Agreed! The same goes for my solar panels: Yes, I use a renewable source of energy. But how many resources were required to built these panels and once they break, where do they go?
I'm not quite sure the ecological footprint of my life style is smaller than of someone who lives in an apartment in Berlin. However since I live in the van, I pay way more attention to where I and others waste resources. Maybe a first step to make a change?
Solar panels make their ecological footprint after 3 years of use and last for 30 years. 80% of the material in solar panels is recycled from old solar panels.
So no matter how you turn it, solar panels are a lot alot more environmentally friendly than convential energy sources.
>80% of the material in solar panels is recycled from old solar panels.
That doesn't pass the sniff test. Solar cell production is on a strong upwards curve, if 80% is recycled from other panels then supply would be bounded by old solar stock recovery, which is not the case.
I can't see how 80% of solar panel material, even if we're talking exclusively about the PV cells and not the surrounds, could be from old solar panels, especially not 30 year old solar panels.
That's 90% of the material being recovered from old solar panels, not 90% of new panels being made up of recycled material.
That's still great news, but nothing like:
>80% of the material in solar panels is recycled from old solar panels.
Which implies new panels rolling off the production line consisted of 80% recycled material from old panels. That's not possible. If you have 10 old panels coming in to be recycled, and you recover 90% of the materials from them, and you're producing 100 new panels (since production is increasing), at best you're gonna get 9% recycled material into your new panels.
Ha! I'm not a native speaker. I used the word "van" because I didn't want to write "campervan" all the time. But maybe "camper" would have been better?
> A campervan (or camper van), sometimes referred to as a camper, or a caravanette, is a self-propelled vehicle that provides both transport and sleeping accommodation. The term mainly describes vans that have been fitted out, often with a coachbuilt body for use as accommodation.
My mobile home is built on top of Mercedes 209D and is 6 meters long and 2 meters wide. It almost fits into a regular parking lot. I leave it up to the experts whether this is a van, campervan or whatever?
Well, I hesitate to get too strict on definitions, as I genuinely am just curious about the differences in terminology and I'm not trying to be the #vanlife police. For instance, that first picture in Wikipedia article you link to, you can buy something similar in the U. S. built on a Sprinter chassis (Winnebago Navion/View). Technically, yes, it's probably a "camper van" as it's built on what was once a van chassis. Most folks in the U. S. would not call it a "van" probably because the only difference between a Navion and a traditional Class C RV is the chassis it is built on (a Class C uses a truck chassis).
To me personally, and I'd extrapolate to the U. S. population, a "van" or "camper van" is a camper that kept the original body. For instance, classic VW Westfalia, Chevrolet/Ford 1/2 ton conversion vans (RoadTrek), VW California in Europe, Sportsmobile in U.S./Canada. But the instant the original body comes off (or more accurately, never had a body to begin with) and a new one goes on, it's an RV. To put it another way, when Westfalia received VW Vanagons to build out, the Vanagon had a full body (just stripped). When whoever built your camper received the vehicle, all it had was a frame and a drivetrain, with no body.
But, again, you need not answer to me, call it whatever you want. :-)
Campervan in the US is associated more with Class B's
The difference is Class A is a complete custom body, Class C is a cutaway where the cab is built by the chassis maker but the house body is not like yours. Class B is basically a van body on the outside.
There are variations, Super C's, B plus and so on.
> Working remote is great but there are some drawbacks like everything in life. Those you need to be mindful of before onsetting on that path.
I totally agree. Working remotely is not just awesome. But I prefer it over a regular office job which has more downsides for me.
> First of all working in a van for a long haul will probably be painful for your back. No standing desk no office chair and desk set up will not be comfortable to code for more then a few hours.
I do a lot of sport (surfing, cycling, swimming pull-ups and other exercises for my back). I usually take regular breaks to avoid sitting in the same position for too long. My back feels great!
