Off the Grid
7.32
Ratings: 7.32/10 from 98
users.
Thoreau said that if an emergency struck, a man should be able to leave his home with nothing more than the clothing on his back and feel like he left nothing behind.
Self sufficiency is almost impossible to obtain in modern society.
Did you know there's a dream that still prevails now as strongly as it did in 1882 when Thoreau wrote Walden? It's that of a return to the wild.
This is not the story of hippie-communal-back-to-the-landers, this is the story of what it takes to live with alternative power sources now - to live with nature in this modern age.
This is to be our permanent Walden; a life lived off the grid.
hey all you. Les tell us with in the first 30 seconds exactly what to expect from this documentary. This is NOT the story of "back to the landers" but of alternative power sources now, living with nature in this modern age.
I can assume that none who commented below live the life you espouse to, let a lone his scenario. After all you plugged your computers into a nuclear or coal powered electrical outlet to watch a video. Give the guy a break.
This film is nothing more than propaganda. Also nothing more than an advertisement for the solar, wind, and whatever water product company he was using. Nothing that he did, is in harmony with nature. Everything he has will have to be replaced, and he has to still make money to live his lifestyle. He might be off grid but he's nothing more than a rich guy pushing industry in the wilderness. He Says he can't afford to drill through bedrock, and I completely call his bluff. This guy can afford all kinds of things, but apparently he can't afford enough common sense to do things the right way. Anyone here wanting to know how to honestly live off-grid, the most simple way for a battery is a magnetic battery, based on the way the world rotates. This energy can be used and produced for the masses , or personally, and produces strong currents until it slows, at which point you just turn the magnet, so that it rotates full speeding again. That system can never fail. And I called it, so did my husband, that he would bring in a bulldozer to dig that well. What a lazy loser. Polyurethane foam? Water treatment cartridges he'll have to buy forever for the rest of his life, solar panels that will need fixing and replacing, that wind powered dealio that will obviously have problems, ..... What he's doing in this film , is grasping the people's attention who want to live off-grid first off, and then pounding them with industry and pushing ideas of Industry as a way to simplify your life. When he couldn't be further from the truth, and he knows it. This film is ... Propaganda propaganda propaganda
I think this response said it all. It's just playing pretend but in style.
Vipeyr said:
What about the overall cost? Helicopters delivering supplies? Latest technologies, no recycling of building materials. Using chemicals to insulate your house. Give me a break. I could pay electricity bills for two lifetimes on what this 'sustainable' lifestyle cost. Typical mainstream attempt at taking the city into the bush.
Its good for more than one generation folks...just think about it 50 years from now
Although this is a great watch, it is not actually going off grid.
They are taking the city to the wilderness.
Off Grid means no actual link to the city amenities. (They shop in town for all groceries etc)
They started in the wrong season for sure.
NOT IN ORDER OF NUMBER>
First is cabin and finish it.
Second is bring in chickens, rabbits, ducks, geese, small animals like that ... not raccoons to hinder what you are doing.
Third is Solar Panels and setup.
Fourth is water, they left it to last and now they have no fresh water.
Fifth is that they haven't learned to fish and hunt.
Wow ... I have family that are off grid and realistically off grid.
There's more but I may rant so I'll leave it here.
wow. This was really disappointing! First off, what kind of fool begins building in northern Ontario mid-fall? They could have lived wherever it was they were living, waited for spring, and done things sensibly without needing to hire helicopters (!!!), pay teams of builders, etc., etc. throughout the whole thing I just kept thinking what idiots they were.
The wife wants to live a natural life but that doesn't stop her from bleaching her hair regularly. Wants the "natural life" but has to be a bleached blonde while doing so? Huh?
In the last scene they are shown sitting around a camfire while every light in the house is ablaze. Ever heard of conserving electricity by turning off the lights when you leave a room?
sorry, but this was pathetic and these people are idiots.
One word - Helicopter.
Here's an idea..... build it in the summer. For someone who wants this lifestyle, this is an example of how not to build an eco friendly home.. great example though.
On a plus side.. the Raccoon was funny. You would know that this guy worked in TV, absolute bluff.
This reminds me of the honda prius carbon footprint story, a car that was marketed as an environmental saviour... yet it had the highest carbon footprint of any car produced in 2012 and contained a toxic magnet motor which would only last 5 years.
Buy in to this lifestyle.. this is a sell out, and buying in timber and you live in a forrest... thats like taking sand to the beach... a bluff. Cut the timber a year and a half earlier.. let it season.
.. and not a cost breakdown anywhere.. now thats TV!
Why not just buy an RV camper with all the comforts of home? You can then add solar and portable generators as a backup. Nice to haves would include a poured concrete slab, satellite internet, and a black water pump.
Instant modern living in the wilderness.
I didn't hear what the price tag on this project was. with all the equipment and such I would think it quite costly . Living off the grid is supposed to save money not to spend your life savings. There are cheaper ways to do it. KEEP LOOKING
Between the trucks, equipment, lawn mower, helicopter... where is the living off the grid? How much oil was used in the making of this film. And it takes 150 acres to live off grid? Rediculous.
