I am sure that you would like to get off the electricity grid. Who would not like to put a stop to those rising monthly bills? The problem is that no one is stepping up to the plate to tell us how to do it. Politicians are just beginning to ring the alarm bells even though they have known about the forecasted oil shortage for decades - like we all have.

The difference is that we are not being paid to take the right decisions for the country like they are. We look to our chosen representatives for guidance, but there is not much forthcoming. Yes, there are a few grants on hand for the installation of replenishable energy sources, but they will only benefit the middle and upper classes who can afford them anyway. They will also benefit the firms that sell these goods, because they will get their asking price from the state, which will pay with poor people's taxes. Lovely!

Where are the government hand-outs (not money) informing people how they can assemble and install their own solar panels and wind turbines without having to make somebody else rich by doing it? Surely, if the government were serious about sustainable energy, it would have worked out a way to allow average people to help themselves?

You can actually build a very effective wind turbine from scrapyard parts and components from a DIY store like Radio Shack. But no politician is telling you that. They want you to spend $45,000 on a green system and even better if you put it on your credit card or overdraft.

The reason why you should think about making your own wind turbine is that you can probably get the parts for less than $500. It sounds like a massive saving and believe me, it is, but you will have to do a great deal of work to carry out yourself, instead of lying back and watching a contractor do it for you. But I guess that you realized that already, eh?

I know that 'building your own wind turbine' sounds fantastic, out of the normal person's league, but in a way that is because we have become too focused. When asked your job, you might say that you are a data enterer of a maths teacher, a miner or a writer, but that is NOT all that you are and certainly not all that you could be.

Take a deep breath and buy some plans to construct a wind turbine or, if that is too intimidating a solar panel. Believe me, once you have built one, the next one is much easier and the icing on the cake, is when your energy device is standing there, hooked up to your home power supply and giving you a bit of freedom from the grid.

It will inspire you to make another one and become even more independent and, who knows, you may even stop what you are doing now and build units for your neighbours. you may become an eco-warrior!