Learning Sustainability on Great Barrier Island NZ
When we travelled the North Island of New Zealand last March we were so fortunate to have a chance to add a side trip to Great Barrier Island to our itinerary. Great Barrier Island is a 4.5 hour ferry ride away from Auckland and is gorgeous and pretty much off the grid. It's a large island but is really remote and quite out of the way.
The island is home to around 1,000 people and runs completely off solar, rainwater and propane for cooking. When you come from the city as I do it's hard to fathom how that would work but the reality is that it does and incredibly well at that. We had a chance to get out and do some fishing and did the ocean ever provide.
We caught tons of fish one day and what wasn't eaten was smoked and stored for a later meal. It's amazing how much smarter people are with resources and how incredibly wasteful life in the city feels after spending time there.
It's a total shared economy on the island and everybody helps each other out. Our host had lent some gear to a buddy and when we came home one day this guy was waiting in the sink for us.
You really make an effort to conserve water and power so it's there when you really need it. The awareness that comes when you put on your headlamp when it's dark outside is huge. You really respect the resources when you get a chance to live with them firsthand in this fashion instead of being in the city and flipping a switch to turn on the lights. What's really cool is the contrast of having all the amenities there as you do in a city, just in a more controlled aware fashion.
It's an incredible opportunity to get a chance to really experience life this way and it forever changes the way you look at things. You walk away from the experience knowing that it really is possible and workable to live off the grid and make it work. When you're just in the city it's hard to see how that could actually work. Couple that with a stunningly beautiful island backdrop and you've got a winning combination. If you have the chance to visit Great Barrier Island definitely go!
You'll be able to see stars for miles at night, obviously ambient city light isn't an issue and it's absolutely breathtaking!
Looking back at these photos makes me want to leave the city right now! Has anyone here been able to create an off the grid lifestyle? What an incredible way to live, so beautiful!
Sure did get some fish! If you have Steemit questions, don't be shy about asking! Enjoyed this post and upped.
Thanks so much, I'm so glad you liked it and will probably have questions on Steemit. So much to figure out here when you're new. Great Barrier Island is an incredible place with so many fish! Just went over and followed you... congrats on all you've done here!!
Thanks so much. You have done the hardest part and that is to get started. The rest will follow. If you have questions, feel free to ask. I know when I was starting out, the big question for me was, Is it real? Is the money really what it appears? I can say yes, it is real and is fun, so keep Steeming!
Hello @judym Steem is beautiful and your post is high quality content and a joy to read and view. Upvoted > resteemed and followed you.
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Thank you so much, I really appreciate that! Looking forward to going through the Quick Start Guide, that's going to be incredibly helpful. One of the greatest things I've found about Steemit is everyday here something new comes along that helps me make get more clarity and confidence on the platform. It's a process. Hope you're having an awesome day! :)
Congrats @judym you have been featured along with nine other minnows on "Steem Is Beautiful Trail" Come take a look and please support the other minnows. You are an important part of our community. Resteem so others can support you and the others.
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Thank you so much! Really appreciate this. Will check out everyone else here and support them. No words to describe how awesome things are here at Steemit. Hope you're having an epic day!! :)
What an amazing adventure the pictures are fantastic, upvoted and following :)
Thanks so much, I really appreciate that :)
Your more than welcome, keep posting, reading, voting and commenting You will do great on here :)
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This is such quality work. Beautiful photographs and you can write as well. Tomorrow you're going in my best-of post. I look forward to more.
There's something soul-satisfying about using all your resources to their maximum. And there's nothing so powerful as a community that works together to do it.
Thank you so much. I'm really excited to be part of this community, it's an incredible place to be.
great blog 👍
Oh wow, what beautiful pics!! So glad you had such a great time, am looking forward to reading your other posts :)
Thanks so much!! Your magnificent country is literally a work of art. Everywhere we turned there was stunning diverse beauty that just kept getting better the more we explored. :)
@judym I have always thought the very same about your country!!! I would love to visit. I also have pics of the Vancover Canucks in my office as my Son is an avid fan and got me hooked. Small world huh?
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Woooooooowee you are so much fun and you power pack it into your post. Keep up the high energy it's wonderful.Excellent post ... you get a follow, upvote and resteem.
So awesome, thank you!! That's an epic fishy there :)