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"You Really Face Yourself Out There": Three Black Women On Their Decision To Live 'Off-Grid'

It’s almost five years since I walked out of Eden, the experimental reality TV show and 600 acres of Scottish sand dunes and forest that had become home. Although only ten of us remained on that final day, 23 of us had arrived 12 months earlier. For some, it was the next attempt at breaking into the world of television after being unsuccessful with …Bake Off or Big Brother, but others, including myself, were lured in by the opportunity to experience a year of living ‘off-grid’.

Of course, there are many places around the world where off-grid living is a necessity. Even in the UK, there are places without a connection to electricity, gas or water because it’s deemed too impractical, unnecessary or expensive. But for others, the choice to move off-grid is usually motivated by the desire for a lifestyle with a lower environmental impact, or as a way of escaping the stress and rising cost of monthly bills.