Could you live off-grid? #COL

Recently I spent a weekend in Dingle, on the remote West Coast of Ireland. We went for a walk on the wild headlands and stopped to stare at the small islands across the cold stretch of grey water.

A few remote houses dotted the largest one. Not more than five, on a tiny, rugged, remote rock in the middle of the sea.

I stood for a long time contemplating life on that island. The same people day in, day out. No electricity, no shops, no roads, no pubs. What would you do there? What would you miss? And why would you choose it when just a jump across the narrow stretch of water was the mainland?

Flogas recently spoke to 910 Brits and found that 85% of people have, at some point, considered moving away from the city to live “off-grid.” That's a massive number of people looking for escape. 

Other findings from the survey included

•          Most people prioritise running water, electricity and gas for cooking and heating as top priorities, but around 8% don’t see them as a priority at all in a remote area.

•          80% of respondents think that living in a remote area would suit them.

•          Almost half of respondents would miss their smartphone within a week!

(A week??! Try an hour!)

•          Running water was voted as the most important service, followed closely by gas and electricity.

•          Men were found to have more of an urge to break away from society than women (34% of men vs. 28% of women).

•          An impressive 77% of people are confident of their abilities to change a gas canister.

•          25% of people are confident of their ability to self-sustain, ranking a local shop as a low priority when living in isolation.

•          25% of millennials often want to get away from society.

Could you do it? Would you do it?

Hand on heart I know I couldn't. A week off grid maybe - but anything more than that sounds a bit too much like hard work. There's too many things I'd miss. Not least of all you lot!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. Find out more about Flogas and their business gas prices here. For more on the survey see #IWouldMiss