Self-sufficient Living

   My ideas for self-sufficient living could perhaps be summarized 
   as follows:  One would live in a small well-insulated house.  
   The Japanese custom of sleeping on mats on the floor would be 
   used.  ( During the day the mats are kept in a closet.  Thus 
   separate rooms are not needed to serve as bedrooms.  Privacy 
   could be obtained through the use of movable screens or 
   curtains.)  There would be some sort of indoor or outdoor 
   composting toilet and running water.  The Chinese method of 
   raised-bed gardening would be used to grow vegetables.  
   Chickens, rabbits, geese, ducks or goats could be raised for 
   meat if desired.  Certain staples such as rice, flour, sugar 
   and spices would be purchased.  Transportation would be by 
   bicycle (car ownership costs too much).  Cash could be raised 
   through odd jobs (i.e. painting houses, mowing lawns, etc.) or 
   small businesses (the odd jobs might require owning a truck).