By the way... Why is talking about "Off the Grid" always connected to alternative electricity ? Maybe because of our addiction to it ? People were "Off the Grid" before it was invented... Check out on how to live "Off the Grid" or "Off any modern convenience at all" : look for Tales from the Green Valley or The Victorian Farm or even the Edwardian Farm inhere. Top !
I had to turn this off after the use of a helicopter. I wanted information and ideas from a documentary, not a "made for TV drama reality" show. Watch it for entertainment, but nothing more.
Watched this a few years ago, never did find out what the mystery bundle was in the pond. The home is located in the area of Burks Falls Ontario.
There isn't any way to make as much money as you would need to do this, without leaving behind a footprint of ecological devastation equal to 10 ordinary households. And money aside, the resource and energy inputs involved would mean that if we all *could* do this, and tried, we would cause ecological devastation on an unprecedented scale.
There's nothing ecologically friendly about living in the country anyway. The amount of infrastructure in terms of transportation and communication is many, many, many times greater per household than in an urban area, where everything is compact.
You are some whiney . You do know Thoreau was widely criticized in his day for relying on other peoples handouts at Walden right? You think Thoreau didn't ever use an axe? He's setting up a little cabin with a solar. Big deal he used a chainsaw. Who said you have to devolve back to the paleolithic to be self-sufficient? It's not Luddites - The Documentry
These self indulgent m*rons would have done the whole world a favor by donating the land for preservation and then purchasing an existing home and retrofitting it to be self sufficient...you know?...recycling an existing home?
Just another spoiled rich kid who wanted to make money off of a documentary to further line his pockets.
What a complete pile of crap.Typical "more money than sense".
This is why Les Stroud is way more awesome then Bear Grylls
Excellent comments here.
These guys 'r tough stuff and worth anybody's respect -- but.. "I love being able to take power from the sun and not destroying any rivers or trees or anything like that" does kind of bring on a chuckle. I guess if i'd never quite made it to Bono or Sting status i might also try to change the world in my own quaintly rock 'n strolly little way..
Photovoltaic panels, battery arrays, plassy home insulation ( so very eco) , helicopters, trucks, bandsaws, it appears never used any conventional power and oil sources. Earthmovers, welldiggers, building crews ----- jeez this lot must have cost half a million. But most of us aren't earning musicians and we didn't inherit a family fortune or win any lottery. So this little eco drama must remain in the realms of pornography since it sets no realisable example. Thanks to the film makers for a good laugh though. The kind of amusement one feels when the guy who spends his entire salary each month on homeopathic medicine, cures and crystals all his life suddenly subscribes to orthodox medicine when he's diagnosed with cancer. And i thought i was delusional..
If as he says the central message was 'get off the grid' perhaps it would have made more sense to show people how to do it in the urban setting as opposed to some unattainable Walden pond. Just remind us to start in March.. not phekken November?
Excellent comments here. These guys tough stuff and worth anybody's respect -- but.. "I love being able to take power from the sun and not destroying any rivers or trees or anything like that" does kind of bring on a chuckle. I guess if i'd never quite made it to Bono or Sting status i might also try to change the world in my own amusingly rock n rolly little way..
Photovoltaic panels, battery ararys, plassy home insulation ( so very eco) , helicopters, trucks, bandsaws, it appears never used any conventional power and oil sources. Earthmovers, welldiggers, building crews ----- jeez this lot must have cost half a million. But most of us aren't earning musicians and we didn't inherit a family fortune or win any lottery. So this well-intended eco show must remain in the realms of pornography since it sets no realisable example. Thanks to the film makers for a good laugh though. The kind of amusement one feels when the guy who spends his entire salary each month on homeopathic medicine, cures and crystals all his life suddenly subscribes to orthodox medicine when he's diagnosed with cancer. And i thought i was delusional..
If as he says the central message was 'get off the grid' perhaps it would have made more sense to show people how to do it in the urban setting as opposed to some unattainable Walden pond. Just remind us to start in March.. not September?
I own 10 acres of land off the grid in Central Oregon. I can tell you it is not as easy as Les makes it out to be. Thats right- It is a lot harder if you don't have the resorces that Les has. You might not know that he has had the show called "man verses wild" and probably has a good size bank account to help him and his endevors. The average Joe doesn't and to do what he has is more difficult that he made it out to be. I have been working on my 12x20' cabin for nearly 2 years. I still am not able to move in. Working and trying to make a living take up much of my time. One has to be able to live where they are trying to build their dream which is often not possible. You want to live away from society and the rat race which means it takes a lot more time and effort (not to mention money) to be self suffient. You have to really count the costs and effort it takes to do this. It may not be what you think it is. I know- I have been trying to live the life for 30+ years. It is not easy.
this was not what i have expected. trucks, helicopters, teams of workers, going to and from the city...
i was expecting them to build a house like pioneers, not with a shitload of high tech tools and people at their disposal. guess living simply really is impossible now.
Lot of Haters!
This started out well and promised a lot, turns out that for a simple life off the grid you need a team of builders, more money than sense and a helicopter.
'' that's life in the bush''
Although I understand where everyone is coming from. I can't help but point out that I don't recall him ever speakng about going "green". He just said off the grid, which means POWER grid. Not that they were abandoning the society their from... There were some points where I wonder why on earth they spent sooo much wasted time and money.