@@gregoryzoebisch7792 My husband and I produced this film in 2013 and he did all the heavy lifting on the 48 hour production. We only had a cold weekend in February to shoot, edit and submit our completed 10 minute film. It was a lot of work in sub-zero temperatures and you'll notice that all the times lapses were recorded during the day of the shoot. We drove 220 km back into Whitehorse that night to edit and post the film before 9pm Sunday night. I'm exhausted just thinking about it now. Good memories.

Much of my day to day is about fantasy. I have an extensive library, so I have a lot of good writers to help me dream big. What brought me to this place was the inspiration of a book. It is just that simple. What I have learned is; that building a home is like a mantra. Something you are conscious every moment of every day. You can make your nest anywhere, and it's your heart that makes it home, even in downtown Toronto. What I find so sad about Canada's chronic homelessness crisis, is that our institutions reject sensible ideas like people getting access to land to build their own simple home out of the building materials on hand. The Snailhouse is proof that anyone can build a home out of wood, broken glass, styro-foam, fiberglass, lime and cement. It is heated with wood and is powered with solar. My biggest dream is that everyone, who wants to, gets the opportunity to build their own home and live on renewable energy for their needs.

@@ericpelletier3384 I guess it's like having a baby, you just have to wait and follow the rules that are set before you once they give you a chance to apply. It took me 12 years to put together the land title that I have now. The Yukon has 14 self-governing First Nations with ground-breaking modern Treaties, the process of land selection is quite complex. Raw land to develop is very rare now, unless you intent to farm. A better route would be to buy a privately owned property, and there a lot of fixer-uppers, on grid and off. But you pretty well have to come up to find them.

@@ericpelletier3384 You bring up an interesting concept. What is it that humans do to occupy land? Most First Nations people I know consider themselves "part of the land, part of the water". I have lived in the north for 36 years and I can honestly say that every molecule in my body, heavy metals and all, comes from the soil, forest, water, air of the Yukon Territory. All that unoccupied land you are talking about is the last refuge for intact Boreal Mountain Forest in North America. This is a very unique place because the First Nations Governments that are stewards of this land are intact and thriving. They are showing us how a strong culture and environmental stewardship go hand in hand. Their ancestors have been living off of this land for over 10,000 years. The Territory was only "discovered" by White People about 122 years ago when the Klondike Gold Rush brought 1000's north. Fortunately, the Yukon has such a harsh climate and nasty mosquitos that not many stayed. My little house made of deadwood, crushed glass, styrofoam, and cement proves that anyone can have a comfortable small footprint in even the most severe climates. Yes, I was very lucky to find this land when I did, those kind of opportunities have long disappeared. I still believe that it is the weather that keeps our numbers from exploding. You only need frostbite once for it to haunt you forever.

Thank you Darrell. I haven't seen that film, I will look out for it.

Thank you. The film still stands up after 7 years. Much has ripened and burnished since.

Hello, This is a film. The Tubby person is the director and the Man doing all the heavy lifting is given full credit in the end of the film. Please watch it again and have an open mind.

I live out there and I burn wood to heat my home. I look forward to when I can afford an electric car so I can re-charge it with my solar system. I am a self-employed artist who has never collected UI, or social assistance nor will I ever retire. Thank you for listening carefully to my film.

Thank you. I'm glad the film still holds up.

Thank you Hans. It is important to share that there are other ways to do things. Especially with our changing climate.

Thank you. The house has taught me the importance on living with-in your means. I believe that many people, given the land and opportunity for simple training can build their own homes. It should be taught in highschool.

Thank you. I don't get into town much, and the Internet is like the wild west without grace. I hope you can find in a little chunk of forest wherever you live. When I am in Town, I keep my sanity by taking long walks or skis in the forest. Most of the trees that surround you are over 150 years old. They have grown where they stand, patiently while we humans scurry around. If you want to feel true peace, hug a tree.

