You might be thinking about how to make your home extra self-sufficient because of an emergency, the interruption of local utilities, or the fact that the weather isn’t as stable as it used to be. Your home’s ability to be self-sufficient depends mostly on whether or not you can provide its energy. A lot of people are trying to change the energy sector by relying less on fossil fuels and more on solar and ground heat pumps. But based on where you live, you might also need to buy a generator or think about cutting back on your needs. 

Photo by Wynand van Poortvliet on Unsplash

Let’s look at a few ways you can live without reliance on the big utility and service companies.

Find Alternative Sources Of Water 

Aside from the energy your home uses, you need to make sure you have clean water. Acquiring this off the grid isn’t as easy, but it is possible.  You can also use rainwater collection locations to fill basins that you can use for gardening and watering animals.

Deal With Waste 

With a newly drilled well, you can make sure that all the water is coming into your home comes from nearby. But where does it go after that? What happens to the trash is much more important. One option is to build a septic system, which should be done with the help of experts who can help you make sure it works well. When you have a septic system, keep in mind that you will need to take care of it regularly and have a professional company empty it. It will help keep it from falling apart and hurting the environment around it. It is also a good idea to start using plant-based cleaning products to get rid of other types of waste in your home.  

Recycle Where Possible 

It might be simpler to start from scratch and build a home that can do more for itself. If you choose this route, try using recyclable materials and building materials. If you have lived in your home for a while but would like to live as sustainably as possible, choose as many used and recycled products as you can. This helps you stop relying on big stores.

Grow The Food You Eat 

If you have land to grow on, you can grow your own food and become less reliant on stores and the fossil fuel-powered logistics systems that keep them running. If you’re new to homesteading, find out what you can grow near you and take things slowly at first. If you get the hang of it, you can grow more and even build a greenhouse so you can grow some things out of season.

Being self-sufficient can help you get away from the system, but to get started, you’ll have to work harder and spend a lot of money upfront. If you’re lucky, you already have some of the above. Also, don’t forget to find out if there are any grants or tax breaks in your area for people who make their homes more energy efficient. A lot of what you need could also be found used.

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