When common sense and being human doesn’t prevail

The best in the west is not always the best…

I am always a long believer that the west has more to learn from Africa than it does helping Africa. I know my life if significantly ‘richer’ from having spent some time in parts of Africa. I have learnt invaluable lessons on resilience, resourcefulness, community, sharing, etc…

This learning and these perspective turned into total frustration in the past week or so. I got news that the Happy, simply self-sufficient tiny home that I built with a group of volunteers in Australia in June last year will need to be moved. It needs to be moved because of ‘litigation and insurance concerns’. I have agreed with the group and I even understand where they are coming from and why, and if I was in their position I would be making the same decision so I don’t have ill feelings towards them or the eco village community. What it does though is sicken me to the bottom of my heart that humanity and common sense cannot prevail.

It have been 1000x harder taking this news while being in South Sudan where common sense, personal responsibility and being human is still the normal way of life. Example: if you trip on the footpath (if there is one or there is one without most of it missing) you are the unlucky one and it is your fault for not watching out more closely while walking. Even if you are in a building that was not well made and it collapses on your head you are unlucky but still it is your personal responsibility.

I do agree there needs to be standards and we should try to meet those standards but in the end if you have made a decision to walk down the street or enter into a place, you are responsible for the consequences – just as humans had been until about 100 years ago in the west and as they mostly are in place like here in South Sudan.

When the line really goes off the chart for common sense and into pure inhuman, made-up, artificial, this-has-somehow-become-the-ridiculous-norm territory is when litigation and insurance worries override human common sense. If you stay in the Happy, simply home and in the very highly unlikely minuscule chance you get hurt, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for it to happen but you are responsible as you took the choice to stay there. If it was because of my fault I would be a good human and help where possible and apologise appropriately. What I wouldn’t do is go beyond that owing you all I have, forever. Accidents happen and unlucky consequences should be dealt with as a human not as a programed inhuman money-wanting victim role-play. I certainly know that there are a lot of people dead, maimed or hurt in South Sudan because of accidents and unlucky situations but their natural mandate is to not make others and the system a victim along with them.

Western countries should use setting standards as a good service tool for communities to try and lessen accidents where possible but what we have is a system to create fear, scare people and allow the worst case scenario to dictate decisions and actions.

I don’t want to continue this rant as I could for a long time and a lot of people would probably follow along agreeing with me. So referencing my current surroundings in South Sudan  – I love the way of life in the countries I have been in Africa. It is sometimes raw, rough and unforgiving but it is real.

I am very sad that the Happy, simply home won’t remain in the eco village and I wish being human and self-responsibility won at the end of the day. The best news is the Happy, simply home might have found a new wonderful spot so you will be welcome to stay – as long as you take responsibility for yourself!

Happy simply home Needs a little happy simply help to complete

A post here from my Happy, simply home ally in South Australia, Beau. He is keen to finish off the home in Aldinga so people can start staying there as there is a lot of interest around for people to experience the Happy, simply home and lifestyle. Please have a read and if there is anything or anyway you might be able to help that would be greatly appreciated by myself, Beau and anyone wanted to taste the Happy, simply home and lifestyle… Thanks Beau! Also see a little excerpt on Free Money Day that Beau and others partook in on Sustainable House Day…

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Sustainable House Day

Sunday 14 September was Sustainable House Day (http://sustainablehouseday.com/).  It’s a national event where homeowners open their doors to the public to showcase the sustainable features of their homes.

The Aldinga Arts EcoVillage had 5 homes open, as well as one tiny, happy, simple home 🙂  We estimate that between 150-200 people visited the village.  It was a great opportunity to get exposure for the project and promote the Happy, simply lifestyle model.  A big thanks to Sam for helping out on the day.  His beautiful, hand carved spoons added a lovely touch to the home, which you can check out here:

http://www.lowimpactman.com.au/

Although I was excited to be sharing the project with people, I felt a little sad to have to keep repeating the line, “When the home is officially completed….” almost 3 months after we ‘finished’ the build.  Unfortunately I have been in and out of hospital in the past few months and not had the motivation or health to push things forward.  This combined with d’Arcy being overseas has meant that things have stalled and we are unable to open the home to the public.  I also want the volunteers who worked on the build to be able to spend a night in the home – something I remember many people looking forward to, particularly the Heathfield students.

So I’m calling on everyone out there reading this post to please consider if you can help us get the home to final completion.