Did you know that mother fish lay eggs and the father fish spew their "contribution" around the eggs and hope for the best. There are many species that live and love in water their whole lives. Some of them are so small, that they could be "making out" in the glass of water I drink. Of coarse, they will just join the millions of friendly micro-organisms that live in my gut already. If I did not have that flora, I wouldn't be able to digest my food very well. Even when you're bored'n'stuff you need these little organisms making love in your gut. So get over it and drink more water.

Hi, it is probably a conspiracy of the internet. What would happen if everyone built their own house out of stuff they found in the dump and the forest and drove around in tiny vehicles sharing the idea and hope of living on renewable energy? The whole structure of human's wasteful economy would collapse. There are a lot of people who make a lot of money on denying Climate Change, like all the Trolls that lurk on the Internet space I occupy. The difference between me and them is that I am a real person, with a real life and whether powers that be, like it or not, I will continue to show-up, listen, speak my truth and let go of the results. I made this film in 2012 with the NFB and it still resonates. I still run the Smart Car, it is an amazing piece of technology, well suited for the Yukon year-round. The big truck companies don't like that one bit. I'd buy an electric one if I could afford it.

Most of the waste I see in drinking water is human. We are the dirty animal. The Lake is fed by dozens of glaciers and wilderness streams. Fortunately no human settlement on the lake pumps it's sewerage into the Lake, like so many human cities do all over the world. I am very conscious about the health of the water I drink. Do you know where the water you drink comes from?

Sally Wright mine comes from a lake actually.

@@rhart367 many people drink from lakes and reservoirs. Most have to treat the water with chemicals to make it potable. Humans need to honour water more, people need to realise that we are 98% H2O.

Sally Wright I agree, they put flouride in our water, your water is probably healthier. I'm sure you have a water filter system don't you?

@@rhart367 No need. It is beautiful fresh water. The Chum Salmon certainly agree. Why would you put flouride in Lake Water? Don't you brush your teeth?

Hi David Riley, thank you for your question. Firstly, I have to say I am very thankful to live in Canada, which has an extensive health care system. The closest nursing station is 60 km away and if I do have prescriptions I can fill them there. If my health becomes more complicated as I age, I will have to adapt to that reality, we all do. I'm no doctor, but I have taken wilderness first aide courses and I have a library with many well researched books on the human body, human nature and herbal books about proper nutrition. Most importantly, I have Indigenous neighbours who have lived in good health, upon unpolluted wilderness from the beginning of time. They are my greatest teachers about keeping healthy. There is an excellent book written by my dear Yukon friend, Beverly Gray, called "The Boreal Herbal" . I think you might be surprised that the medicine you require might be found in the forest. There is Indigenous peoples across the world, their spiritual and healing practices, using the plants that have been their "Allies", throughout their cultural practises. Look in your own community, for the Indigenous peoples, they can introduce you to the wild plants that naturally grow in your region, in little pockets, that could help you with your condition.

When burning wood as a heating source I suggest using the dead wood that is most abundant in your region. I burn almost all White Spruce killed by a beetle outbreak in the 1990s , because that is the only conifer species within 50 km of my home. I also burn dead willow in my sauna and hot tub, it is small but very hot burning.

We live off grid, and out in the "boonies" We have solar panels, but found that the true secret to successfully living "off grid" is to not use much power . We don't have many visiters because of our lack of so called amenities, even though we do have a well and pump and a fridge along with a few LED lights. Life is good :- ]

I challenge you to travel 3 kilometers in - 15oC to bore a 3 foot deep borehole to gather only 40 liters of water by yourself. My husband knows that we work together as a team to collect this essential element. Much of the time I am down on the beach alone, with cart, sled, bottle and jug like millions of other women worldwide who are stuck finding water alone because their men are off being killed in mines, wars and city streets. May I kindly suggest that you turn on your tap and have a long drink, because tomorrow they could be dry because men, like you, do not respect the work of women like me.