Chris & Rose: Living Permaculture in Action

Chris & Rose: A Life Rooted in Permaculture and Purpose

For more than 25 years, Chris and Rose, a couple based in Clacton-on-Sea, UK, have dedicated their lives to living sustainably through the principles of permaculture. Their home, garden, and woodland stand as a living example of what it means to respond to today’s ecological and social crises with creativity, compassion, and responsibility.

Their journey began with a shared realization — that true resilience and happiness come not from consumption, but from conscious connection to the land. Guided by this belief, they have spent decades designing their homestead as a model for energy efficiency, food sovereignty, and ecological harmony.

Chris is also politically active with the UK Green Party, advocating for sustainability, regenerative economics, and deep ecological thinking. As an environmental activist, he works to influence policy and raise awareness around renewable energy, climate action, and community-led change. Together, Chris and Rose blend hands-on practice with activism, bridging the gap between personal responsibility and systemic transformation.

Their lifestyle is a testament to what thoughtful, self-reliant living can achieve:

🏡 Home & Design

Their house and garden are structured around permaculture principles, integrating natural systems and efficient design. They have retrofitted their home with renewable technologies and DIY innovations—most of which are built by hand using recycled or reclaimed materials from nearby industrial estates.

⚡ Renewable Energy & Resource Management

• Installed 1.6 kW and 4 kW solar PV systems, providing renewable electricity and feeding surplus energy back into the grid.

• Built a solar water heating system with 20 vacuum tubes, supplying hot water for domestic use.

• Use wood-fired stoves and cooking ranges, fueled by waste wood and timber from their managed woodland.

• Repurposed old EV batteries from their first electric car to store solar energy for home use.

💧 Water Conservation

• Built a rainwater harvesting system to capture and store rainfall for household and garden use.

• Installed a greywater recycling system, channeling water from the bath, washing machine, and sinks into a reed bed filtration system planted with reeds and rushes.

• Restored an old well, now used for irrigation during dry months.
  These systems provide water for their polytunnel, ponds, and a network of deep vegetable beds, supporting year-round food production.

🌱 Food, Woodland, and Self-Reliance

• Grow their own vegetables, fruits, herbs, and mushrooms, and keep chickens and bees for eggs and honey.

• Trade surplus produce and firewood locally, fostering a sense of community resilience.

• Manage an 8-acre ancient woodland, which they are coppicing and replanting to enhance biodiversity, create wildlife habitats, and supply sustainable fuel and timber.

🌞 Innovation & DIY Ethos

• Constructed a greenhouse using reclaimed materials via Freecycle and demolition waste, designed with rock-based heat storage and a wood-fired rocket stove to extend the growing season.

• Used insulation off-cuts from industrial sources to insulate flat roofs and floors, drastically reducing energy loss.

• Created a reed-bed wildlife system that supports local ecology while filtering water naturally.

🚗 Sustainable Mobility

Chris and Rose now drive a Nissan Leaf electric car, replacing their older Citroën C1 Evie EV. The original car’s batteries have been repurposed to store solar energy, demonstrating their commitment to closed-loop thinking and waste reduction.

Today, their homestead functions as both a living laboratory and a source of inspiration for anyone seeking to live more consciously. They document their progress and share practical insights on energy conservation, ecological design, and low-impact living.

Chris and Rose’s philosophy is simple: to be as self-reliant as possible without being fanatical—balancing modern comfort with respect for the planet. Through activism, experimentation, and community exchange, they continue to prove that sustainability begins at home, one thoughtful choice at a time.