The main tasks we need are:

• Repair / replacement of the front door that smashed.  It’s an odd shape and new glass will be very expensive, so we’re considering perspex, a new door or glass replacement.  If you know of someone who has the skills and / or materials to fix the door, please email happysimplyhome(at)gmail.com – all suggestions and assistance welcome.
• We may also need a blind / screen for this door come Summer, again suggestions and materials welcome.
• Electrical work – we need to connect the solar panels to the battery system and then connect the lights.
• A gas bottle for the outdoor stove
• Installation of fly screen on the western window
• Disassembly and disposal of a workbench that has an asbestos top
• Installation of skirting and architrave

Please help to bring this project to a stage where it can be shared.  The construction was a wonderful education project but the happy, simply home can’t really be appreciated until the guest book has a lot more names in it.

I hope to hear from lots of you in the near future.

Beau

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Free Money Day

Monday 15 September is Free Money Day – an international event where people give money away to strangers on the street because sharing is fun and to perhaps engage in conversations about money and what it means to us.

We decided to celebrate a day early and incorporate Free Money Day into Sustainable House Day.  We offered people two, one dollar coins.  It was an interesting experience and a little weird.  I found most people were quite taken aback by the concept and felt very awkward accepting money.  Many wouldn’t accept it at all or offered to donate it back, some even wanted to contribute their own money to the pot.  I was left wondering if free hugs or free muffins would have been met with the less resistance.

Amongst the looks of confusion and scepticism, we did manage to have a few genuinely interesting conversations and brought about quite a few smiles.  About three people accepted the offering with gratitude and nothing more was said – my favourite response of all.  We began the day with $180 and only managed to give away $60.  Who would have thought giving away money would be so difficult?  Thanks to Amy for contributing to the pot and helping out on the day. 

I spent most of the day thinking about how $2 seems such a frivolous amount of money in our society.  Meanwhile, there are billions of people in the world relying on that amount to live each day.  To experience a glimpse of what that might be like, challenge yourself to Live Below the Line. https://www.livebelowtheline.com.au/ 

Editor note: I can vouch for both of these programs as I have helped design and participated in them often – great perspective and experience makers – Have a go!

Happy Simply SA in Pictorial/Photo Form

Hi Folks. So this blog site will be kept up on an occasional basis from here on but I thought it would be nice to dedicate the second to last post on a pictorial look at the Happy, simply build in South Australia…

The next post (on the booking process for the Happy, simply home in SA) will be a last one in a little while as I am going on a 1500km walk in Japan for an idea I call Teaspoons of Change… which are personal choices, decisions and actions that have a positive impact on people and the planet one teaspoon at a time… http://teaspoonsofchange.wordpress.com/  https://www.facebook.com/teaspoonsofchange

Enjoy the photos from before to after of the Happy, simply home in South Australia!

Happy, simply SA – Final Week!

Just a quick update as Happy, simply enters it’s final week (officially but with probably more to do after…)!

• Tomorrow (Wednesday) sees a builder out for the day to help us put on two eves/pergolas/awnings/shelter thingies on to the front and back deck plus last plaster inside and maybe guttering and tank stand…
• Thursday – first coat of paint for almost all the remaining surfaces, door handles, toilet shelter completion and hopefully maybe second coat of paint
• Friday – any last painting to be done so then cornering, architraves and final door/window frames and then laying in the floor
• Saturday – whatever is left over plus: custom shelving, skirting, door and window painting, day couch/night bed, temporary front deck and steps – I even hope to spend a night in it on Saturday night!
• Sunday – Happy, simply Open Day – open house from 12 noon followed by solar workshop from 1pm
• Monday and beyond the Happy, simply home open to one and all – plus for the first few weeks some minor things that I am sure will need doing…

Looking forward to the weekend and the last few days of the build before I head off on Monday but hope you can make it at some stage or all the stage from now till Sunday!

How cool does this look! Only thing missing is a little shelter on the back deck that will be toilet / shower and a smaller one that will be the bike shed

Happy, simply

Sums it all up!

Happy, simply Presentation / Q&A 13 June

Keep this date free for a Happy, simply presentation at the Adelaide City Library in collaboration with Adelaide Sustainable Building Network and Adelaide City Council…

Happy Simply South Australia

Self-sufficient sustainable tiny home off the grid (and under $2000!)

Adelaide City Council with Adelaide Sustainable Building Network are hosting an interactive presentation on the sustainable Happy, simply tiny house community project.

