One of our most popular courses is Self-Sufficiency I.   With the world’s population expected to increase by another two billion people in the next thirty years, living more sustainably is becoming increasingly important. 

What does living more sustainably mean?

Sustainability means the ability to maintain something at a certain level. In terms of the world, the world has limited resources, so to be sustainable, we have to ensure that any resources we use are replaced.

It also means fulfilling the needs of the people currently living on earth, without affecting future generations by taking too much.  We also need to ensure that people are taken care of, our environment is taken care of, and there is economic growth.  In our previous blog, we have talked about how people be more food sustainable.  

 

What does living more self-sufficiently mean?

Self-sufficiency means being able to take care of yourself and your needs without any outside aid.  Many people are doing this to varying degrees.  Living in a self-sufficient way can bring up images of people living off grid or growing their own fruits and veggies, or keeping a few chickens.

Living “off grid” traditionally means people who are living not connected to the electricity grid, but it can also mean people who are not connected to other services, such as gas, sewers etc. Some people may have no choice but to live like this, whilst others may make this a lifestyle choice, choosing to live in a more natural, self sufficient way.

 

It is estimated that

• 7 billion people worldwide are living “off grid.”
• 2% of Australians live off grid.
• Every one in 250,000 Americans are currently living off grid.
• There has been an 18% increase in people living off grid since 2019.

 Not everyone wants to go and live in the middle of nowhere and become totally self-sufficient, but there are degrees of self-sufficiency. For example,

• someone might want to grow their own vegetables to consume at home
• they might want to keep chickens to have their own eggs
• grow their own fruit
• make their own soaps and candles

Ways to Live More Self-Sufficiently

We can choose to change our lifestyle and live more self-sufficiently if we are not quite ready to commit to full self-sufficiency.

This might mean choosing to –

 

Grow your own fruit and vegetables

You don’t have to own a large patch of land to grow your own fruit and vegetables. People can grow fruit and vegetables in their own home

• on a window ledge
• on a balcony
• in their garden etc.

Cooking and Planning Meals

How we choose to cook and plan meals can affect our self-sufficiency. For example –

• Say no to takeaways and takeouts. This lead to increased packaging and an increased carbon footprint as the products are delivered.
• Not eating out at restaurants
• Purchasing products with no or limited packaging to avoid unnecessary packaging and waste.
• Only buy what you need. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that more than 70 billion pounds of food waste is tipped into landfills every year.
• Batch cook to avoid using the oven unnecessarily and using up excess food.

Store excess foods

For example –

• Freeze them
• Dry them
• Use them in meals and freeze those
• Make jams and conserves
• Pickle items, such as cauliflower or onions

Compost

Any organic waste you cannot use as food, use as compost.  Improve your soil with nutrient rich material. Keep a compost caddy in your kitchen to make sure that you keep all possible food waste for composting.

 

Clothing

Think about the clothing you buy –

• Avoid fast fashion
• Can you repair or mend clothes instead of getting rid of them?
• Could you make your own clothes?
• Think carefully before buying something new. Do you really need it?
• Give clothes away to charity when you no longer need them. Or sell them on to someone else.
• If they are in too poor a state to be worn as clothes anymore, there might be other uses, such as dusters, little bags, bunting, cushion stuffing etc.

Repairs

Avoid making other unnecessary purchases.

• Could you repair or mend a piece of furniture rather than throwing it away?
• Could you upgrade it eg. Paint it?
• Could you repurpose the item? For example, a broken saucepan could be turned into a flower pot.
• Donate unwanted items to charities or sell them on.

Energy

If possible, opt for renewable energy, such as –

• Wind energy
• Solar energy

Make sure you –

• Turn lights off
• Avoid unnecessary use of gas and electricity

Sustainable Travel

• Walk if possible rather than going in the car
• Use public transport, such as trains and buses

Self-sufficiency starts with –

• Reducing your purchases
• Trying to live more simply
• Living within your means
• Be more conscious about your choices

Our Self Sufficiency Course

If you are thinking of becoming more self-sufficient in a small or larger way, we can help.  We offer self-sufficiency courses. Self-sufficiency I helps you to learn to be self-sufficient in a range of different ways, such as –

• Keeping your own poultry
• Growing your own food
• Earth building
• Good health and nutrition
• Making limited resources go further
• Making your own clothing and crafts
• Recycling
• Conserving energy
• And much more.

Our courses are all studied online or by distance learning, so you can study at a time and location to suit you, working at your own pace. 

 

You can also start at any time to suit you.

 

Find out more about self-sufficiency by clicking on the course information below -

Self-Sufficiency I online course

Other Self Sufficiency Courses.