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Alex
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off the grid

Hi dudes,
"Four acres and Freedom"; short video presented lucidly and straightforwardly about self sufficiency techniques and sustainable living. Some cool ideas here  :  )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tl01au5pXm0

Another good one, awesome story of the dude who invented 'earthships' and took on the Toilet Empire:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNYFlcV9R1w



Edited By:  Alex
Jun-16-14 22:25:02

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Alex
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Re: off the grid

...and Earthships continues:  http://earthship.com/
Some useful info in the 'systems' section.
Oddly, not much indication of who's running the site?
Best,
AR


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gustavoreiki@gmail.com
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Re: off the grid

Hi,
I dont know if you guys came across this, but is a very interesting project:  http://www.auroville.org/

http://www.auroville.org/

Auroville wants to be a universal town where men and women of all countries are able to live in peace and progressive harmony above all creeds, all politics and all nationalities.
The purpose of Auroville is to realise human unity.

Auroville is applying to become a country, people live out of the grid withouth authorities.

The Auroville Charter

Auroville belongs to nobody in particular. Auroville belongs to humanity as a whole. But, to live in Auroville, one must be a willing servitor of the divine consciousness.
Auroville will be the place of an unending education, of constant progress, and a youth that never ages.
Auroville wants to be the bridge between the past and the future. Taking advantage of all discoveries from without and from within, Auroville will boldly spring towards future realisations.
Auroville will be a site of material and spiritual researches for a living embodiment of an actual human unity.


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Alex
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Re: off the grid

Sounds great, but...
(comments in brackets are editor)

(I see from their website that) “Auroville is owned by nobody in particular”.
(sounds like freedom, but I conclude that 'nobody in particular' has made the following rules:)

(All are direct quotes from website)
The consumption of alcohol is strongly discouraged in Auroville. It cannot be purchased anywhere in the township.

Everyone staying in Auroville, whether Indian or foreign, is required to complete an ‘Arrival Form’ at their guest house, the AV Guest Service or an AV Financial Service office as soon as possible after their arrival. The same applies to Aurovilians returning from abroad (done at the Residents Service office). See also “Guest registration” and “Residential Permit”.

There are a number of competent astrologers living in Auroville, some of whom are willing to help with preparation and interpretation of birth charts. For names and contact information it is best to make enquiries around the township.

People only become ‘Aurovilian’ after going through an ‘entry’ process overseen by the Entry Service group, usually lasting 15 months, in course of which they change from being a Guest to a Newcomer before becoming an Aurovilian. Aurovilian status is usually automatically conferred on any child born in the township to Aurovilian parents.

Permission to build has to be obtained from L’Avenir d’Auroville, a body which oversees the planning and development of Auroville. Building construction is mostly done by Auroville-run units.

Crèches, followed by kindergartens, are available for young children.
The New Era Secondary School also follows a new national curriculum.

Guests attending classes are normally expected to pay a ‘guest contribution’ towards maintenance of the premises and facilities.

There are around 180 commercial units operating in Auroville.

Currently all Auroville businesses are required to operate under the Auroville Foundation. Permission to start a new unit has to be given by the AV Board of Commerce, the Working Committee and the Funds & Assets Management Committee (including the Secretary to the AV Foundation).

A service unit named ‘Connections’ – working from the Human Resource Team office at the Multimedia Centre – provides information on work opportunities in the township for Aurovilians and Newcomers with the aim of helping them find their right place in Auroville, and to help services and units find the staff they need.

Guests are requested to pay a financial contribution towards the ongoing maintenance of the township. The same applies to Aurovilians and Newcomers, who pay a monthly contribution to ‘City Services’. See also “Donations”.

Meetings are a part of Auroville everyday life.

All guests staying in Auroville are expected to pay a Rs.150 ‘guest contribution’ per day of intended stay. In the case of people staying in Auroville registered guest houses this sum is included in the overall price charged; others need to go to a Financial Service office to make their payment.

Aurovilians have no right of ownership

All Auroville residential property belongs to the Auroville Foundation, not to the residents, though anyone financing or in long term occupation of a residential unit is accorded ‘right of occupation’, together with any children involved, so long as he/she/they continue to be Aurovilian.

Auroville is required to pay House Tax and other taxes to the local ‘Panchayat’ or Indian Government, and the residents to pay Income Tax where relevant

The IAC normally comprises a 5-member multi-national team of globally respected individuals (who??) who have the task under the Auroville Foundation Act of advising the Governing Board and Residents Assembly on matters relating to development of the township, as and when required.