Event Details:

• Friday 13 June; 6-7pm
• Adelaide City Library – Level 3 Rundle Place, 77 Rundle Mall – access via Francis St lifts or through the carpark lifts (map: https://goo.gl/maps/DFAfH and more info here)
• Free!
• RSVP and questions: happysimplyhome@gmail.com  or see you there on the night

What’s it all about?

This presentation will explore the ideas of simplicity, self-sufficiency and sustainability.

d’Arcy Lunn will talk about his own project ‘Happy, simply’: a sustainable lifestyle model and education project promoting simplicity, sustainability and self-sufficiency. The end product: a ‘tiny house’ built for less than $2,000!

What will we cover?

• The components and a holistic approach to a happy, simple life – where the ideas came from and the practical application of simplicity – where less is more and just enough is plenty.
• The “Happy, simply” home – how to build a 10m² home in 2 weeks and for under $2,000. This involves considering design, materials, building and resource consent, water capture, renewable energy, bio-compostable toilet, edible garden, transport and community participation.
• Take away ideas and the practical application of simplistic, self-sufficient and sustainable living practices – it will be a matter of laying it all out on the table for people to choose, adapt and modify what is useful and practical to them
• A detailed look at the new Happy, simply home built in Aldinga just before this event!

Who will be teaching?

Sharing the Happy, simply idea with a group at Laneways Learning in Melbourne

d’Arcy Lunn is enriched and enthusiastic about simple living. ‘Happy, simply’ came after 14 years and 64 countries of learning and experiencing that less can be more (when you get to choose it). For him the project and this workshop is about sharing the learning he has received from his experiences around the world and applying them at home in SA, where we can choose sustainability, self-sufficiency and simplicity and be richer for it.

Check out blog for more about the project in SA – https://happysimply.wordpress.com/and the Happy, simply SA facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/happysimplysa/

– Friday 13 June 6-7pm and then beers after at the Metro on Grote St – see below for all the details!

Happy, simply Dance Floor!

The SA Happy, simply home has a dance floor!

A great day of building, community and progress. We had a bunch of keen volunteers who all contributed to framing, floor wrapping, floor insulation and floor covering leaving the day with a completed dance floor!

Tomorrow we will be erecting the framing and getting ready to raise the roof with the school students on Tuesday! (please note and roll your eyes at the double pun in the last sentence).

It also seems we have most of what we wanted on our wish list and while this time it has been a little tough and tense asking people for things human nature and generosity has shone through again – that is a whole other blog as is a blog on the incredible wrap for the home we are using…

For tonight just enjoy the dance floor and Dani and Sam using it to its full potential!

Back to the Build (tomorrow)!

Hi Folks and a Happy, simply happy day to you all!

We are back building again tomorrow. I have to say we are still struggling to find all the bits and pieces but at least know where we can buy them as we need them… so still keep an eye out for materials – see below but in particular plywood sheets, insulation and roof rafters.

Building will now be everyday till completion (hopefully June 9!). Tomorrow and for a couple of days will be putting the wall frames together and then we move into wrapping the building with our amazing gor-tex like wrap from Laros. From there is it a matter of outside cladding, roofing, windows, doors, insulation, inside cladding, solar and more…!

A reminder of important info for volunteering:

• Start time 9am at Clematis Walk at the Aldinga Arts EcoVillage (AAEV) https://goo.gl/maps/3c3rk
• Days are usually 9-4
• We have an empty house in Willunga for people to stay (with electricity and water) just need to bring your camping gear (bedding) with you and let me know if you are staying so I can keep track of how many
• We have heaps of soup and bread for lunch each day (vegetarian) but bring other food if you need/want and snacks and stuff if you need/want
• Bring tools with you if you have them
• Bring gloves, safety glasses, ear protection, closed shoes, suncream, etc with you if you have them – shoes and gloves as a minimum
• Call out if you need a lift from Adelaide and see if others can answer your call

Let me know if you still have any more questions and keep up to date with the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/happysimplysa/ and/or blog https://happysimply.wordpress.com and did you see the youtube clips Mike has been putting up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iik0JVCIK3o

Take a look at the wish list below and get in touch if you need more info or have any questions!

Looking forward to seeing you there tomorrow and beyond!

Happy, simply

d’Arcy.

