My name is Eric Wichman. You and me, and a whole bunch of our friends are going to get together to build stuff, make things, and help people! This site is about my quest to get off the grid, provide for my family, and run my business all without being attached to the water/power grid.
MISSION: Get Off The Grid, and HELP and inspire more people OFF GRID.
Getting OFF THE GRID! Homesteading is what it used to be called in the old days. It’s where people live off the land on their own farms or ranches, raising food and animals for food and sale with a minimalist approach to luxury and a focus on necessities. It’s not really new. We just call it “Off-The-Grid” now because most of us are hooked to the grid, and the system. Going off grid simply means you “disconnect” from the electrical grid system, and produce your own water, power, and food. But today, in this down economy, it’s becoming ever more popular, and a way for people to survive. Many people even thrive once they make the move to off the grid living.
Living off the grid might not be for everyone. But it’s a far cry from being tied down to a lifestyle that drains your resources and forces you into a system of indentured servitude to your employer, and ultimately the grid. You are then a slave to the system subject to all the dangers of being grid tied. You become completely dependent on the grid. If it goes down, you have at most 3 days before you run out of food and water.
Going off the grid, makes you less dependent and more self sufficient. When I was younger we lived with no phone and electricity for years sometimes when my dad was out of work. It was as off-the-grid as you could get at that time without moving into a cave.
Now it’s 20 years later, and technology has made it much easier to move off grid and still have all the luxuries of being attached to the grid. You can still have electricity, hot and cold running water, big screen TV, microwave, and even a washer and dryer with the installation of a good solar/wind energy system. The advances in technology are growing at an exponential rate, and will continue to grow as time progresses. We are entering an age of technology such that the world has never seen.
High technology meets homesteading. That’s what off the grid means to me.
FOR MORE INFO JOIN OUR “OFF THE GRID” FACEBOOK GROUP
MAKING IT FREE & OPEN: To help others collaborate and share information with each other and advance their off grid projects. We all have projects we would like to collaborate with people on because we know the more people get behind an idea, the better it will work, and the more we can accomplish. We all need help. So, instead of talking about helping. Lets do it! Together.
OPEN CONCEPT: The concept behind my off the grid project is a hybrid version of current open source/open design, applied in a practical action plan which can be applied to almost any problem to find a solution.
All ideas and projects are open sourced and shared freely, meaning they are free to use, modify, add to, and use for your own projects. Since most of the ideas use current “off-the-shelf” technologies the primary purpose philosophy is to use what’s available instead of reinventing the wheel to solve a problem that’s already been solved.
All information and ideas will be shared as OPEN SOURCED data, thereby making this information available for free, in the form of blueprints, plans, drawing, videos, articles, 3D Models, and data which can be used to develop new ideas, collaborate on current and new projects and to build in an open and free community environment.
VIDEO & BLOG UPDATES, DOWNLOADS & DATA: There will be videos,, updates, blog posts, articles and (blueprints), data downloads available to everyone. I’ll try to keep everyone updated once per week as the project advances. Suggestions, and collaboration is strongly encouraged, and you are more than welcome to make your own video of your own project or idea for publication on the site.
There is a plan to create a Wiki so people can contribute their own ideas, works, and projects to the database.
THANKS for your interest and click the link below to continue reading an how this project is funded.
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I also started the OFF THE GRID group on Facebook to help accomplish this primary main goal. Hopefully this group will be a good resource for like minded individuals to help each other with their projects. I created this group so I could help others with their projects as well.
OPEN DESIGN is exactly what it sounds like. Open Source design that’s open and FREE! Simple. The purpose of this group is to collaborate on “green” technology, (i.e. sustainable living and renewable energy) DIY (do it yourself), and other similar projects, ideas, and technologies.[Note: this isn't for everyone. Many people will not understand why you would open source your idea, and think "old school". Many people don't like to "help" people, and cannot comprehend why someone wouldn't want to patent their idea or invention. Patents actually act as retraints to freethought. We're not interested in old school thought here. If people want to help with member projects, or have an "open" project they'd like help with, then that's what this group is about.]
OPEN COMMUNITY: Being open, transparent, and free with knowledge and information is the best way to advance a project or idea and humanity. Sometimes it only takes another person looking at an idea, problem, or project, to suggest a direction, solve the problem, or help advance a project.
OPEN IDEAS: Sharing of ideas is what it’s all about. Open sourcing ideas and projects without expectation of monetary return. This is new thought. Most people think it’s crazy to give away your ideas without some kind of protection. However, without input form others, sometimes we all have a hard time coming up with solutions to problems, or advancing an idea because we’re unable to find help from others. Open sourcing your ideas and projects helps to advance yourself, and helps others too.
OPEN IMAGINATION: Imagine inventing something, posting your idea, and having hundreds or even thousands of people from all over the world each contributing tiny amounts to your project, you could do almost anything.
OPEN MICROFUNDING: This group is also about funding of green related “people-projects” through micro-funding. Many people have ideas they’d like to build or complete. Sometimes it’s something small, but sometimes it’s big and it takes many people to pitch in and help the project along. That’s where microfunding comes in. If enough people come together behind a project and contribute a tiny amount, that project can get done. It’s like building a house, you build it one brick at a time. If it took 5000 bricks to build a house and one person may not be able to di it by themselves, but if enough people got together and got behind a project, they could build the Empire State Building if each person added just one brick.
One brick at a time. That’s all it takes. With the internet we all have the ability to reach out to millions of people. Many people in the USA and countries all over the world have just $5, $10, or $20 they can contribute to a project they believe in, or want to be a part of.
QUOTES:
Educate the people and you will eradicate poverty, hunger and disease.
Ignorance is a disease cured by the free and uncensored distribution of knowledge.
Knowledge creates freedom.
Reality is conceived by dreamers.
If one believes morality comes only from sources without, perhaps one should look within.
I don’t believe in black, or white. Gray is the color of choice. The shade and tone of which is based on fact.
Empower women and you empower humanity.
Truth is relative.
Doubt is reason rising through the fog of faith.
Ignorance and intellectual dishonesty chains the mind of man.I have evolved beyond superstition into an enlightenment of logic, reason, rationality, free thought, free will, evidence, science and reality.
- Eric Wichman (me)