Rugged Sustainability – 2

Well, the original plan was to stay at the Solar Ark for a week, but there was so much to learn that one week somehow became three.

So what makes a man dedicate himself to this sort of off grid life in a stunning but harsh environment in the middle of nowhere?

Arvo & Annie-Hound at the hot springs

In Arvo’s case, the catalyst was practicality. To connect his property to the grid would have cost twice the amount he spent on his solar array, wind turbine, methane digester and underfloor heating. Plus he is the sort of guy who is obsessed with efficiency, so having a whole gamut of energy and heat producing systems certainly keeps him amused.

When he started setting up his place Arvo’s knowledge of off-grid life was limited and it was a case of research, research, research. He has amassed quite a library and used the information to create his own versions of systems he’s read about. His building journey commenced in the mid 90s, before the internet was really loaded with sustainability tips, now his sustainability research is more about bookmarks than books.

As we helped out around the place and learnt more about the intricacies of the house, I couldn’t help but wonder if the way he lived was actually sustainable. One day whilst working on a new grey-water system I asked him what he thought and his response was interesting.

He agreed that the infrastructure he has created is not practical for everyone and also there is a lot of embodied energy in all the systems he has in place. Sure they will last for a long time, but batteries need to be replaced, pumps wear out and so on. His stance is that for him, this was the best option. He has the skills to create and maintain the systems he has developed, but ideally it would be a system that catered for ten or even twenty people. The capacity is there (if the other people were efficient users of energy), all that is needed is a cooperative, community minded bunch of people – something that is increasingly rare in Western culture.

The 'secret' hot springs, worth the hike.

I feel that Arvo is certainly a lot closer to the goal of sustainable living than many other people I have seen. I also think however, that this is the result of an ingenious mind and a vast array of skills. For the most part, creating and running some of the systems he has in place is just not an option for the average Joe, and sustainability needs to get to that point of ease of use if it is to be embraced.

Arvo is tied to his house, it’s very hard for him to leave for anything longer than a weekend. The systems he has created are brilliant, but they need constant maintenance and a depth of knowledge that means anyone house sitting needs to undergo a fair amount of training.

I feel honoured that he shared his time and knowledge with us. I also feel pleased that we were able to look after his place whilst he had some time off, and help him with a bunch of jobs that needed doing. It was not all work though, we managed to enjoy some hikes together (a couple of trips to some local semi-secret hot springs) and some lovely evenings just hanging out and chatting.

He is a wonderful man with so much to share, if you are ever in New Mexico, work your way up into the hills and spend some time learning with this guru.

A landscape of wild and rugged beauty - no civilization in sight