> Most of time working remote you need power and wifi. There is an expectation that you will be online during similar hours as your co-workers as peers. Maybe not exactly but similarly. So you gotta have a pocket wifi if doing this.
> When you work remotely to you will know how bad things are and it will trouble you more if you try to work in a van connected to nature. It's gonna be hot.
Yes, sometimes it just to hot. I've experienced this in the inland. My solution: I drive to the mountains or the beaches where the climate is milder. Or I take a siesta and wait until the sun sets to work. I can work whenever I want. Another advantage of a remote job!
> How do you deal with solitude? Most can handle it but seeing as everyday is a new day in a new place there must be an urge to share that with somebody.
I haven't experienced solitude so far. Sometimes I even leave crowded spots because I want some time for myself. I travel in Europe, not in Alaska. I meet people everyday and on top of that I have a regular job and interact with my co-workers every weekday. Mostly asynchronous and sometimes synchronous.
> This mode of living must have an impact on the ol' love life. What do the ladies say - if you meet many at all - when you suggest going back to your van/office/home?
Yes, this is can be a problem. Sometimes you meet people who don't love the "simple" life like I do. I respect their opinions and either spend time with them in their world or make a compromise, e.g. stay on a campsite that offers all the facilities you have in a regular apartment.
But at the end you usually hangout with people that get a long with you and your life style?
> What are your plans for the Winter? I imagine just go as south-west as possible to chase the sun.
Yes, I'll follow the warm weather once my naked feet get cold here.
I closed the tap while I was brushing my teeth, too. But sometimes I'd open the tap to spit out the tooth paste. Don't ask me why, but quite often I just continued brushing my teeth for a few more seconds before I finally spat out the tooth paste. During these seconds I probably wasted a lot of water.
Of course this is just an example. Maybe there are even better examples like flushing your pee away or ignoring a leaking tap...
At the end I just wanted to make a point. I'm definitely not a perfect roll model for a sustainable life. But the van life made me more aware of how we take things for granted although they are limited.
I still haven't found the time to write a little "About" section. @sampl is right, I work as a full-time employee for GitHub. Meanwhile you can read a short summary on my unmaintained developer blog: http://mikrobi.github.io/about/ :D
I'm working with 4G. Works perfect all most everywhere in Europe! I use a pre-paid Italian SIM-Card that I can use all over Europe. It costs me 9 Euros for 20 GB. I usually need around 30 to 50 GB a month. So it's roughly 20 Euros per month.
I'm currently in Madrid. Living the van life in big cities is more challenging. Especially if you don't want to stay in the suburbs. I plan to write a article about my city experiences in Madrid soon.
>Giga International: 9 € - including 20 GB data valid for 28 days. The activation fee is 5 € and the SIM card is 9 €, making the total cost 25 € for the first month and 9 € for subsequent months. This offer is only for customers with foreign citizenship.
I'll probably spend the winter down in southern Portugal/Spain where temperatures are around 15 degrees in average during the winter. I've also installed an old heating that works with Diesel and electricity. But yes, summer life is easy and I'm looking forward to experience my first winter in the van.
Inland Portugal can be freezing cold in the Winter, we got -2 C several days in a row last year (I know, -2 C is balmy elsewhere but try it without central heating). You should be okay if you stick to the coast as the sea breezes keep the temperatures in the 10-15 C most of the time.
If you've got a good sleeping bag, -2 C isn't that bad. I've spent the night with those temperatures in the high country of New Zealand. I know people that have spent the night in -15 C temperatures.
That may be OK for sleeping but it is very hard to work. I spent a couple of Winters coding without heating with indoor temperatures around 12 Celsius and it was very hard. I wore mittens, bubble hat, a blanket and even an electric foot warmer and still had to stop working and walk a bit every now and then to warm up.
Hey everyone! I'm the author of that article. I just started the blog and still have a ton of things to write about. I like all the (critical) feedback. That inspires me for further blog posts. Thanks for reading!
