This record of a profound life-changing decision by a native New Yorker, Tremayne Tremayne, is a lighthearted and descriptive narrative of how she became a self-sufficient, off-the-grid New Mexican. It is also a do-it-yourself manual and memoir about her transformation into an independent and post-consumer person, who had the good fortune to connect with her life partner, Sklar Sklar.
Everything in Tremayne’s book has a story. That starts with the unique cover, which is a combination of four artists’ work. It illustrates Tremayne and Sklar and their abilities to do nearly everything. Their skills are almost a prerequisite for living off the grid as they do. The other art included in the book, by many different artists, is colorful and clearly shows how many of the articles created by Tremayne and Sklar can be constructed.
As the book progresses, readers get the impression that if Tremayne could have, she would have beaten the pulp, expressed the ink and bound the pages, and would have completely created the book herself. She seems that accomplished, and that determined.
Tremayne organized the book into three parts. The first section, “Life Imagined,” describes her journey from a typical corporate, Western life of consumerism to one devoted to creating what she and Sklar need for a complete and satisfying way of life. One of Tremayne’s first endeavors in her new life was Swap-O-Rama-Rama, which she created to reuse and repurpose used clothing. The event has now spread around the world.
During her evolution toward a post-consumer life, Tremayne investigated a Sufi style of living. Classical Sufi scholars have defined Sufism as a science whose objective is the reparation of the heart and turning it away from all else but God. In Tremayne’s case, she was seeking a spiritual place of peace and relaxation, and especially a way of life freed from consumerism.
The second section, “Life Hands On,” depicts the trials and errors Sklar and Tremayne encountered in beginning their new life. This new adventure included designing and making almost everything they needed, including their home, which is constructed from scrap paper. As their new life evolved, Sklar and Tremayne discovered that they not only gained valuable time to reconnect with nature, but also had more time for themselves. Sklar’s particular talents have been put to good use during this endeavor and has created more income for this intrepid duo.
The final section, “Life Lab,” lays out in detail how Tremayne and Sklar achieved their new way of life. First, they had to acquire “mad skills” and create kitchen magic. For instance, Tremayne learned to make home remedies to benefit their health, and Sklar invented new tools and converted cars away from gas dependence.
Sklar and Tremayne also created a website. Holy Scrap For a Post Consumer Life, blog.holyscraphotsprings.com, carries the book, Sklar’s electronic creations, Tremayne’s medicinal tinctures and herbal smoke among many other products and services.
With an abundance of helpful resources from home-building websites to references to blogs and information about gift economies, this book will appeal to readers who want to lower their reliance on expensive utilities or who are looking to leave a smaller carbon footprint on our overtaxed planet. Most importantly, it shows that with the right motivation, it can be done successfully.
sierrapoco@yahoo.com. Leslie Doran is a Durango freelance reviewer.
Meet the Author
The Good Life Lab (Radical Experiments in Hands-On Living) by Wendy Jehanara Tremayne, Storey Publishing, 320 pages softcover, $18.95. Tremayne will speak and sign copies of the book at an event co-sponsored by Good Dirt Radio at 6:30 p.m. today at Maria’s Bookshop, 960 Main Ave. For more information, call 247-1438 or visit www.mariasbookshop.com.
