Guide to Living Off-Grid from channel4.com/4Homes

There’s perhaps no better way of living sustainably than buying your own woodland, building a lodge and living off grid. That’s what Nigel and Karen Lowthrop decided to do three years ago.

“It’s just really about treading lightly on the earth and about your imprint being as small as it can be,” says Karen.

The first consideration for most people is how to generate electricity. Wind turbines and solar panels are all the rage, but Nigel and Karen’s experiences can provide a lesson to others. With 720 watts of photovoltaic panel, they get a consistent supply of electricity year-round.

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Then there’s the couple’s two 2Kw wind turbines, which in theory should provide a good supply of electricity. It didn’t work out that way sadly, and upon reflection the couple feel that spending the money on more photovoltaic panels would have been more useful.

A water butt might cost just £30, and with the right treatment it can be used for much more than just watering the plants.

“It goes through three filtration systems and comes out beautiful,” Karen explains. “I can drink it and I can wash my hair with it and I can have showers and baths.” Solar collectors warm the water, although their supply of piping hot water is limited.

Nigel and Karen are totally committed to their self-sufficient way of life, and it is highly commendable. They need to be committed since their house isn’t connected to any mains utilities, including drains and sewers. Their composting toilet, or dry earth composting toilet to be precise, flushes using a small scoop of sawdust. This dries out the material that’s in there, preventing any smells with remarkable effect.

Faced with a similar build project, there’s no reason why living like this shouldn’t be comfortable. Creating your own energy doesn’t have to mean living without home comforts. Pretty ordinary people, such as Nigel and Karen, can actually enhance their lifestyles by making these changes.

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