LIVING GREEN IN AN RV!

Years ago, when my son was young and we lived in Colorado, we took our first trip to the mountains. I remember so many places along Trail Ridge where signs warned folks to remain on the trails --- in those high altitudes the vegetation was so fragile that it took decades for it to recover from even the lightest footprint.

Much is made these days of “green living.” Unfortunately, much of what is shown involves major lifestyle changes which folks have no control over or a large investment of money for renovations. As a location independent professional I’ve already made a profound lifestyle change --- but it was one I had planned for some time --- and one which was not based on the choice to “go green.” So when the green issue came up in a recent discussion, it gave me the opportunity to review my current lifestyle and I was pleasantly surprised.

For those unfamiliar with me, I now live full-time in my RV with 2 Giant Schnauzers and a small parrot, while working as a Virtual Assistant (www.cardinalpointva.com). After 15 years of hour-long commutes in Southern California, I am blessed to have only a 30 second commute to my “home office!” The 45 gallon fuel tank in my truck now lasts me months instead of days. And upon inspection I was pleased to find that my wonderful vintage 33’ 1978 Holiday Rambler Travel Trailer presents a rather small “foot print” --- or it will be shortly, following modifications I’ve planned on from the moment I purchased it.

When sitting in my living room I have huge windows on 3 sides. Halfway back is the bedroom with large windows on each side, and at the back end is the bath, with a window the full width of the trailer. Not only does this let in plenty of light during the day, it allows me to enjoy a wonderful cross-breeze when the weather is appropriate for opening the windows.

Lighting is nearly all 12volt. And given the size, I seldom need to have lights on throughout the trailer in the evening. Maneuvering around the dogs at night causes me to turn lights on and off, but because of the short distance, I don’t feel the need to leave lights burning. The love of my life is the little reading light on the wall over my bed. Unlike most bedside lamps, it is perfectly positioned for a good night of reading in bed.

Operating on a 30 amp system requires one to think before operating. In general, anything which produces heat consumes a lot of amps. Unless you want to throw a breaker and be dead in the water, you’d best consider what you are running.

Last summer I still had the original AC unit in here. Wow --- what an education THAT provided. The first time I tried using the electric pressure cooker while running the AC we were suddenly confronted with that awful “deadly silence.” It was our first night on the road in the RV. There we were, in the sudden darkness, fishing for flashlights so we could check the RV manual (blessedly maintained by the 2 prior owners) for the location of the fuse box.

I don’t know how many amps the old AC unit pulled. I just know I had to turn it off if I wanted to use the microwave, the blow dryer or my electric pressure cooker. A couple friends made the cross-country trip with me last year when I picked up the RV and took it to my first stop. They stayed a couple of weeks and we learned to do the “Amp Dance” when it came to cooking meals or getting ready to go somewhere -- assuming we didn’t want to trip the breaker.

The new AC unit runs much lower and I can have the TV and computer running, make coffee and vacuum the RV without being accosted by the “deadly silence.”

That provided my 2^nd big lesson in RV living --- space is at a premium and things are not always in a convenient location. This fuse box is in the most impossible place --- a lower cupboard next to the commode. I STILL have to get the flashlight out when I need to check it! Eventually I hung a small flashlight by the door, where it could be found easily in the dark!

Since space IS at a premium, one has to make responsible decisions as to what stays in the RV and what goes. When I was packing for this adventure a lot of things went into storage --- but many boxes were sent back here to await my arrival with the RV. I have spent the better part of a year going through those boxes and I’m still shifting things around. I quickly determined that much of what I thought I’d use I either don’t need or don’t have room for. I see a big garage sale in my future.

An old adage amongst RVers is “something new comes in; something old goes out.” There is no room for clutter in an RV. Everything must have a home. You can’t travel down the road with things shifting or falling to the floor. And because everything has a place, you always know where to find it. For me I think that cuts out a lot of duplicity --- something I frequently did battle with in a regular home. In the end I feel many of our homes are a hodge-podge of duplicate items, many of which we could do without in the first place.

I was never good at math. In fact I really disliked math class. I understood the need to count change or balance a checkbook. But that didn’t require a rocket scientist. I much preferred literature or music classes over math. This past year, however, I’ve spent more time in the math camp than I ever expected.

I elected to spend last winter in the Ozarks to be close to family and friends. Although the 30 year old furnace started up on the first try, it didn’t last. By December I was contemplating replacement of the furnace, which operates on propane. During the days (and nights) leading up to the replacement, I used space heaters. It didn’t take long to recognize that I couldn’t use both heaters together at full capacity. And if I wanted to add something like the coffee maker, the vacuum cleaner or the microwave, I needed to turn at least one heater off momentarily.

One of the last nights before the new furnace went in, I decided to use both heaters and the heat strip on the old AC unit. It was nice and warm when I went to bed. However, at 4 AM I woke to a VERY cold house. Because I have birds I had a thermometer inside and it registered a cool 40 degrees. After twice attempting to reset the breakers it was obvious the problem was outside at the pole --- and the trailer was surrounded by ice. I was NOT about to skate my way around the back end of the trailer in the dark at 4 AM. So I started cooking. Soon I had 2 pots of soup and the tea kettle bubbling away on the stove. Another nice thing about an RV – cooking CAN heat it up quite nicely – at least for a short time!

