Resources

Search 1594 reviewed sites on all aspects of self reliance
  
or browse by category:
 

Blogroll

Off-Grid.net

Off-grid brings you news, knowledge, discussion, and classifieds from the off-grid world. What seems like a tiny niche is growing in popularity as people seek a life outside of the city. Off-gridders must find ways to produce their own energy, food, water, shelter, and other necessities. Connect with people who live off the beaten path or begin the search for your own property on this site.

Build It Solar

Dedicated to do-it-yourself renewable energy projects, Build It Solar provides hundreds of ideas and plans for any kind of home energy endeavor. New to renewable energy? Start with the "Half Plan" that uses a variety of energy saving projects to cut your energy usage in half. New to solar? Look for the do-it-yourself site survey to understand your property's solar potential. Not limited to solar, Build It Solar also includes tons of projects for wind power and biofuels.

Earth2Tech

Energy self reliance is a big topic for environmental, political, and individual reasons. Earth2Tech posts news about technological developments that can affect us on personal and societal levels. Stay on top of the news about electric cars, the smart grid, the bloom box fuel cell, solar power applications, and LED lightbulbs.

Wisebread

Wisebread is well-known for its advice on real personal finance. It's a community of bloggers who write about frugal living, lifehacks, careers, and other financial wisdom. Being smart with your money isn't supposed to inhibit you: rather, Wisebread's advice helps people worry less about money, allowing you to focus on the really important things in life. They also feature an active forum where you can ask questions and interact with other people who are trying to live within their means.

Instructables

Do you want to know how to build a vertical garden? How about your own solar panel array? Maybe you're looking for ways to reuse a linen closet full of old pillowcases. Instructables is a community based site that allows anyone to post a how-to project complete with photos and instructions. The result: a lifetime's supply of projects that can help you save money, recycle, or simply satisfy your appetite for making stuff.

Survival Spot

Disasters are a reality that shouldn't be ignored. That's the reason Survival Spot was created - to share information about a variety of survival and preparedness topics. Topics cover many aspects of survival, including gardening, food storage, health, and self defense. Also read about getting by in the wilderness and reviews of essential gadgets and gear. Like any other type of self reliance, preparedness is something to get into gradually and this blog can give you ideas on where to start.

Self-Reliance-Exchange

Written by a group of self reliant people, Self Reliance Exchange is quickly building an enormous database that covers a huge range of categories on self reliant practices and philosophies. Anyone interested in self reliance will find something useful to take away from this blog - recipes from scratch, emergency preparedness, and personal finance are great categories to start looking into here.

Simple Self Reliance

This writer explores the concept of self reliance and how self reliance fits in this modern society. How far can you realistically go down the path of self reliance? How can you stay on track with your priorities? He also writes on the grandaddy of self reliance, Henry David Thoreau. We can't wait to see how this blog unfolds!

American Preppers Network

For information and news from the world of emergency preparation, American Preppers Network is a great resource. Learn about food storage, what to expect during a natural disaster, and about other survival techniques. You can also connect with other preppers in your region and all over the world in the forum and through the numerous links to other prepping blogs on the web.

Transportation

The rising cost of gasoline and the monthly expenses for maintenance and insurance mean that driving a car isn't the best option for everyone. Cars allow us to be self reliant, independent travelers, but does the expense place an unnecessary burden on us and force us to be dependent on outside resources?

Another concern is how oil dependence hurts America's ability to be self reliant as a nation. Seeking other forms of transportation, decreasing use of fossil fuels, and advancing alternative transport technologies seem to be the answer to becoming less beholden to other countries, better stewards of the environment, leaders in industry, and allow us to continue enjoying the benefits of personal mobility.

Nevertheless, cars remain a big part of our lives for the time being and so the resources below can lead you to websites on performing do it yourself maintenance and how to navigate the world of buying and selling used cars. There are also plenty of resources on other types of transportation, especially bikes. Considering other options can help you save money on getting around and you'll find that cars aren't always necessary to lead a self reliant lifestyle.

Classifications

 

Latest Additions

How to Think About Living in a Toxic World - May 31, 2010
Riding a bike is one of my favorite ways to be more self reliant, and I’m lucky that I live in a small town with clean air and wide bike lanes. Unfortunately, if you ride a bike in a bigger city, your suspicions about the bad air have been confirmed. A recent study found that nanoparticles emitted....
0 comment    Read more
Experiment: Using Solar for the Home andfor an EV! - LATimes
The writer of this column wanted to buy an electric car, but realized that the electricity used to power the car would come from mostly non-renewable sources. To kill two birds with one stone, she installed a PV array on her roof to power her home and an electric vehicle. However, the process, the rebates, and the cost complicated matters so that it will take years for the system to pay off. That doesn't mean EV's and solar panels can't work for other people; this writer's experience can help anyone learn more about using renewable energy. In spite of the red tape, it's still a good time to make the investment while the rebates are still in place.
Coercing Us to Ride Bikes? DOT's Troubling Policy - Mar 29, 2010
by Lauren Recently the head of the Department of Transportation Ray LaHood announced a new vision for the future of transportation. The announcement appeared on his blog on May 15, 2010: "This is the end of favoring motorized transportation at the expense of non-motorized. We are integrating the....
2 comments    Read more
Google adds biking directions to their web site
Of course riding bikes instead of driving a car falls under the category of self reliance. And while it seems the system Google has put together is not perfect, it will become better over time. Great news for those of you who ride bikes, and great news for those of you beginning to take steps toward a more self reliant lifestyle.
Sunpluggers: Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) Technology Receives More Attention
Researchers and developers are looking at electric cars as a source of portable energy. The cars would be able to store power from a variety of sources, including solar and wind generated sources, and consumers would be able to "sell" their extra power back to the grid.
To be, or not to be, a cyclist
Current project - Created on 02/08/2010 by karihwly
This may or may not be a project for you, the reader. Hello out there cyberspace! This is about making the big life switch-a-roo, to a life of embracing the bicycle. Others have expressed their view....
Follow this project | Comments | Notes to Self | Start a Similar Project
Bicycle Tune-Up Index
Essential for any cyclist: learn how to tune up your own bike by following this 9 step guide. Includes information on what tools you will need.
Bike Web Site: Bicycle Repair Guide
This illustrated guide provides detailed instructions on how to fix almost every type of bicycle problem. Essential for any cyclist!
Live Frugally or Die Broke: I Love My Clunker
Read this cool story! It's about a man pushing his car to its limit.
How to Patch a Flat Tire
Current project - Created on 01/20/2010 by Colorado Aaron - 1 update
The other day I found to my annoyance that my bike had a flat tire! I tried to find a replacement inner tube, but the bike shop down the street has gone out of business (recession?) and Target....
Follow this project | View Updates | Comments (1) | Notes to Self | Start a Similar Project
The Guardian: Keeping Your Bike on the Road
This article is for cyclists. It provides a list of necessary tools for the basic maintenance of your bike.
Get Rich Slowly: How to Sell a Used Car
Want to get rid of that old rust bucket sitting on your front lawn? Use this helpful guide to sell it for maximum profit.
Wired: Take That, Murphy! Our DIY EV Finally Gets a Motor
Learn how Matthew Redd installed his Mars Electric Engine into his Volkswagen beetle bug.
Autocheck
Another great website for reviewing the history of used cars. Check it before you buy it.
Carfax
Looking to buy used cars, Carfax allows you to review its history before you make this huge purchase.
 
  • Follow PathAcross on Twitter Become a Pathacross fan on Facebook
  • Bookmark and Share