Imagine heating your home without relying on the local power plant.Jorge and Ella Alvarez, off-gridders in northern Arizona say, "We love being off-grid. It's definitely hard work, but it puts everything in life into perspective. It's surprising to find just how much you can do without. Many people think we have a harsh and depressing lifestyle. Nothing could be further from the truth. We see living off the grid as a gift that has allowed us to be more in touch with nature and each other."These people generally live a life that creates very little waste, growing their own organic fruits and vegetables, and raising chickens and goats for eggs and milk.What exactly is "the grid"? The grid, short for "the power grid," is the linked system that supplies electricity to most homes and buildings in developed nations.The key to getting off the grid is replacing electricity
supplied by a power plant with a renewable energy source, like wind or solar power.As challenging as it may be to live off the grid, most off-gridders feel that the benefits far outweigh the difficulties.By avoiding the consumption of packaged foods, they greatly reduce paper and plastic waste.When the wind blows, the blades move, producing energy which is turned into electricity by a generator.Wouldn't it feel good to meet your need for electricity without harming the environment?Wind power is collected by turbines, also known as windmills.