Sustainable Off-Grid Living | Van Life

This video was kindly sponsored by the Nick Mourne Foundation. Have you ever dreamed of living off-grid? Well this week we've been experiencing just that here in Devon in a solar-powered self-sufficient van. Whether you're after a lifestyle change or just a holiday, in this video we're going to show you what it's like to live sustainably off-grid and give you some tips if you ever want to give it a go. Welcome back to Going Green. Today we're in the southwest of England at Cochle Camping experiencing van life and off-grid living. This truck started its life as a BBC filming vehicle but was rescued by the owners just outside of London. The platform on top would have been used for filming but it now holds a solar panel which provides all of the energy needed inside of the camper van. When we first arrived we were a little concerned that we may run out of power however the solar panels provided us with more than enough electricity to power the fridge and all of the lights. Inside of the van there's a helpful guide. This included instructions on how to access clean water which we got from a tap not far from the vehicle. The tank at the back of the vehicle can hold a substantial amount of water, so much so that we only had to fill up once during our stay. Water comes out of the tap when you turn on the pump using this button. We kept it off during the day to conserve energy and we also tried to make sure to limit our water usage as much as possible. Firstly because we couldn't be bothered filling it up again and secondly because it's good for the environment. The owners came up with some clever design features to maximise the space within the van. The table in the centre can fold down and the cushions can be laid on top to create an additional bed for a third person. The cupboards in the kitchen are neatly organised and contain everything you need to cook up a full meal. The back of the van opens to reveal additional storage. In the left cupboard is where the gas is kept for the stove, while on the right is where all the electrics are kept. During the winter the van is kept warm using the wood burning stove. Luckily the temperature didn't drop below 10 degrees when we visited so we didn't need it. The van doesn't feature a toilet or shower within, however we were fortunate enough to have toilets and a shower on site where the owners have stocked sustainable toiletries and toilet paper. Outside of the van there are hammocks for lounging, a campfire seating area and a place to eat dinner in the evenings with solar-powered lighting. The van is positioned on a farm in between two small villages in Devon which made us feel like we could truly switch off and connect with nature. And because of the remote setting we saw the best night sky we had ever seen with thousands of twinkling stars. The key things that we learned from living sustainably operated was that you become more conscious of the energy and water you're using and the waste that you're producing when living this kind of lifestyle. The conveniences of modern society hide these from you which is one of the reasons why so many people can be so wasteful. We highly recommend giving sustainable off-grid living a go. Firstly to reconnect with nature, but secondly to grasp an understanding of how many resources you use on a daily basis. You can then take this knowledge back into your normal lifestyle and be more conscientious. We hope that you enjoyed this video please leave a like if you enjoyed it and if you want to see more videos like this then be sure to check out the other episodes on the Going Green channel. Thank you to Yume and Matt from Kushti Camping for letting us stay and thank you for watching. We'll see you in the next one.