennis

]]> By: Jorge Schrauwen http://www.starstryder.com/2008/08/10/my-summer-vacation-off-the-grid/comment-page-1/#comment-25244 Jorge Schrauwen Mon, 11 Aug 2008 06:47:47 +0000 http://www.starstryder.com/?p=708#comment-25244 I knew idle devices take a lot of power. I wonder if it applies to a plugged in charger (aka for the iphone,laptop PSU,...) if the device is not present as well? All I've done is switched to green hardware where I can, its usually a bit more expensive but honestly what is 2 EUR extra on a 1TB harddisk? I did group some smaller network servers into one... but I'm sure the one server draws more juice than the 3 smaller onces :( Also "New Hampshire" is it the one in Great Britain? Or is there one in the US too? I knew idle devices take a lot of power. I wonder if it applies to a plugged in charger (aka for the iphone,laptop PSU,…) if the device is not present as well?

All I’ve done is switched to green hardware where I can, its usually a bit more expensive but honestly what is 2 EUR extra on a 1TB harddisk?

I did group some smaller network servers into one… but I’m sure the one server draws more juice than the 3 smaller onces :(

Also “New Hampshire” is it the one in Great Britain? Or is there one in the US too?

]]> By: Richard B. Drumm http://www.starstryder.com/2008/08/10/my-summer-vacation-off-the-grid/comment-page-1/#comment-25239 Richard B. Drumm Mon, 11 Aug 2008 03:16:38 +0000 http://www.starstryder.com/?p=708#comment-25239 Be sure to drive up Mount Washington while you're up there! The wife, kids & I did that 3 weeks ago as a day trip from Lake Sunapee. Down right otherworldly up there at the summit. Like being in Greenland or somewhere much farther North. Richard Drumm The Astronomy Bum Be sure to drive up Mount Washington while you’re up there! The wife, kids & I did that 3 weeks ago as a day trip from Lake Sunapee. Down right otherworldly up there at the summit. Like being in Greenland or somewhere much farther North.
Richard Drumm The Astronomy Bum

]]> By: vanderleun http://www.starstryder.com/2008/08/10/my-summer-vacation-off-the-grid/comment-page-1/#comment-25238 vanderleun Mon, 11 Aug 2008 03:10:43 +0000 http://www.starstryder.com/?p=708#comment-25238 That is such a good and humble attitude it probably makes up for six evil needing human lives. That is such a good and humble attitude it probably makes up for six evil needing human lives.

]]> By: Freiddie http://www.starstryder.com/2008/08/10/my-summer-vacation-off-the-grid/comment-page-1/#comment-25237 Freiddie Mon, 11 Aug 2008 02:53:23 +0000 http://www.starstryder.com/?p=708#comment-25237 Now isn't that a good idea! Too bad most humans just have too many needs["wants"] with too many varieties. This means that it's impossible to reduce the chemical footprint to zero by doing everything oneself. Still, a tiny veggie garden is better than nothing. Now isn’t that a good idea!

Too bad most humans just have too many needs["wants"] with too many varieties. This means that it’s impossible to reduce the chemical footprint to zero by doing everything oneself. Still, a tiny veggie garden is better than nothing.

]]> By: Lockwood http://www.starstryder.com/2008/08/10/my-summer-vacation-off-the-grid/comment-page-1/#comment-25236 Lockwood Mon, 11 Aug 2008 02:49:39 +0000 http://www.starstryder.com/?p=708#comment-25236 You know, the interesting thing about your post is that most of what you describe can be done without living "off the grid." For example, most people can have a small garden that supplies much of their food. Most people can unplug and otherwise minimize their electricity use. I live alone, and have gotten into the habit of doing all my hot water chores at once; my water heater has its own circuit breaker, and it spends 23 1/2 hours of 24 off. We as a culture need to get past the idea that living a sustainable, low-impact lifestyle requires a major effort and drastic change. There's nothing wrong with moving to a mountain top in New Hampshire, but for most, it's not a practical choice. That doesn't mean that they can't still live a rich life with minimum impact. You know, the interesting thing about your post is that most of what you describe can be done without living “off the grid.” For example, most people can have a small garden that supplies much of their food. Most people can unplug and otherwise minimize their electricity use. I live alone, and have gotten into the habit of doing all my hot water chores at once; my water heater has its own circuit breaker, and it spends 23 1/2 hours of 24 off. We as a culture need to get past the idea that living a sustainable, low-impact lifestyle requires a major effort and drastic change. There’s nothing wrong with moving to a mountain top in New Hampshire, but for most, it’s not a practical choice. That doesn’t mean that they can’t still live a rich life with minimum impact.

]]> By: vanderleun http://www.starstryder.com/2008/08/10/my-summer-vacation-off-the-grid/comment-page-1/#comment-25235 vanderleun Mon, 11 Aug 2008 02:09:47 +0000 http://www.starstryder.com/?p=708#comment-25235 That's pretty much the entire site "Things White People Like" in one post. That’s pretty much the entire site “Things White People Like” in one post.

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