Picture this: life in London, cozy and bustling, in a Victorian terrace where my neighbors and I are practically family. We share everything from daily chats and gossip to warm evenings with wine in the garden. I’d turn on the tap, and voilà, water! Adjusting the heating was as simple as twisting a dial. Sure, summers were getting hotter, and I paid a decent chunk every month for water and energy, yet it somehow all vanished without a trace by month’s end. Tracking energy with a smart meter made it clear — letting the lights burn didn’t cost nearly as much as overusing the dryer.
I tried my best to make lower-impact choices in the city. I committed to reinventing my wardrobe with only five new pieces annually and kicked off the Rule of Five to help others join in. My recycling efforts kept my bins somewhat in check, plus I drove an electric car and rode my bike whenever possible. Still, the effort felt minor against the overwhelming need for a truly sustainable lifestyle.
Now, here I am in Ibiza, taking care of an old finca in the hills for a month while managing Agora, a sustainable fashion boutique. With peak season swelling, I jumped at the chance to stay at my friend’s house when he went on holiday; after all, there are no affordable villa rentals during summer!
The finca is anything but your typical serviced rental. It’s fully off-grid, functioning like a living organism! Dependence on the sun for energy, a local well for water, a septic tank — that’s my new reality now. And let me tell you, it’s all a lesson reflecting our past and a peek into what we could be doing better!
The heat here is intense. While there are air conditioning units in the two bedrooms, running them long can drain the solar power dry. When that happens, guess what? The backup generator kicks on, and if it has no diesel, it runs the risk of malfunctioning (talk about costly problems!). Of course, that means I wind up covered in diesel after hurting my back bringing jerry cans to fill up.
Water scarcity is all around too. Years ago, the government cut off funding for desalination plants, leading now to a crippling low water table. When it’s dry, well, that’s just it! A private supplier is your only save for getting water delivered by a diesel truck. I can still picture a delivery struggling to maneuver along a steep cliff to service a multi-millionaire’s pad — should prioritize water dosage carefully, buddy!
The alternative is siphoning from a neighbor’s well, but only when the sun shines enough to power the pump, and you can trust they’ll be around for the favor. Otherwise? Quick showers only, and I’ve even seen moms hosing their kids off in the garden — efficient AND practical!
Now let’s talk septic tanks. They demand servicing three times weekly, dogs require walking twice a day (avoiding the midday heat, of course), and stray cats need tending as well. You drop one crumb, and boom — you’ve got a parade of ants in your home!
About the solar panels — they only work their magic under full sunlight. If a tree’s shadow creeps on any row or clouds drift through, the power’s out for that section. Surely there’s a smarter setup for this? As for internet, we depend on Elon Musk’s Starlink service, all while my artist-experts grouse about connectivity issues. Because obviously, in today’s world, we can’t live without the internet!
In fashion terms, nothing beats cotton or wool out here. Locals wear light robes, making ample use of comfortable materials. Meanwhile, Ibiza town showcases the fast-fashion disappointments of brands like Zara and Stradivarius, appealing too much to tourists while local artisans hardly get a nod. Agora Mercado Artisanal, happening the last Friday of every month at Six Senses Ibiza, is a rarity worth it!
Rubbish collection? Nope, that doesn’t exist. Instead, we must strike off to communal “bin parks,” where sorting glass, plastic, and paper should happen posthaste （and often reeking）. No one wants stinking trash in their sweet ride!
Since we’re isolated on an island, supplies mainly filter in by diesel-fueled ships. Back then, Ibiza thrived off local farming, but with the tourism surge, those days are largely behind us. Although a group of visionary farmers are pushing things back into motion, this gorgeous island is still less than seven percent self-sufficient in food production. Not exactly bountiful!
Living off-grid? It’s a hands-on game of resource management, enlightening me to how fragile our connection to the necessities of life has become — making us utterly dependent on invisible systems. Just last week, we hit Earth Overshoot Day, meaning that humanity blinked its sparkly eyes and drained all of Earth’s resources for the year. Yikes. Last year, this reckoning happened on August 1, so it looks like our consumption trend has sped up!
How long before we reach a breaking point? Hot summers, persistent water shortages, energy network failures, and imagine a day where the internet’s out, leaving us with just lemons and olives to feast on! Yes, please…
Reflecting on my time here, I firmly believe city folks should get a lesson in this sort of living. It’s a treasure trove of learning about resource value while valuing the effort behind it. Here, nothing feels guaranteed — not energy, not water. The only certainty? The azure horizon rolling towards the beach does not waver. I catch sunsets, feast on the smell coming from pines, and get serenaded by delightful cicadas. What a change from bustling north London terraces! Oops, forgot about that tumble dryer. Thankful for this reality check.
Once I head back, I’ll take a beat to reflect on those long showers and hot baths. I’ll visualize every machine working to satisfy my chilly house and bright lights. Each time the toilet flushes or trash bins roll out, I’ll offer my thanks to the forces managing behind the scenes, which are stronger and more fragile than they seem. Big love to the bin men!
Catch more of Tiffanie’s sustainable living adventures right here
