View allAll Photos Tagged offthegrid
Walking on an unimproved makeshift path and came upon an isolated cottage deep in a rural woods. An area known for trouble.
Niland, California ~ East Jesus
I had the most wonderful photography experience of my life on my last trip to California. I visited the deserts of south Cali; Niland, California.
So much of our "America" that is uncovered... or covered...
This "Russian Stove" fireplace is the centerpiece of this energy efficient ('off the grid') Southern Vermont home.
Designed by my uncle, this stove can heat most of the house, burning only a couple 3 to 4 inch split logs twice a day.
Key features of the design are an airtight combustion chamber (which draws air directly from the outside), and the huge mass of stone, which stores and slowly releases the heat from the morning and evening 'burn'.
The photo also demonstrates an alternative use of the stove as an indoor climbing wall :-)
Note: For more information about energy efficient living you can write Paul at myerspe@starband.net.
The most interesting photo tagged "Solar Power" on Flickr (29-Nov-2006)
Additional Notes (3-Dec-2006)
Electricity generation
2 turbine windmills
2 kinds of solar panels (rigid and amorphous/strips)
Heating/Water
Russian stove (closed chamber wood stove, thermal mass heating system)
solar water heating panels
gas powered radiant heating in the floor.
Low Energy Lighting & Appliances
Because of careful selection of lighting and appliances, the house is able to run within its energy budget almost all of the time.
After 2 years of running completely off-grid (with backup gasoline generator), installed electrical hookup, mostly used to feed excess capacity back into the grid.
More Notes:
There are 2 ways to decrease home energy use.
1. Reduce power consumption.
2. Install a renewable energy system
The first can be as simple as replacing high usage incandescent bulbs with new compact flourescent bulbs and lighting fixtures. Around here, you can buy these products at a discount thru programs sponsored by the electric company (NStar).
Another good idea is replacing old appliances with newer energy efficient models.
There is a lot of information about energy saving here :
www1.eere.energy.gov/consumer/tips/
If you are interested in solar energy or other sustainable energy generation technologies, I suggest taking a look at www.homepower.com/ a magazine dedicated to "home-scale renewable energy and sustainable living".
This site has an overview article on Renewable Energy which is relatively short and clear. www.homepower.com/files/featured/HP116_pp46-50_Casale.pdf
File: DSC_5923_ACR
Parked out at the Earthship community on the West Mesa near Taos, NM. A plethora of eclectic items around here. This is an interesting place, but really off the wall and a bit eerie.
A ranch near the coal-powered Fayette Power Project in La Grange, Texas snapped while speeding (you know... goin' the speed limit) down Highway 71. Passenger, NOT the driver..
Machinery used for power generation and mining are displayed in front of the Gas Station in Panamint Springs in Death Valley National Park, California. The sign among the Machinery gives the price of gas the day we drove through. $4.99 per gallon for regular gasoline! That is high even in California. Panamint Springs Resort and its gas station operates completely off grid, which means they have no access to public utilities. All the resort’s electricity is produced by a diesel generator that runs 24 hours per day. The water comes from spring fed Darwin Falls and is piped in 5 miles. I have seen visitor reviews that call the gasoline price at the service station in Panamint Springs the highest in the Continental US. I don’t know if that is true but I can tell you the prices are very high but not bad when you consider the overhead. They generate on site all the power used by the gasoline pumps and the service station. That plus delivery costs to a remote location means that running this gas station is not a cheap endeavor.
The internet unravelled. Systems collapsed. Within days, the digital world vanished—no signals, no power, no fuel. Money, wages, pensions: gone. Transport ground to a halt. Yet, in the chaos, people endured. This series captures the resilience of those left to navigate a world stripped bare of technology
Seeing truly wild animals in their native environment is such a privilege....and its moments like this one that find a permanent place deep inside one's soul.
I don't know how big flickr will let this be viewed; most of the interesting stuff is out there on the horizon between cloud and desert. But the clouds had to be included and that biggish off-the-grid place down there, I bet that's nice and quiet at night.
From partway up the Tom's Thumb Trail, Scottsdale.
A winter sunset in the High Desert, Yucca Valley and Joshua Tree, California border.
Sunsets in the Mojave Desert are some of the most spectacular in the world. Light passes through the atmosphere that contains much less pollution than other locations. Sand in the air also adds to the vibrancy and brilliance of the colors produced in the sky.
Sony A7s + Rokinon 14mm f/2.8. Motion controlled by a Syrp Genie I.
Close to the Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh railway line is this basic home that someone has made.
There are no amenities at this remote spot but the scenery is outstanding.
An earthship is a home that is composed of natural and recycled materials. They are off the grid, utilize solar power, are built somewhat into the ground to help regulate temperature, collect water from rain, and are pretty much self sustaining constructions. This particular earthship also had a greenhouse inside that housed plantlife, turtles, birds, and fish. There were chickens in the backyard, too. It also had 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a waterfall, fireplace, and full kitchen. .There is a collection of these earthships out in that region North-West of Taos, New Mexico. As far as I could see in every direction was desert and mountains (Sangre de Cristo). The community is called the Greater World Earthship Community.
For my official site and inquiries, please visit photography.JosephLekas.com
The internet unravelled. Systems collapsed. Within days, the digital world vanished—no signals, no power, no fuel. Money, wages, pensions: gone. Transport ground to a halt. Yet, in the chaos, people endured. This series captures the resilience of those left to navigate a world stripped bare of technology
A walk along the beach....what could be more relaxing? The daily grind put to halt. Fresh air and ocean breezes. Short lived? Sure. But enjoy it while you can!
My annual retreat to Nuevo Vallarta.....to stop the world and enjoy life.
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The golden light of the setting sun casts a warm glow over the rugged mountains and flowing dunes, creating a breathtaking contrast between stone and sand. The landscape tells a tale of time, where wind and erosion have sculpted an ever-changing masterpiece of nature’s artistry. A place of solitude, mystery, and boundless beauty.