Living Off The Grid: One Family’s Story

To start living more sustainably, Connally recommends starting with a small DIY house project, such as building a rainwater catchment system like the one he has on his homestead. Photo: Abe Connally

Tips for greener living

Inspired by Connally and his family’s sustainable lifestyle, but don’t want to go off the grid completely? Connally gave a few tips to help Earth911 readers get started with basic homesteading practices:

• Conserve important resources like energy and water by switching off lights when you leave a room, turning off the tap when you’re brushing your teeth and using efficient appliances.
• Attack your waste stream: Reuse as much as possible, and compost your organic waste.
• Take on a small sustainable house project, such as building your own rain catchment system or recharging your batteries with a small solar panel. Or try to produce some of your own food: growing a tomato plant or raising a few chickens or rabbits.

Connally highlights the importance of starting small and simple, just to get your feet wet.

“That is what our Food Web [project] is all about,” Connally says. “It’s about getting people to start with something that they can participate in and take control of, like producing some food in their backyard. Once you start, you can look at ways to improve and optimize, from integrating animals to planting perennials for long-term production. But the key is taking that first step, no matter how small.”

Find Out: Is Raising Chickens Right for You?