Contributions to the development of Auroville have come, and continue to come, from a number of sources, including the Government of India, Indian and foreign NGOs and funding agencies, Auroville International Centres, private donors in India and abroad, the profits of Auroville’s commercial units (normally one-third), and the personal funds of Aurovilians.

Non-Indian Aurovilians are not permitted to earn a “salary” in Auroville by current Indian Government regulations relating to the issue of their visa/Residential Permit. Instead most receive a “maintenance” from the unit or service they work for, sufficient to meet their most basic needs.

Auroville operates an internal health insurance scheme, known as the Health Fund, to which all residents are required to subscribe

Auroville has a main Health Centre located on the edge of Aspiration settlement staffed by allopathic and homeopathic doctors

people are advised only to drink filtered or bottled water. 

most residents seek spiritual guidance from the teachings of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother

Auroville aspires to attain complete equality of the sexes. (however...!!):
Western and other non-Indian women are encouraged to also dress in a modest fashion, so as not to send out the wrong message and attract unwanted attention.

Cash, passports, air tickets and other important papers, plus cameras and electronic equipment, should be locked away out of sight, and women are specially advised not to walk or cycle alone anywhere after dark (an Escort Service is provided for anyone requesting it). See also “Police”.

always carry a flashlight/torch at night to avoid snakes or scorpions.

There are over 25 species of snakes in the Auroville area, but only four of them are dangerously venomous.

All pet owners have to be conscious of the risk of rabies, which is endemic in the area, and have their pets regularly vaccinated.

All animal bites are considered potentially rabid unless the history of the animal is fully known.

The only advisable protection is against mosquitos, by way of a repellant, specially in the early morning and after 5.30pm. See also “Snakes”. 

As possession or use of any type of narcotic drug is banned under Indian law, in no circumstances are they permitted in Auroville.


...you sure about this...?


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Alex
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Re: off the grid

Hi dudes,
Please approach this in the light hearted manner in which it was conceived  :  )

Okay, there's no point complaining if we can't do better, so here are the plans for these same issues in HW:


Homeworld is owned by nobody in particular.

The consumption of alcohol by you is none of our business.

No one staying in Homeworld will be required to complete an ‘Arrival Form’ or obtain any  “Residential Permit”.

There are no astrologers living in Homeworld.

People don't become 'Homeworldian' by staying at Homeworld; they obtain that status by being born on earth.

Permission to build will not have to be obtained from anyone. Building construction will be mostly done by whoever wants to build there.

Crèches, followed by kindergartens, will not be available for young children, who will be with their parents. There will be no school and no curriculum.

Guests attending workshops will not be expected to pay a ‘guest contribution’ towards anything.

There will be no commercial units operating in HW.

Currently all businesses run by HW members are none of our business.

We don't provide information on work opportunities, because we aim to encourage people to play instead.

Guests are not requested to pay a financial contribution towards anything.

Meetings are a not part of HW everyday life, unless they are parties.

All guests staying in HW are not expected to pay any  ‘guest contribution’ per day

Permanent Homeworlders will have right of ownership.

All HW residential property belongs to whomever builds it.

What taxes you choose to pay is none of our business.

The Grey Council is a fictional construct comprised of a 5-member multi-national team of stoners whose tasks include sampling fine wines and watching movies.

Contributions to the development of HW are not required

Whether or not members earn a salary is none of our business.

HW does not operate a health insurance scheme, because your health is your own responsibility.

HW has no homeopathic doctors. We use ordinary doctors and hospitals. The idea is not to get sick in the first place.

Water falls out of the sky and after filtering is drinkable. People are not advised to drink bottled water, because it's a ripoff. 

most residents don't seek spiritual guidance.

HW aspires to attain complete equality of the sexes. Both sexes can wear whatever they like, including nothing.

Cash, passports, air tickets and other important papers, plus cameras and electronic equipment, should be wherever you keep the rest of your stuff, and you can walk or cycle alone anywhere after dark regardless of what sex you are.

You don't need to avoid snakes or scorpions. Where we are going, there are none.

You do not have to be conscious of the risk of rabies unless you make a habit of eating raw bats.

All animal bites are considered deserved. -Why'd you get that close? Leave them alone!

The only advisable protection is against rain and midges, by way of a repellent (not a repellant), specially in the early morning and after 5.30pm. (That's the midges AND the rain, btw)

Possession or use of any type of narcotic drug is none of our business.

No coercion.


...a little better...?  Some will, of course, think it is worse. What's important is that it's different. Now you've got choices. And if none of the choices suit, you can make your own.


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