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The SKIP program, or Skills to Inherit Property, connects aspiring homesteaders ("Skippers") with landowners ("Otisies") seeking successors for their properties. Anyone interested in acquiring land for sustainable living can join by creating a free account on permies.com, a website dedicated to permaculture. Participants select "Badge Bits" (BBs) to complete from the PEP curriculum (Permaculture Experience according to Paul), which encompasses over 1,400 practical projects demonstrating essential permaculture skills. Skippers document their BB completion with photos and videos uploaded to permies.com for review and verification by the community. By completing BBs, Skippers earn progressively advanced badges – Sand, Straw, Wood, and Iron – signifying their skill level. These badges are displayed on their profiles, showcasing their dedication and expertise to potential Otisies. For hands-on learning, Skippers can attend the annual SKIP event at Wheaton Labs, which costs $2,250, or engage with the supportive community on the permies.com forums.
The willow feeder system, a "freaky-cheap" and sustainable approach to human waste management, was developed by permaculture expert Paul Wheaton as an alternative to conventional septic systems and sewage treatment plants. The system emphasizes a closed-loop cycle, transforming human waste, or "poop", into valuable fertilizer, termed "willow candy". Unlike composting toilets, willow feeders utilize a dry environment created within sealed garbage cans to mummify the waste, preventing composting and the potential spread of pathogens. A small amount of sawdust is added to each can, primarily for aesthetic purposes. This dry process also preserves valuable carbon and nitrogen, which are often lost to the atmosphere during hot composting. After two years of aging, the pathogen-free "willow candy" can be safely applied as fertilizer to "poop beasts" — trees like willow, cottonwood, poplar, and bamboo — which can handle the high nutrient content without being harmed. This system turns human waste into a valuable resource, promoting sustainable gardening practices.
The SKIP program, which stands for Skills to Inherit Property, is primarily facilitated through the online platform permies.com, a website dedicated to permaculture and sustainable living. Aspiring homesteaders, called "Skippers," engage with SKIP on permies.com by creating free accounts and choosing "Badge Bits" (BBs) to complete from the PEP (Permaculture Experience according to Paul) curriculum. These BBs are practical projects that demonstrate essential skills for sustainable living, and Skippers document their accomplishments by uploading photos and videos to permies.com. The documentation is then reviewed and verified by the permies.com community, ensuring quality and adherence to program standards. Skippers earn badges as they complete BBs, showcasing their progress and expertise in various skill areas. "Otis," the fictional representation of landowners seeking to pass on their properties, can then browse the profiles of Skippers on permies.com to find a suitable match. The permies.com forums provide a space for Skippers to connect, share experiences, and seek guidance, further supporting the SKIP program's community-driven approach.
Beyond the foundational elements of WOFATI design, there are advanced concepts that further enhance its effectiveness and versatility. The strategic placement and sizing of windows on the uphill side, for instance, are crucial for optimizing passive solar gain and regulating temperature. The design of the "two-skin" system, incorporating a double layer of membrane, demands careful consideration of materials and installation techniques to ensure long-term dryness and durability. The integration of WOFATI principles with other sustainable technologies, such as rocket mass heaters, offers the potential for a highly efficient and self-sufficient dwelling. The concept of WOFATI extends beyond just houses; variations such as WOFATI coolers and freezers, utilizing specialized venting systems and expanded thermal mass, showcase the adaptability of this approach to address various needs. Furthermore, WOFATI principles can be applied to animal shelters, with specific modifications to accommodate larger spaces and functionality. The ongoing development and experimentation at Wheaton Labs, as seen in projects like Allerton Abbey and Wofati 0.8, continue to push the boundaries of WOFATI design and its potential for sustainable living.