How to Become More Self-Sufficient
Times are showing us that we all need to become more self-sufficient with our lifestyle habits and the way that we manage our lives on a day-to-day basis.
07/01/2023
So many things are happening at the moment and if there is one thing that stands out more than anything else, it is the fact that we need to be more self-sufficient. Yes, we have family and friends and possibly a community around us, but self-sufficiency is also about the ability to satisfy your own basic needs, whether it is self-sufficiency as concerns water and power or self-sufficiency concerning food. I might be a bit of a 'prepper' at heart, but what's wrong with being prepared for any eventuality? Let's be honest, we have had a lot of things thrown our way in the past couple of years and it is becoming harder to see a light at the end of the tunnel, so what can we do to make our lot easier?
1. Grow what you eat
Growing what you need to eat is not something we can do on a large scale, but it should be something we work towards on a small scale when it comes to vegetables. Even those that do not have access to a garden can grow plants on a balcony and now with grow lamps being readily available, you can even set up a small garden in your home. We are not talking about a full-scale operation but rather growing fresh tomatoes, green beans, lettuce or cabbage, spinach or greens, or potatoes and squash if you do have the space.
Starting small will help increase your knowledge of what works and doesn't and the best methods for managing what you grow. From there, you can look at taking this to a larger scale and becoming more self-sufficient in what you produce.
2. Make what you can
The art of being self-sufficient is being able to manage your lifestyle without outside assistance. We might not yet be at such an extreme stage but there is nothing wrong with learning how to do it yourself. Being able to make and repair clothing, pickle, and preserve your grown produce, and most of all, learn to purchase with purpose and not spend money on wants rather than needs.
3. Be more sustainable
Everyone wants to be sustainable in one way or another, whether it is opting for a lifestyle that reduces the amount of waste you produce, choosing an eco-friendly lifestyle, or looking for ways to save water and energy at home. In these difficult times, it is also about managing your home life without power since we spend so many hours without it. Many households are experiencing the one devastating downside of load shedding - the theft of power cables and malicious damage to equipment. Try living without power for 3 or more days and you quickly realise that changes need to be made.
- Add gas
Living without power when all your appliances run on electrical power will quickly show that you need to rethink your priorities. Nowadays, it is far better to think of dual-power homes or homes fitted with solar panels. If you have a gas stove and electric oven, you will still be able to cook meals, boil water for drinks, or even boil water for washing and cleansing.
Solar power is still too expensive for many homeowners but perhaps consider the option of starting off small with 2 or more solar panels that will provide your home with essential lighting in the evenings, or even an installation that runs the geyser. That way, you will be able to carry on with everyday living with less inconvenience.
- Add power
Another readily available source of energy to power the home is a generator-inverter. This is not a basic generator but one that includes a battery. The generator powers the battery, and you draw safe power from the battery to run appliances in your home. However, before you buy a generator-inverter, calculate how many watts you need to pull to power specific appliances. For example, a 900W microwave requires 900 Watts to run, add in your TV, Wi-Fi, and a few essential lights and you are going to need around 1500 Watts of power. Make sure whatever model generator-inverter you purchase can cover your Wattage requirements.
From personal experience, I now have 2 generator-inverters; one I use for running two TVs, Wi-Fi, 4 lights, laptop and phone charger, and the other I use for keeping the refrigerator and chest freezer running from time to time to ensure they do not defrost.
Kit all your indoor lights with rechargeable globes. These will automatically switch on when the power goes off. Most will run for around 3 hours but at least they will provide essential light when you need it.
A UPS (uninterrupted power supply) is ideal for regular load shedding but in the event that the power goes off for longer, you will not have a way to recharge the UPS battery.
- Add water
While we haven't yet reached the stage where we have a regular uninterrupted water supply (on top of everything else), it might not be that far into the future. Extended or widespread power outages will also result in water stations being unable to pump water. Even though it may only be for a day or two, investing in a rainwater harvesting tank will supply you with water to flush toilets and for daily cleansing. Do remember to have the tank fitted with a tap that allows you to easily draw water from the rainwater tank.