Come daybreak I restarted the power out at the pole. Because I’d been warned that the pole breakers often wear out, I called the office and asked them to have someone check it. After checking it out the electrician “educated” me on the ways of electrical systems. Even though the equipment I was running only pulled about 23-24 amps, any time one runs at a certain percentage of the total amp availability for more than 20 minutes it will throw the breaker. That was definitely an “aha” moment as I mentally figured out what I’d been running the previous night when I went to sleep!

So, Mrs. Pinkney, I have a new appreciation for the math you insisted I learn. Before I bring in a new electrical appliance I now check the amps it will consume. And I give serious thought to how it will fit into the grand scheme of things. For instance, I am currently considering a new convection-type appliance. While most wouldn’t give it much thought – or would consider it for summer use to prevent heating up the house – I’m considering it for winter. Why? Because I will be in one spot for the winter and will be using propane (which I pay for separately) for heat. This appliance would operate off my electrical allowance and would negate a large part of my propane usage for cooking during the winter. I’ve not yet decided whether to purchase it. But I did have to find out its energy consumption first in order to know if it would work in here. The joys of math now abound!

And all this figuring and reconfiguring surely has a green side as in a sticks and brick home I’d probably never had given it a second thought.

One thing about having a house on wheels, you are totally self-contained. While having its advantages, there are drawbacks. One such item is dealing with blackwater, graywater and potable water tanks. If hooked up to park resources the issues may not be as pressing, but keeping an eye on gauges and tank levels is one of those primary things you do in an RV.

Blackwater tanks are similar in many ways to dealing with a septic tank. Careful attention must be paid to everything from the type of toilet tissue one uses to keeping the tank properly flushed out.

When on the road or boondocking, water consumption is not the only issue. One must also be concerned with how much water goes down the drain. Even when hooked up to city water I am far more conscious of the need to turn the water off while brushing my teeth. And I’ve gone back to using a dishpan for dishes, which I haven’t done in 35 years.

As I indicated there are modifications I plan to make here --- building in a desk, removing the old couch and replacing it with a comfortable chair, etc. But there are many other things I plan to do which will either increase energy efficiency or utilize green products.

Because I have dogs and dust allergies, the old carpet needs to come out. It will be replaced with bamboo flooring which is both durable and an easily renewable resource.

The built-in ceiling vents (which contain fan units) are great a great source of ventilation. But they need to be replaced. The fans are aging and noisy and the covers are somewhat brittle. I will be replacing them with units which also act as skylights --- thereby letting in more light. The new units, which utilize solar technology, can be set to operate automatically to ensure good air circulation.

Because of its age, I will be replacing the old hot water heater with a new unit which operates on either propane or electricity. The pilot light on the current one often blows out when the wind comes from a certain direction. I’ve learned to check the direction of the wind first thing in the morning and base my schedule for the day on whether or not I have hot water available. And the new hot water heaters are definitely more energy efficient.

Although this RV came complete with a garbage disposal, I never use it when operating self-contained and find it a ludicrous appliance in an RV. Additionally, the space it consumes under the since could be better utilized by putting in a deeper sink. So the disposal will depart shortly.

One side effect of RV living is less room for stockpiling food.  Weight is also a consideration when you are on the road.  So I limit my stockpiles to cooking basics (flour, sugar, cornmeal, etc.), things like dried beans (which I order from an heirloom bean supplier in California) and spices (which I receive from special friends who know my love of spices). 

I cook for myself more in the RV than I did in the house.  And I use more fresh foods than packaged/canned varieties.  As a result, I produce less trash.  Recycling is a normal part of my routine.  I have covered containers that are put outside my step when I'm staying somewhere.  Trash goes in one and recyclables in the other.  They are easily lifted into the back of the Excursion and taken to the proper disposal place. 

I continue to be amazed at the amount of trash many folks produce on a regular basis.  Downsizing has been advantageous for me in that respect.  Probably because I don't buy as much as I used to.  I DO know that with a smaller refrigerator, I fresh produce and leftovers are used up more quickly.  Very little goes in the trash due to spoilage.

I am currently resealing windows outside. Good maintenance is a key factor in living an RV lifestyle. Because it is smaller it’s easier to maintain than a large house – and maintenance projects are more easily undertaken by one person.

This winter I will cover all the windows inside with the thermal insulation film that you shrink to fit with a blow dryer. Last winter I tried something different which worked, but left me living in a cave. I will repurpose last year’s window insulation (which looks like bubble wrap between 2 layers of foil) by using it to line the back walls in cupboards and the walls in the outside “trunk” storage which backs up to lower cupboards in the bathroom.

Last, but not least, I’m hopeful that within the next 2 years I can install a full solar system on the roof which will allow me to go “off the grid” more frequently.

Shrinking one’s footprint is never easy. One could say mine came as a result of a larger transition to a full-time RV lifestyle. However, I’ve begun to view it as a game --- and I must admit I’m enjoying it tremendously. If one thinks about it, taking responsibility for one’s personal resource consumption is a bit of a throwback to the pioneer days. Surely we would modify our practices if we had to haul, grow or make everything we consumed. Isn’t there something YOU can do today to leave a smaller footprint?

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K. Eckerle
Virtual Assistant/Paralegal/IndustryConsultant
Website: www.cardinalpointva.com
E-mail: assistant at cardinalpointva.com