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Step 6Set-up of our shelter's life support systems and zero-emission transportation system
Time to roll up our sleeves. In this sixth step, we'll
- first of all finish our domestic food production system. Now that some time has passed, we have figured out our personal taste/preference and we know what foodstuffs we feel comfortable basing our system on. We choose a staple crop we like, and with the help of the books and websites mentioned in step 1 and 3, we set-up your system. We will try implementing a composting toilet and integrate nutrient recycling in our food production system (this will keep costs low and eliminates the need of much water; which reduces the size of your water collection system).
Next is our energy generation (or "microgeneration") system. Using the websites (eg PESwiki, Wikipedia, Treehugger, ...), books, dvd's, ... mentioned in step 1, we'll set up this too. (! Again refer to the zip file for extra reference; see the "Autonomous Home System"-map !). As mentioned before, we can reduce costs of this system by deciding to leave out energy storage, and include a hook-up unto the net (trough net metering). In addition, a DIY power source (eg wind turbine) may be build (dough cheap commercial ones are available too). Due to the very cheap (and totally green) electricity we will now be able to get, we may can start making more use of certain (electrically-powered) domestic devices (to simplify our lives). These include dishwasher (mentioned below) and clothes dryer (a small one may already do however). Especially in northern and rainy countries (where sunshine is not always present), the use of such a clothes dryer is a more handy alternative to clothes lines (no need to go outside in the wind or cold; no hanging up the clothes in between rains and hoping the wash will be dry enough in time, ...).
As a third system, we may want to install a rainwater harvesting or other water collection system (trough rainwater harvesting). Peer trough the Wikipedia, PESwiki, Instructables, ... to determine a appropriate system and how to build it. Usually a regular rainwater harvesting system (without greywater treatment) is sufficient, which can be build DIY and at very low cost. Depending on local circumstances and your intented use of the water itself (drinking or irrigation, flushing toilets, ...), treatment of the water may or may not be necessairy. In order to make our life less complicated, decrease costs even further and increase our self-sufficiency, we will, however make use of a dishwasher. As recompensation for our (possible) increased use of resources with this dishwasher, we will introduce using natural cleaning products (eg by Ecover) instead of chemical cleaning products. To be able to do so and still get everything washed clean enough, we'll abide with some extra trouble and rinse the dishes with water inmediatly after dinner (so that eating remains as oils, sugars, ...) do not get a chance to attach (strongly) to the dishes.
A fourth change we may implement in our home is to start using zero-emission home appliances. These zero-emission home appliances primarily include space heating appliances (eg heat pumps, radiators, convectors, ...), and cooking devices (eg electric and induction cookers, solar cookers, ...). Besides these, they also include equipment as electrical refridgerators, electrical lawn mowers (if used, see step 9), ...
We will change to these zero-emission versions of our home appliances as burning oil, gas, coals, oils (eg biofuels) or wood are environmentally polluting, spark health problems (eg cancer) and as they are changing the planet so that food production will soon start to decrease or even fail (hereby increasing food prices and allowing famines to occur in the developing world). Thus, in order to make sure we are not part of the problem, we will be checking whether our devices work on such polluting resources and buy new equipment -or convert- our present equipment accordingly. We can rest assured that aldough some devices as fireplaces and barbecues will probably need to discarded, most will not (as most people already use electrical versions of refridgerators, lawn mowers, stoves, ...). If this is however not the case for you personally, go ahead and alter the described space heating, cooking and other domestic appliances. We may alter our devices by buying electrically-powered radiators and convectors, heat pumps, electrical and/or solar cookers, ... Alternatively, we may (as described above) also keep certain devices and convert them instead so that they may become emissionless (by now using electricity as a power source). PS: A practical example is the radiator; which works on hot water, warmed-up by a external heater. This heater may be converted to use electrical heating elements instead of other, polluting resources (eg gas, fossil fuels, biofuels, ..).
To reduce our expenses required for these changes, and to reduce our living costs on the long run, we may also implement passive heating techniques (as eg the use of many windows, trombe walls, ...), increased insolation (as rockwool, or the cheaper straw-bales, ...) or even use heat and cold storage with our heat pump, earth sheltering, ... in our house. To do so, we will again use the Wikipedia, PESwiki, ... and take again a look at my zip-file (the open-field food system document and suggestions on the environment document provide info). In addition, books and other media noted at step 1 may also be used.
