PHOTO ESSAY
Power Switch
PHOTO ESSAYLife off the grid
By Ian Johnson, CBC News
Posted: Mar 30, 2011 1:42 PM ET
Last Updated: Mar 30, 2011 9:05 PM ET
SPECIAL REPORT: Power Switch
- Main Page: What you need to know about changes to Canada's power system
- Power strategies: Canada and the provinces
- Electricity bill: How much will you be paying in the coming years?
- Power plant database: Find out about the existing and planned plants near you
- Changing ownership: Canada moves from public to private
- Canada's aging infrastructure: Will the grid hold up as demand rises?
Murray and Becky Monk yearned for the best of both worlds: life in the breathtaking wilds of northwestern Ontario and the conveniences of modern life.
They turned their wish into reality by moving to the solitude of a remote lake and setting up their own eco-friendly power system.
With electricity from the sun and wind powering their home in the wilderness, they have full internet and telephone access through a satellite dish — and they never even have to miss a favourite TV show. But living "off the grid" does mean a few sacrifices and some modifications to daily habits.
Here are some snapshots of the couple's life off the grid.
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