Quite a few residential solar power systems have been installed in the last decade. The vast majority (90%) are grid intertied without battery backup and are installed for the purpose of reducing power bills and power plant emissions. The average system cost is 28K. These solar power systems are a good thing, but all that green energy has not kept up with power demand and we are emitting more greenhouse gases than ever. Some of those same solar power households have genera

In 1993, I was recently divorced and broke but the homing instinct was strong, so I kept searching for land to build a homestead.  My companion found a listing for 24 well-endowed acres next to a small dairy farm, 20 miles from a university town.  The owner had lots of land and debts to pay so he financed the 24 acres for $2,000 an acre with 20K down. We borrowed the 20K down payment from our parents. and I later built a tiny straw bale house, now much improved, with credit c