For a while I had been juggling with the idea of doing my video on people living an "alternate way of life", by which I mean a simpler and/or more sustainable way of living.
I have always known that once I decide to settle down somewhere, I would make sure that I build my home myself using sustainable materials, and I would try to be as self-sufficient as possible. This means generating my own electricity from solar panels, getting my own water from rain or natural springs, growing organic vegetable & herbs & fruit trees in my garden, using a composting toilet and overall minimizing my waste. This way, I will have a minimal impact on the environment, learn a lot of useful skills and have very few expenses.
Though some would call this a step backwards, I believe that this way of life is the future. Yes it is a "back to basics" in a way, however the way I see it is that people are on average a lot happier living this way. First of all, there are less costs involved since anyone can build a home out of sustainable materials for extremely cheap. There are many different innovative building techniques. You could dig out your home from the ground, use old tires or bottles and pack them with soil to create the walls, create mud bricks, make a house out of wood, build a yurt or even reclaim a space such as a bus, a train carriage or a container and make it into a home. All of these options are a lot more affordable than buying a house or apartment, and are an opportunity to live in a reclaimed or sustainable space instead of adding more pollution and waste to the planet.
Besides building materials, I believe that we, particularly in the west, live in spaces which are a lot larger than we need. Downsizing would enable us to have smaller areas to clean and look after, less possessions to clutter our home and our mind, and we would be more careful with what we own and what we waste as a whole. Ultimately, we would be happier and have less costs. There are a few reasons why I believe that living sustainably and/or in a smaller space leads to happiness. Firstly, having less usually means wanting less, meaning you are more content. Secondly, having less usually means costing less, meaning you have less debt worrying you. Thirdly, costing less usually means working less, meaning that you can afford to have more free time to do what you love.
Basically, changing your living situation can change your life. It can be beneficial for your mental & physical health, for your finances, and for the planet all at once. There is a growing movement of people moving into smaller and usually more sustainable spaces. Those building "Tiny Houses", those choosing "Vanlife", those setting up and moving to "Eco-Villages" and more. This is what I want my video to focus on, however as you can see, it is a really vast topic...