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The Wish List! As at Wednesday 28 May

Need	Have	Wish list
Frame 26@2700 14@2400	24@2700 7@2400	3@2700x90x45 (got them I think) 7@2400x90x45 (got them I think)
Plates 6@4500 4@2100	6@6000 2@2100	0 2@2100x90x45 (got them I think)
Rafters 16@2400×120 or greater x35 or greater	None	9 – 16@2400×120 (or greater) x 35 (or greater) (need)
Roof battens 6@4800	None	6@4800x70x35 (or 45) (need)
Lintels – Think if needed can use random lengths of 120×35
Noggins – Not sure if what is left to be enough. But if not we need 13.2m of 90×45		13.2m of 90×45 (got them I think)
Ply bracing 2@2400x1200x5 8@2700x1200x5 OR 14@2400x1200x5-11	None	2@2400x1200x5-11mm (need) 8@2700x1200x5-11mm (don’t think they exist in 2700 so extra 12@2400)
Ply ceiling 4@2400x1200x5	None	4@2400x1200x5-11mm (need)
External battens 22@2700 70×35 10@2400 70X35	None	22@2700 70×35 or smaller section (need) 10@2400 70X35 or smaller section (need)
Insulation	Floor only	Need for walls and ceiling (need)
Brackets 14 L / U shape brackets 100mmx50mm	None	14 L shape brackets or U shaped brackets 100mmx50mm (need)
Bolts (galvanized) 28@60mm 14@100mm 46 washers	None	(need) 28@60mm 14@100mm Bolts and washers mush suit brackets
Bugle screws Box 100@100mm	None	Bugle screws (need) Box 100@100mm
3x bugle driver bits	None	3x bugle driver bits (need)
Big box 30mm galvanized clouts	None	Box 30mm galvanized clouts (need)
3x roofing screw driver bits	None	3x roofing screw driver bits (need)
Big box of 90mm galv nails	None	Big box of 90mm galv nails (need)

Nuts, Bolts and Extra

• Grey calking for corrugated iron around windows and doors
• Whirlybird to extract hot air from roof

• A single window that can open, dimensions 200mm x 600-800mm (or something similar) basically a longish horizontal window, again we will try and find second hand
• 4 x axle stands 1500kg or above and best if second hand

• Solar adaptor and converter
• Solar batteries – 7amp closed cell batteries

• Masks
• Disposable suits for insulation
• Chalk line and some chalk for chalk lines
• Some more drills
• Hand saws
• Squares for drawing 90 degree angles
• Misc drill bits
• Spanners/ shifter for bolts
• Straight edge 3m long

Living the Happy, simply life…

I have finally had the opportunity to live what was once a feeling, that turned into an idea, that turned into a concept, that turned into a poster and proposed project, which lead to an ideology of what was, for me, a happy, fulfilling, meaningful, connected and globally responsible way of life.

The plan back then was Happy, simply – a sustainable lifestyle model and education project. The components of this were a self-sufficient home off all grids (solar, water capture, compost toilet), responsible transport (walking, cycling and public transport), volunteering in the community.

From the idea to the poster I then threw it out into the world to see what response or interest might find it. I was lucky to interact and follow up with a range of different people to learn and share with. The tipping point to reality came when Tim from Sustainable HAbitat Challenge (SHAC) put me in touch with a Spanish couple who are designers and builders. They loved the idea and so we set about how would be build the home component of the Happy, simply lifestyle model and education project.

Currently living the Happy, simply home that was built by Javi, Mireia, myself and a myriad of wonderful volunteers still has me both perplexed and humbled by how we made it come together and all the generosity needed and given.

The Happy, simply home was built by a community and supported by so many and in a rainless February last year. By March the purple 10m² self-sufficient home was completed. At that time I was incredibly relieved and stressed by the whole process, it is not easy to be constantly vulnerable asking everyone for everything so I didn’t really have the opportunity to live the essence of the Happy, simply lifestyle before I took off back to Australia to see the newborn donor child I helped my friend have.

After a month in Australia in April last year I took off again for 6 months working with UNICEF in Uganda followed by some travel, volunteering and learning in southern Africa for a month and a half. I managed three days back in my hometown of Adelaide before going on a 5-week global awareness presentation tour of SE Asia. Finally at the end of this (not that I wasn’t loving every minute of it) I had a couple more weeks in Adelaide and Melbourne before I made it back to the Happy, simply home in Paekakariki, Aotearoa New Zealand on April the 1st one since I had left!

My first night in the Happy, simply home was surreal, I couldn’t believe I was staying in a place that housed so many memories, emotions, generosity and more – the smile was plastered on my face all evening and night.