Finally, we'll change the way we are getting around so that we can make use of zero-emission transport alternatives. We will do this primarily in function of the environment , our (and our neighbours) health, ethical and humanitarian reasons (see above), and to decrease our financial expenses (bicycles, compressed air vehicles, bicycles fitted with trailers, ... are way cheaper in operation). We will keep in mind our intentions (for what purpose will we be needing a personal vehicle (heavy lifting, transport of many people or just to transport ourselves, ...) and not use any vehicle (or other mode of transport; eg communal transport, ...) which is larger than what we require. We will do this as picking vehicles too large for our needs allows the streets to be clogged bit by bit, hereby provoking traffic jams. As we all know, traffic jams are not much fun and make our life increasingly difficult; hereby giving us reason to opt for smaller vehicles when we are forced to pick one (these are btw easier to park aswell).
We may opt to change our mode of transport and/or reduce our vehicle's size as our lifestyle and thus your transport requirements may already have been changed (eg with a food production system at home, no more trips to the supermarket by car will be necessairy). Again refer to the websites mentioned in step 1 (eg Wikipedia, Treehugger, Green Living Ideas, ... Also, take a look at my zip-file (CountryMeasures-map; document "carfree world" and "suggestions on the environment") for additional websites/information. Some exemplary options you could consider include roller skates and heelies, skybocks, compressed air scooters and bicycles over one and 2-seater velomobiles to electric, hydrogen and compressed air cars, certain types of (electric/human powered) public transport, ... If a private (3 or 4-wheeled) transport vehicle is still required (to haul larger items, many people, ... or to live in or camp with; see step 5), you may opt to buy a regular freight bicycle (or buy a trailer to attach to your bicycle), cycle rickshaw, auto-rickshaw, special cabin cycle (as eg the Carver, and Quasar), mini- or large (school) bus (lots of space, low-cost) and convert it to electric, to hydrogen, oxyhydrogen or liquid nitrogen ICE, compressed air, or hydrogen fuel cell or Flywheel Energy Storage-powered engine (which are all emissionless). Keep in mind that aldough conversion to hydrogen, oxyhydrogen or liquid nitrogen ICE could be cheaper, it could be a bit difficult in practice. Alternatively, you could even build a diy car (from kits or entirely custom made; as eg with the locost-car), or sand rail/buggy yourself. These diy-conversions and/or diy vehicle building options are however only possible if you live in a country where this is legally allowed (traffic rules).
- first of all finish our domestic food production system. Now that some time has passed, we have figured out our personal taste/preference and we know what foodstuffs we feel comfortable basing our system on. We choose a staple crop we like, and with the help of the books and websites mentioned in step 1 and 3, we set-up your system. We will try implementing a composting toilet and integrate nutrient recycling in our food production system (this will keep costs low and eliminates the need of much water; which reduces the size of your water collection system).
Next is our energy generation (or "microgeneration") system. Using the websites (eg PESwiki, Wikipedia, Treehugger, ...), books, dvd's, ... mentioned in step 1, we'll set up this too. (! Again refer to the zip file for extra reference; see the "Autonomous Home System"-map !). As mentioned before, we can reduce costs of this system by deciding to leave out energy storage, and include a hook-up unto the net (trough net metering). In addition, a DIY power source (eg wind turbine) may be build (dough cheap commercial ones are available too). Due to the very cheap (and totally green) electricity we will now be able to get, we may can start making more use of certain (electrically-powered) domestic devices (to simplify our lives). These include dishwasher (mentioned below) and clothes dryer (a small one may already do however). Especially in northern and rainy countries (where sunshine is not always present), the use of such a clothes dryer is a more handy alternative to clothes lines (no need to go outside in the wind or cold; no hanging up the clothes in between rains and hoping the wash will be dry enough in time, ...).
As a third system, we may want to install a rainwater harvesting or other water collection system (trough rainwater harvesting). Peer trough the Wikipedia, PESwiki, Instructables, ... to determine a appropriate system and how to build it. Usually a regular rainwater harvesting system (without greywater treatment) is sufficient, which can be build DIY and at very low cost. Depending on local circumstances and your intented use of the water itself (drinking or irrigation, flushing toilets, ...), treatment of the water may or may not be necessairy. In order to make our life less complicated, decrease costs even further and increase our self-sufficiency, we will, however make use of a dishwasher. As recompensation for our (possible) increased use of resources with this dishwasher, we will introduce using natural cleaning products (eg by Ecover) instead of chemical cleaning products. To be able to do so and still get everything washed clean enough, we'll abide with some extra trouble and rinse the dishes with water inmediatly after dinner (so that eating remains as oils, sugars, ...) do not get a chance to attach (strongly) to the dishes.
