Create a Sustainable Subsistence Strategy: 
One couple/ One apartment
I am proposing a challenge, to kick-off this blog project. I call it the U.S.L. Introductory Challenge-2008. Imagine that you need to plan a sustainable subsistence strategy for two adults in a one-bedroom apartment with only one, south-facing window. The apartment is in a typical north-eastern city, such as Boston. Assume they have access to plenty of water and access to public sewage disposal. They will start their project with $200 and no household supplies--only furniture, tableware, and kitchenware, plus a small quantity of clothing and bedding. They have no objection to eating meat or dairy products, but do not feel the need to eat them every day.
Whereas future challenges will ask for proposals to be presented as a completed project, this challenge will be a collaborative effort. Anyone may participate. The finished plan will serve as the prototype for all other Challenges. Feel free to post descriptions or designs.
Here's how it works:
I. Consider what purchases will need to be made for start-up items or consumable supplies, using only the $200 they started with, plus new money generated from any home-based business ventures.
II. What is the plan for eating?
---A) What vegetables will they raise; what will they use for fertilizer; and what will the growing set-up be?
---B) Will they raise any meat or fish protein? If so, keep in mind that most cities have ordinances against farm animals.
---C) If they don't raise meat or fish, what plan is there for balanced protein consumption? Will they raise beans?
---D) Will they raise grain? If so, how will it be processed?
III. What is the plan for heat/cooling and for electricity?
IV. What is the plan for cleaning and hygeine?
V. What is the plan for processing trash and waste in such a way that whatever cannot be recycled can safely be sent through sewer lines?
VI. How will they replace clothing and bedding? Will they raise a source of fiber and process it into yarn or cloth?
***Post suggestions or comment on the suggestions of others. Use pictures or designs whenever you can, but keep them small, please. Now--It's time to start planning.....
5 comments:
I found a web site that explains how to make a Sun Jar:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Home-made-Sun-Jar/. Thanks to the following blog for great pictures of both a Sun Jar and a Moon Jar:
http://www.jollygreenblogger.co.uk/2007/12/sun-jars-are-eco-tastic.html
It seems to me that two people would need around 10 acres of land to produce enough to take care of themselves. But, this is an excellent idea since most people can afford the land and in these times its needed just to get by. so good job!
Me and my family have an outdoor garden, 3 ducks and a mini chicken. The birds are really useful anymore though, they started breaking the eggs. and it winter now so the garden is of no use. So we are thinking of different ways to have vegies all year long "like you". We are currently devising a way to turn our old shed into a barn for hens and a goat and are trying to put plants on our front porch. Keep this blog up! it's helpin us out :-)
You may be correct, if they are trying to do it without the help of community. However, I think a network of people helping each other just might be able to pull it off. See the latest chapter in the story of the Footprints, when they find a "Green Buddy." (http://urbansubsistenceliving.blogspot.com/2008/09/footprint-family-story-of-urban.html)
This would certainly be quite a challenge.
With regards to animals, although farm animals would be out of the question, does their apartment permit pets such as rabbits or birds? Do they have a balcony? How large?
Electricity production would most likely be impossible due to apartment regulations. Even if they were permitted to do something like set up solar panels on their balcony, they wouldn't be able to hook them into their mains system.
Container growing enough vegetables to live off is certainly possible. I'd start off with vegetables that can be eaten as sprouts, but can also be grown to full size, such as beets, so that they can have something to eat immediately, but leave some to grow to maturity. A vermicomposting bin would also be good - suitable for the space restrictions of an apartment, and will produce the fertilisers they will need to grow their own food.
Thanks for contributing. I would think that most apartments would be OK with a few quail or rabbits, as long as they were caged. If not, I'm sure they would not object to raising fish. I would not count on an apartment having a balcony, but a couple of sunny windows can usually be arranged. I would think that solar panels that could charge batteries would be feasible. A couple of small scale wind generators (for battery charging)could even be placed outside the window.
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