A Homestead on Guam

(Page 3 of 3)

March/April 1983
By Scott J. Josiah 
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FUTURE HORIZONS

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Aside from food, the islands are also rich in potentially usable, but relatively untapped, natural sources of energy ... the sun, the sea, and the wind! It's a real shame that—because of a lack of information, expertise, or whatever—the islanders aren't more aware of these free sources of power. For instance, most Guamanians are still totally dependent on expensive imported oil to generate electricity (a situation I find particularly astounding, given the fact that the harnessable tropical breezes are so reliable).

However, we're hoping to take advantage of some of our new home's abundant energy resources. As a matter of fact, I'm constantly thinking up new schemes that could help us make better use of nature's gifts. One idea I have is to experiment with accretion technology (in which an electric current is run through a wire grid and causes the sea's minerals to build up on the metal surface) to create a house for my family ... using a small wind generator to provide the necessary "juice". [EDITOR'S NOTE: See "'Grow' Your Own Buildings" in MOTHER NO. 62, page 118.]

I'm also considering trying to use the ocean "husbandry" technique of aquaculture to raise such delicacies as shrimp and eelwhich are constantly in demand—for a home seafood business. And I've even thought about going into the Christmas tree trade. After all, these evergreens are flown in every year ... and I don't see why—given my forestry experience—they couldn't be grown and sold right here!

AND IN THE END . . .

Perhaps our plans sound a bit ambitious, but my family and I truly believe that with all the opportunities that are available to us here, we'll soon be able to be much more self-reliant on Guam than would ever have been possible back on the mainland. And there are other, equally important, benefits of life in the islands ... a quiet'-, walk along a palm-fringed beach under a full moon, spearfishing in a lagoon in the middle of January, and—in general—just being able to enjoy a more slowly paced and warmer life. All these add up to make homesteading on Guam a veritable daydream come true.

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