A fourth change we may implement in our home is to start using zero-emission home appliances. These zero-emission home appliances primarily include space heating appliances (eg heat pumps, radiators, convectors, ...), and cooking devices (eg electric and induction cookers, solar cookers, ...). Besides these, they also include equipment as electrical refridgerators, electrical lawn mowers (if used, see step 9), ...
We will change to these zero-emission versions of our home appliances as burning oil, gas, coals, oils (eg biofuels) or wood are environmentally polluting, spark health problems (eg cancer) and as they are changing the planet so that food production will soon start to decrease or even fail (hereby increasing food prices and allowing famines to occur in the developing world). Thus, in order to make sure we are not part of the problem, we will be checking whether our devices work on such polluting resources and buy new equipment -or convert- our present equipment accordingly. We can rest assured that aldough some devices as fireplaces and barbecues will probably need to discarded, most will not (as most people already use electrical versions of refridgerators, lawn mowers, stoves, ...). If this is however not the case for you personally, go ahead and alter the described space heating, cooking and other domestic appliances. We may alter our devices by buying electrically-powered radiators and convectors, heat pumps, electrical and/or solar cookers, ... Alternatively, we may (as described above) also keep certain devices and convert them instead so that they may become emissionless (by now using electricity as a power source). PS: A practical example is the radiator; which works on hot water, warmed-up by a external heater. This heater may be converted to use electrical heating elements instead of other, polluting resources (eg gas, fossil fuels, biofuels, ..).
To reduce our expenses required for these changes, and to reduce our living costs on the long run, we may also implement passive heating techniques (as eg the use of many windows, trombe walls, ...), increased insolation (as rockwool, or the cheaper straw-bales, ...) or even use heat and cold storage with our heat pump, earth sheltering, ... in our house. To do so, we will again use the Wikipedia, PESwiki, ... and take again a look at my zip-file (the open-field food system document and suggestions on the environment document provide info). In addition, books and other media noted at step 1 may also be used.
Finally, we'll change the way we are getting around so that we can make use of zero-emission transport alternatives. We will do this primarily in function of the environment , our (and our neighbours) health, ethical and humanitarian reasons (see above), and to decrease our financial expenses (bicycles, compressed air vehicles, bicycles fitted with trailers, ... are way cheaper in operation). We will keep in mind our intentions (for what purpose will we be needing a personal vehicle (heavy lifting, transport of many people or just to transport ourselves, ...) and not use any vehicle (or other mode of transport; eg communal transport, ...) which is larger than what we require. We will do this as picking vehicles too large for our needs allows the streets to be clogged bit by bit, hereby provoking traffic jams. As we all know, traffic jams are not much fun and make our life increasingly difficult; hereby giving us reason to opt for smaller vehicles when we are forced to pick one (these are btw easier to park aswell).
We may opt to change our mode of transport and/or reduce our vehicle's size as our lifestyle and thus your transport requirements may already have been changed (eg with a food production system at home, no more trips to the supermarket by car will be necessairy). Again refer to the websites mentioned in step 1 (eg Wikipedia, Treehugger, Green Living Ideas, ... Also, take a look at my zip-file (CountryMeasures-map; document "carfree world" and "suggestions on the environment") for additional websites/information. Some exemplary options you could consider include roller skates and heelies, skybocks, compressed air scooters and bicycles over one and 2-seater velomobiles to electric, hydrogen and compressed air cars, certain types of (electric/human powered) public transport, ... If a private (3 or 4-wheeled) transport vehicle is still required (to haul larger items, many people, ... or to live in or camp with; see step 5), you may opt to buy a regular freight bicycle (or buy a trailer to attach to your bicycle), cycle rickshaw, auto-rickshaw, special cabin cycle (as eg the Carver, and Quasar), mini- or large (school) bus (lots of space, low-cost) and convert it to electric, to hydrogen, oxyhydrogen or liquid nitrogen ICE, compressed air, or hydrogen fuel cell or Flywheel Energy Storage-powered engine (which are all emissionless). Keep in mind that aldough conversion to hydrogen, oxyhydrogen or liquid nitrogen ICE could be cheaper, it could be a bit difficult in practice. Alternatively, you could even build a diy car (from kits or entirely custom made; as eg with the locost-car), or sand rail/buggy yourself. These diy-conversions and/or diy vehicle building options are however only possible if you live in a country where this is legally allowed (traffic rules).
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