Living off the grid \u2014 independent of the municipal water supply, sewer, natural gas or electrical power grid \u2014 has long been a dream of survivalists and environmentalists. The autonomy of a self-sustaining house is attractive to them because it not only saves energy, but it also lessens dependence on the government. In the case of disaster, it could be-life saving.<\/p>\n
Architecture has had somewhat of an obsession with the idea, from Earth Houses<\/a> to net-zero buildings<\/a>. But these off-the-grid projects are typically just one or two homes far out in the boonies, a vacation cabin or small dwelling for a family. Some small communities have popped up, but they are rare. These eco-pioneers would like for us all to be self-sufficient, and at their most radical, their ideology is a flat rejection of consumerism and a capitalist society.<\/p>\n