Have you ever imagined what it would be like to just walk away from society and live in the mountains for a week or two? No phone, no electricity, no grocery stores. Just you and good old Mother Nature.
That has been Jill Redwood’s life for 30 years.
A Look Into Jill Redwood’s Life Off The Grid
Redwood shared that ever since she was young, she hated how people caused so much damage to forests, animals, and the rest of the planet. She decided that she really just didn’t want to be a part of that. And so, on 15 acres in East Gippsland, Australia about an hour and half from the nearest town, Redwood decided to live a self sufficient life completely off the grid.
Redwood has a large garden as well as an orchard where she gets all of her food to eat fresh and preserve throughout the wintertime. She also gets eggs from her chickens and milk and cheese from her dairy goats.
Her house she constructed herself out of timber and other reused and recycled materials. Her main source of energy comes from the power generated with solar panels, as well as wood burning which she uses to cook, heat water, and keep the house warm in the winter.
Redwood gets water from the rain which she gathers with her roof, and from a nearby river. She uses a remarkable water wheel to pump about a liter of water an hour which she says brings in more than enough water for her gardens, animals, and the house.
How Redwood goes about her life is truly remarkable, and it is inspiring to see how much can be accomplished with just a little extra effort to be more environmentally friendly.
5 Ways To Give Back To The Environment
As intriguing as it sounds, you don’t have to move completely off the grid like Redwood did in order to become more environmentally friendly. Here is a list of 5 simple things that you can do to really give back to the environment.
1. Don’t Waste Water
Lots of energy is used to pump water to your home. Things like taking a shorter shower, shutting off the faucet when you brush your teeth, and only running your washing machine and dishwasher with full loads are all things you can do to help conserve water.
2. Use Cloths To Clean
How many rolls of paper towels do you go through during spring cleaning? Instead, cut up an old t-shirt or sheet to use as cleaning rags. After the house is clean you can always wash the rags and reuse time and time again.
3. Create A Compost Bin
Start saving your kitchen scraps and yard clippings in a pile or bin outside. This is a great way to make use of things that you might otherwise throw away, and keep you from needing to buy compost for your garden!
4. Borrow, Don’t Buy
There are so many opportunities to borrow, rent, or purchase used items rather than buying everything new. This reduces items that go to a landfill, and saves you money at the same time.
5. Say No To Paper And Plastic
Instead of using the paper or plastic bag options at grocery stores, invest in a reusable canvas bag. You can keep the stash in your car, ready to go for every shopping trip.
Conclusion
The world could use a few more Jill Redwoods, couldn’t it? Join the cause and do your part to keep our planet happy by giving back to the environment in simple ways.
