Is it possible to live in the jungle

But still others are curious and excited about the idea of living off-grid, and are eager to learn whether or not it is something they could do, too.

Although not a new concept by any means, off-grid living has been gaining momentum and attention over the last decade. For many it has become a pipe dream to take the road less traveled - to pack up, move somewhere beautiful and remote, simplify, and live off the land.

Some are really drawn the notion of "sticking it to the man" so to speak, and becoming as self-sufficient and independent from the craziness of the modern world as possible. In its most simple definition, to live off-grid means to be independent of one or more public utilities. Of course there is a whole spectrum of off-grid living. At the other extreme, there are many people who live off-grid in a very rustic sense - without having access to electricity or running water, and preferring to inhabit remote locations where they rely on themselves to provide nourishment, shelter, warmth, meet their hygienic needs, etc.

Even rarer are those who are disconnected from the financial grid and do not rely on banks or credit cards. Sidenote: I've done all of those things and they're very grounding and so much FUN with the right attitude! Aka why people go camping. Our goal in designing and building The Fusion Home was to create an opportunity to live a more autonomous and self-sufficient life surrounded by nature, but without sacrificing the conveniences or comfort of the modern world.

At The Fusion Home, we have all of the creature comforts that we need and then some - electricity, ceiling fans, plumbing, flushing toilets, hot water, a washing machine, a fully functional kitchen, a plunge pool, an LED projector which lets us use our lounge room as a big-screen movie room, and what we consider to be a million dollar jungle view.

While we do live in a relatively remote location the way we like it and have to hike up a steep hill for 10 minutes to get to our home yay, exercise! Our windows are made of screens vs glass, and the fresh air circulates nicely through the home. We're working on growing as much of our own food as possible, but can still easily out-source anything that we really need with a little bit of planning. We make most of our cleaning products from vinegar and essential oils which we out-source , and we still purchase products like biodegradable soap, shampoo, and detergent from stores.

In the future we want to learn to make our own! I would love to not have any credit cards in my name one day. It's a work-in-progress. We also pay taxes, and I don't see us disconnecting from that grid anytime soon. Can't win them all. He guided me to a foot waterfall where monkeys and kids and later me swung from vines.

I swam under a waterfall and knew what happiness felt like. By the time I returned to the hostel that night, my clothes were filthy, my hair disheveled, and my makeup nonexistent, but I was beautiful.

For the first time in a long time, I had an answer: I was moving to Montezuma. After my cousin's wedding, I returned to D. When I met with my totally fine boyfriend to tell him my plan, he surprised me with a plan of his own: an engagement ring. That ring, the one that represented everything I was supposed to do with my totally fine life, did not fit.

I left the city with no ring and no boyfriend, but the jungle welcomed me back. It was as if time stood still. The monkeys were still swinging from the vines, the old woman at the colorful hostel was still rocking in her chair, and once again, I rented a room there.

Every day, I returned to the waterfall, and every day, I found the happiness I felt the first time. Between swims, I volunteered at the public elementary school as an English teacher and practiced Spanish with the hostel owner as she hung laundry in the ocean breeze.

Unfortunately, I did have to leave. My day tourist visa was about to expire. Organic matter falls from trees and plants, and these organisms break down the decaying material into nutrient s. The shallow roots of rainforest trees absorb these nutrients, and dozens of predator s consume the decomposers! Animals such as wild pigs, armadillos, and anteaters forage in the decomposing brush for these tasty insects, roots and tuber s of the South American rainforest.

Even larger predators, including leopards, skulk in the darkness to surprise their prey. Smaller rodents, such as rats and lowland pacas a type of striped rodent indigenous to Central and South America , hide from predators beneath the shallow roots of trees that dominate the canopy and emergent layer. Rivers that run through some tropical rainforests create unusual freshwater habitats on the forest floor.