Now almost two weeks on from that arrival I have settled into the Happy, simply lifestyle. I spend a couple days a week in Wellington doing some volunteering and then come 45km back up the coast to Paekakariki to live happily and simply in just the way I like it. I walk, I ride, I meet with people, I volunteer (mainly online setting up various programs and thinking of more) but I live in the most idealistic purposeful way I can imagine.

I use less than 10l of water a day, I have enough power from my small 95w solar panel to charge my laptop daily, I compost my waste and my recreation is spending time with others, spending time with nature or writing blogs about how lucky I am I get to live life in exactly the way I have been envisioning for the past 2-3 years.

The photos will show that it looks like a cool little house but to me it means so much more it is Happy, simply – a sustainable lifestyle model and education project to me and hopefully others.

I sort of said never again after building this place here last year but I suppose like running a marathon or child birth the bad aspects fade and the good aspect rise to the top so I will be building another Happy, simply home in Aldinga, South Australia next month with a new community, band of volunteers and learning to be had! https://www.facebook.com/groups/happysimplysa/?fref=ts

I hope others have the chance to find their own Happy, simply as I know I certainly have.

Simplicity Ideas and Initiatives Trying to (needing to) Emulate Africa?

A few Happy, simply-type links and resources for you from the past couple of weeks…

It is always good to hear about simplicity while in Africa where simplicity still happens naturally and easily (of course mainly forced which does make it different).

Simple (typical) home in Uganda

It is interesting to see ideas of simplicity from the west while in Africa because here in Uganda everyone is aspiring to materialism, monetary wealth and under the ideology that everything is great in the west. While in the west we are trying to think of ways to simplify having seen that more wealth does not always make life simpler or happier.

Often here I have to explain that not everything is perfect in my homeland of Australia. The Ugandans can’t comprehend debt or that it takes 30 years to buy a house – because in general here no one buys a house they can’t afford.

Getting back to a few resources that I have come across in the past couple of weeks of how the west is trying to find ways of simplicity and living more with less.

• http://www.buynothingnew.com.au/ Buy Nothing New Month #BNNM from Australia that is pretty self explanatory – for the month of October people commit to not buying anything new – not a bad idea and good for forming habits in those who are drawn to constant consumerism – even myself here in Uganda it has been good because things are very affordable for me here but my broken sunnies will need to be fixed or I have to do without…
• http://projectwildthing.com/ It’s actually scary / a worry this documentary had to be made. The doco is about how enriching and important it is to play outside for our children. This is where on my daily walk around Kampala I can see kids playing as kids – making their own fun, not needing artificial stimulus, being rough, dirty and sometimes dangerous but unbelievably enriching for them. When was the last time an Australian street was filled with kids each evening just before dark and being called for dinner…?
• http://simplicitycollective.com/the-hour-is-darkest-just-before-dawn-crisis-as-opportunity this one from one of my favourite blogs and a great mentor / role-model for me in simplicity, Samuel Alexander. This is his look at Australia in 2033 post economic collapse and forced simplicity lifestyle. The secret to this kind of life and this piece of writing is that we, and our environment, are better off after the probable economic collapse – socially, personally, spiritually and environmentally

While I have loved reading these from Africa being surrounded in these realities here and fantasies of the west, it just makes me laugh at it all how both worlds are trying to go in opposite directions of one another. I feel privileged to live in both worlds, appreciate and learn from them and it is a very advantageous position to be in.

Hope you get a chance to look up these resources, learn, share and most importantly do what they set out as opportunities…

Happy, simply-like resources and beyond downshifting

In the past couple of months since building the Happy, simply home with a crew of volunteers (or really built by a crew of volunteers) people have been asking me for some resources and links to the ideas and tangible actions similar to the Happy, simply lifestyle model and education project.

So for those looking for an entry point or a few idea on simplicity / downshifting / sustainability or living life more with less (money, resources and harm on society and the environment) here are a couple of top sources for you…

• The Post Growth Institute – postgrowth.org – alternative economics
• Simplicity Collective – http://simplicitycollective.com/ – academic look at simplicity and it’s ‘worth’
• Make Wealth History – makewealthhistory.org – a great blog of current events and ideas on the ‘best’ things in life…

Then there are also great podcasts and resources from the Moneyless Man – http://www.moneylessmanifesto.org/

This will give you a great intro and beyond the idea of downshifting where it is not just about getting rid of stuff but more about a happier, simpler and richer ways of living!

This is kind of the opposite of what I am talking about – taken on my walk around Atlanta