Thanks for writing this. It made me very sad because the traveler life appeals a lot to me but I still quite like the things I have in the city, so I have always been extremely conflicted about a nomadic life (or a period).
How do you deal with the toilet troubles though?
Also, can you give some details on how do you avoid cold weather? My girlfriend tells me there are areas in Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece where summer is much longer and the winter basically means 13-17 degrees without snow -- in the worst case scenario.
I was profoundly touched by your article. I am at a point of my life when I feel a desperate and very strong need for a change. Reasons are a lot and I don't want to derail this thread by making my comment a public confession -- suffice to say, I realize I dislike a part of my life and I want to do something about it.
Truth be told however, I like my mega-strong internet (Bulgaria). I like being able to go buy cooked food when I feel lazy or sick or tired and don't want to cook -- telling yourself "get a grip and cook!" sounds like stress and forcing myself and not like something that relaxes you. I like being able to go to a cinema on a whim.
The city gives me the sense of being able to spontaneously do various things.
I really want to try some nomadism -- or at least travel to 10+ places during a period -- and as a 37 y/o with a burnout, nature's appeal grows in me with each passing week.
Overall, I am happy your format worked for you -- it made me consider some traveling very seriously and I started to weigh pros and cons.
So do. The van part is totally optional. Go to Chiang Mai and find a coworking space and an AirBNB. If you don't like it, go home! We have a fixed base we spend 50% of the year at, but also like to go and spend 6 weeks working elsewhere.
When i had a burnout I quit my IT job and walked the Camino de Santiago de Compostela trail, it was a liberating experience and a great introduction to nomadism.
I am actually interested in the details. Though my situation was different, I actually lived in a van for 5 years.
So:
- How do you manage having no home address? Do you use PO boxes, do you have relatives who provide you with an address for administrative tasks (taxes, ...)? For me, I used my parents' address.
- Winter is coming! How do you plan for cold weather? Gas heater? And while going to the toilets or showering outside is great in the summer, it is much less fun during winter. Water tanks freezing may also be a problem. Winter was a bit rough but manageable in southern France, I can't imagine Germany... BTW, a heated blanket is a great ally, though it uses a bit of power.
- Your van is clearly a RV. RVs are not always welcome. Didn't you have too much trouble finding nice places that are also van-friendly? I suppose you also need internet coverage, access to grocery stores and laundries, a fresh water source and waste water disposal, etc...
In an RV, it is clear that someone is sleeping there. Someone who would be better off staying in one of the hotels and spending money. There are some places where such vehicles are associated with prostitution, or other "undesirables" like gypsies.
Some beaches explicitly prohibit RVs, or put gates that make it impossible for such large vehicles to pass.
Campervans are less problematic, because unless they are heavily customized they look like regular vans, so you can park almost anywhere without raising too many eyebrows. They also tend to have a smaller profile, which helps with road restrictions.
My parents toured Europe several times and they use an almost stock white cargo van for the reasons I stated above.
Great blog. I plan to do the same with my wife in near future, but we want to buy a new campervan to have better fuel economy and emission standards.
I would love to read more about places where you stop. How do you decide on that? Are they free/paid? Is it easy to get rid of waste and fill in fresh water? How long do you stay in one place?
Hey! I'm the author of that article. I respect your opinion and I totally agree that van life is not for everyone. However it's seems funny that I've never experienced one of your concerns:
> I would totally hate the lack of space and comfort.
I have 12 square meters and my bed is super comfortable. Most of the time I'm outside. Works perfect for me.
> I'd sleep really poorly at night when it's super hot in summer and cold in winter.
That's the whole thing about a van: If it's too hot in the mainland, you drive to the beach where you always have a chill breeze. In the winter you drive down south where it's warm. I actually feel bad for the people who have to stay in cities when it's hot and humid in the summer or freezing cold in the winter.
> I'd hate it to have to look for a good internet to work.
In Europe the 4G network coverage is amazing. Within the last five months I had less issues with my connectivity than some of my co-workers using a cable internet.