The Amazon River, for instance, is home to the boto, or pink river dolphin, one of the few freshwater dolphin species in the world. Tropical rainforest s are mainly located between the latitude s of Such humid air produces extreme and frequent rainfall, ranging between centimeters inches per year. Tropical rainforests are the most biologically diverse terrestrial ecosystems in the world.

It is home to around 40, plant species, nearly 1, bird species, 3, types of fish, species of mammals, and 2. Red-bellied piranhas and pink river dolphins swim its waters. Jewel-toned parrots squawk and fly through its trees. Poison dart frogs warn off predators with their bright colors. Millions of mushrooms and other fungi decompose dead and dying plant material, recycling nutrients to the soil and organisms in the understory.

The Amazon rainforest is truly an ecological kaleidoscope , full of colorful sights and sounds. Temperate rainforest s are located in the mid-latitudes, where temperatures are much more mild than the tropics.

Temperate rainforests are found mostly in coast al, mountainous areas. These geographic conditions help create areas of high rainfall. They are also much less sunny and rainy, receiving anywhere between centimeters inches of rain per year. Rainfall in these forests is produced by warm, moist air coming in from the coast and being trapped by nearby mountains. Temperate rainforests are not as biologically diverse as tropical rainforests. They are, however, home to an incredible amount of biological productivity, storing up to metric tons of leaves, wood, and other organic matter per hectare metric tons per acre.

Cooler temperatures and a more stable climate slow down decomposition, allowing more material to accumulate. The old-growth forest s of the Pacific Northwest, for example, produce three times the biomass living or once-living material of tropical rainforests. This productivity allows many plant species to grow for incredibly long periods of time. Temperate rainforest trees such as the coast redwood in the U.

The animals of the temperate rainforest are mostly made up of large mammals and small birds, insects, and reptiles. These species vary widely between rainforests in different world regions. Bobcats, mountain lions, and black bears are major predators in the rainforests of the Pacific Northwest.

Rainforests have been home to thriving, complex communities for thousands of years. For instance, unique rainforest ecosystems have influenced the diet of cultures from Africa to the Pacific Northwest. The Mbuti, a community indigenous to the Ituri rainforest in Central Africa, have traditionally been hunter-gatherers. Their diet consists of plants and animals from every layer of the rainforest. From the forest floor, the Mbuti hunt fish and crabs from the Ituri River a tributary of the Congo , as well as gather berries from low-lying shrubs.

The giant forest hog, a species of wild boar, is also frequently targeted by Mbuti hunters, although this species is hunted for sale more often than food. From the understory, the Mbuti may gather honey from bee hives, or hunt monkeys. From the canopy and emergent layers, Mbuti hunters may set nets or traps for birds. Although they are a historically nomadic society, agriculture has become a way of life for many Mbuti communities today as they trade and barter with neighboring agricultural groups such as the Bantu for crops such as manioc, nuts, rice, and plantains.

The Chimbu people live in the highland rainforest on the island of New Guinea. The Chimbu practice subsistence agriculture through shifting cultivation. This means they have gardens on arable land that has been cleared of vegetation. A portion of the plot may be left fallow for months or years. The plots are never abandoned and are passed on within the family. Crops harvest ed in Chimbu garden plots include sweet potatoes, bananas, and beans. The Chimbu also maintain livestock , particularly pigs.

In addition to their own diet, pigs are valuable economic commodities for trade and sale. The temperate rainforest of the northwest coast of North America is the home of the Tlingit.

The Tlingit enjoy a diverse diet, relying on both marine and freshwater species, as well as game from inland forests. Due to bountiful Pacific inlets, rivers, and streams, the traditional Tlingit diet consists of a wide variety of aquatic life: crab, shrimp, clams, oysters, seals, and fish such as herring, halibut, and, crucially, salmon.

Kelps and other seaweed s can be harvested and eaten in soups or dried. In more inland areas, historic Tlingit hunters may have targeted deer, elk, rabbit, and mountain goats. Plants gathered or harvested include berries, nuts, and wild celery.