In 1970, British rock band Led Zeppelin crafted one of their biggest hits, “Stairway to Heaven,” in an idyllic cottage in rural Wales.
The traditional stone and slate Welsh cottage, known as Bron Yr Aur, had no electricity or running water at the time — just beautiful countryside views and the perfect degree of solitude to inspire songs, words, and thoughts.
Today, not much has changed besides the occupants.
Residents Scott (43) and Ruth (39) Roe, along with their 8-year-old daughter, have kept Bron Yr Aur off the grid, turning it into a hub of renewable activity, Marketplace reports.
They generate four different types of energy on their 1/3-acre “micro farm” — wind, solar, hydro, and wood burning power — and their water supply comes from the same stream that has been providing water to the property for hundreds of years.
“Getting the energy you need from these sources is really hard,” the couple told Marketplace, but it’s worth it: “We can say — hand on heart — that we are doing everything in our lives to to reduce global warming.”
It’s also cost efficient. The Roes estimate they save £11,630 a year — about $16,539. (Going forward, all costs and figures have been converted from British pounds to approximate US dollars).
Business Insider spoke with the family about their low carbon lifestyle, the cost advantages (and hidden costs) that come with living off the grid, and what it’s like to live on the property that draws Led Zeppelin fans from all over the world:
Read the full business insider article here
http://uk.businessinsider.com/living-off-the-grid-bron-yr-aur-wales-2016-1?r=US&IR=T
