Solar Power for the Condo

My dream is to one day live off-grid, but I hadn't considered trying to find a way to begin this journey in my urban condo.

At the HOA meeting last week, one of my neighbors suggested we look into getting solar panels for our flat roof and any programs (rebates, etc) that our local utility and government may offer to implement this technology.

Here I was researching and dreaming about living off grid, but for some future endeavor and not for here.  Honestly, I didn't think anyone in our building would go for it and I guess I look at this living space as only an interim until I get what I want in life--now that in itself is a lesson on so many different levels, but not for this post.

I had also considered, but not enough to bring it up at an HOA meeting, a building vegetable garden for the little space we have in our courtyard.  There have been discussions about what to do with the unpleasing-to-the-eye space, but no action.  Quite honestly I was concerned about the balance between work on the garden and reaping--you know would people take more than their share--and since I don't want to fight or have resentment with my neighbors I didn't think too long about it.  

We are a small association--only 9 units--and until the past year rarely saw each other; and when we did happen to pass each other while getting our mail or going to our cars, we didn't converse much.   Perhaps when one of our neighbors (young man really) died in his unit last year and wasn't discovered for over a week, it was a little reality check of how much we hermit in our own small community.

Someone else volunteered to do some research on the solar panels and I will do some too and post what I learn here.  I think I will also look into the vegetable garden idea too--and post it too.  I bet we could get something going, like a square foot garden, that would produce enough for all of us.