> I'd miss my friends all the time.
Yes, I do miss my friends. I guess this is a valid concern. But sometimes I meet my friends when they are on vacation nearby and for Christmas I will fly back to my hometown to see family and friends.
> I'd dislike having to socialize with random van neighbors every time I want to not dine alone.
I guess that's personal taste. It's very easy to socialize with travelers: they invite your for dinner right away. Sometimes you even don't have to approach them actively. I've also spent a couple of weeks with the same people and we had dinner together every evening. Once you life in a van you often meet people who do the same. So basically you have friends near by.
> It's very easy to socialize with travelers: they invite your for dinner right away. Sometimes you even don't have to approach them actively. I've also spent a couple of weeks with the same people and we had dinner together every evening. Once you life in a van you often meet people who do the same. So basically you have friends near by.
To expand on this based on my and my parents experiences, we have friends from ~10-15 years ago when they were full time RVers that we still stay in contact with. They often go travel around the US and meet/stay with them.
I try to make it a point to remember that, regardless of who people are or how you meet them, you never know when you're going to make a lasting friendship. I think, paradoxically, it's sometimes easier to make friends in a situation where everyone doesn't have high expectations.
Also we made acquaintance with a guy who traveled with an entire array of fantastically high quality whisk(e)y. Yes, we did stay a little longer there as a result, and yes, it was totally worth it.
On top of that about the sleeping issue that the guy above is having: I grew up out of a town.
The fresh air and the much less polluted environment will allow you to sleep like a baby.
In reality while I was living at the middle of nowhere, I never had any issues sleeping. And i think the too worm/ too cold thing is just an excuse to yourself. There are other things in your mind, like stress etc that won't allow you to sleep well.
When I moved to London, I had quite a lot of trouble sleeping here and there, as I am having more stress etc.
Hopefully everything will be over in less than a month when I am moving back to the middle of nowhere and the new job I got is much less stressful etc.
> In Europe the 4G network coverage is amazing. Within the last five months I had less issues with my connectivity than some of my co-workers using a cable internet.
Same experience for me. I've got a 4G dongle that I use for travelling and it's both faster and more reliable than my home broadband connection (no fiber available in my area). Just keeping an eye out for a cheap 4G data SIM so I can switch to the dongle full time.
Recent EU roaming regs are also a boon, buy a data SIM in your country of residence and get coverage across the EU at no extra cost!
But only if you're abroad temporarily. Living in a van could mean that you use more data abroad than in your home country. Roaming rules don't apply so you'd have to get a sim card from the country you're in.
There's also usually limitations on how much data you get for free while roaming. After you go above that it's up to €7.50/GB, so it's usually cheaper to get a local SIM.
> In Europe the 4G network coverage is amazing. Within the last five months I had less issues with my connectivity than some of my co-workers using a cable internet.
Do you get enough data volume? Most sim cards for use with computer are quite restricted. Or can you live off 10GB/month?
Which network? Three has an offer like that but I found connectivity quite weak once you leave larger cities. Although that appears to be the issue with most/all networks here. I currently use vodafone and can't remember when I last had 4G outside of major cities.
It was a friend who got it last month, but I can't find it now. I thought it was EE, but I only see 30G offers on their website now. If I find it I'll update.
A friend of mine has a friend who has a friend who lives in southern Portugal. I might be able to park the van there. If that doesn't work: there are guarded parking areas near airports where you can leave your van for several days. I think it's something like 5 Euros a day.
But even if I leave the van somewhere unattended: I take my laptop and wallet with me. Other than that I don't have much valuable things in my van: If someone wants to steal my underwear that I've been wearing for ten years: fine go for it.
At the end everything in my van is replaceable. Including the van itself ;)
I'm not quite sure the ecological footprint of my life style is smaller than of someone who lives in an apartment in Berlin. However since I live in the van, I pay way more attention to where I and others waste resources. Maybe a first step to make a change?