This couple sold their newly bought house and stuff to convert their van into a livable, mobile house pod. And since then, they’ve been living simply.

Mat and Danielle, the Canadian Couple behind Exploring Alternatives, converted a van after Mat was in an auto accident. The accident made the couple rethink how they lived their lives. Their main change was to live simply. Watch the couple’s moving story below, courtesy of Kirsten Dirksen from Fair Companies.

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Giving up a house and belongings for life on the road in an Airstream.

It’s no surprise that we love Airstreams. Sleek, retro and the embodiment of simple living, they inspire a sense of wanderlust, making us dream of giving up our belongings and trading it all in for life on the road. That’s exactly what Cece Reinhardt and Brenda Daugherty are doing, living fulltime in an eco Airstream, traveling across the country and telling their stories along the way. Pulled by a truck that runs on biodiesel, it’s all part of On the Green Road, what Reinhardt and Daugherty call “a mobile sustainable living project.” As they traverse the country, they’re sharing stories of tiny living and educating about simple, healthy choices. That’s the kind of tour we want to be on. But the second best thing to being on the tour, is getting an inside look at what living in an Airstream is all about.

Name: Cece Reinhardt and Brenda Daugherty

Website: www.greenrvlife.com

What do you love about EcoSalon? 

EcoSalon is super trendy and fresh. We love that. Our favorites are Foodie Underground and the new Daily Track. Awesome and right on the money.

What inspired you to sell your house and belongings and set out for life in an Airstream?

We wanted to pursue our passions – down-sizing our life, travel, being with friends and family, and educating about simple living. The housing market in California was going downhill and we sold before we were completely upside down on our mortgage. It was one of the best decisions we have ever made. From there, we paid off our debt and pursued our dream of owning an Airstream. At first we were simply going do a green remodel on the weekends as we had time. Then as budget and job cuts ensued with the State of California, Cece lost her Public Health job. With free time and creative thinking, we decided to write off for sponsorship for the eco remodel and Brenda pursued a telecommuting work schedule with her employer. The dream of “On the Green Road” blossomed.

What green features do you have in the Airstream?  

We went two ways with this. First, we wanted to be independent and off grid. We added solar power and a waterless composting toilet so we could extend our time off the grid and off the pipe. Secondly, we wanted to have a healthy living environment, free of toxins and VOCs.  To accomplish this, we added organic fabrics and eco materials that were beautiful and healthy like cork and Marmoleum flooring, bamboo cutting boards, a kirei work desk, Paperstone countertop, a Keetsa eco-friendly mattress, American Clay walls and ceiling, eco veneer on existing cabinets, LED lighting and organic linens/textiles.

Tell us about the upcoming On the Green Road tour. What do you hope to get out of it?

We are traveling across the U.S. and Canada over the next 6 months. As we travel, we focus on education and outreach – promoting tangible green change. With our background in outdoor/experiential education and sociology we feel that by incorporating “hands-on” exposure – feeling, touching, seeing and discussing systems in action, sustainability concepts such as carbon footprint, simple living and green lifestyle take on a more powerful and tangible meaning. In essence, we are utilizing individual products and systems like a composting toilet, solar power and biofuels, putting them together in a mobile studio and hitting the green road to put words into actions. But the discussion and our passion doesn’t end there. Taking steps to free yourself from clutter, live more sustainably and create a passionate self are all connected. We want to encourage and continue this conversation as we work, live and travel.

Oh yeah, we also want to have some adventure and fun.

Your motto is “Conserve. Explore. Inspire.” What keeps you inspired to live this lifestyle?

We love the feeling of living a healthy lifestyle – we wake up refreshed and ready to take on the world everyday. By down-sizing our life we also pay into our savings and retirement each month and we don’t have to live paycheck to paycheck. We receive wonderful emails from followers of our website and Facebook page. Knowing that people are making their own life changes and that we have had something to do with that is priceless.

What five items do you never travel without?

iPhone, Verizon wifi, our animals (one cat and one dog), kayaks, Breville Juice extractor.

When people ask you what they can do to live a more conscious/sustainable lifestyle, what do you tell them?

There is not just one way to go green. It’s about balance—taking on what you can, depending on your time, resources and passions. We are just two girls with a cat and a dog, trying to find the balance between freedom, sustainability and passion. Here are things we have found helpful:

Slow down enough in your day to day activities to identify what you are already doing or not doing. Take time to get connected to the nature around you. Disconnect from your iPhone and computer and notice the beauty right there. Our planet is amazing. How nature works is awesome.  Once you get zoned in to this you also start to see things that destroy and interfere with this beauty. When you start to care everything changes.  Your everyday actions start to take on more meaning. What you can do next will just naturally fall into place – recycling, taking public transportation, using less energy, composting, buying less packaging, owning less stuff, spending more time with the ones you love out in the woods, etc. Have fun – being green doesn’t have to be dull and boring. Build a community, in your thought and action. Join together – it takes a village to bring about change.

What is your favorite travel quote?

“For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move.” – Robert Louis Stevenson

The post We Heart Our Readers: Cece Reinhardt and Brenda Daugherty of On the Green Road appeared first on EcoSalon.

Allie Bombach of Red Reel Films takes us on a journey to find the simpler things in life.

When we grow up we want to be our readers.

Allie Bombach blew our minds and won our hearts from the first time we watched the trailer for her film, 23 Feet. The documentary, released earlier this year, follows Allie and two friends as they cross the country in a 1970 Airstream, meeting with people who have ditched their traditional lifestyles for the open road and the great outdoors. A director, producer, and videographer, Allie uses her gift for storytelling to promote simple living and respect for the environment – things we definitely dig here at EcoSalon, along with Allie.

Name: Allie Bombach

Website: www.23feet.org

How did you get introduced to EcoSalon?

I started reading EcoSalon because of Foodie Underground and the fabulous Anna Brones, and I’m hooked on the home design tips and interviews with rockin folks. For me, it’s a wonderful source of inspiration and at the same time a guilty pleasure during the work day to check out the recent articles.

Tell us about 23 Feet.

23 Feet is a short documentary about people who live simply to do what they love outside. We set out across the west in the summer of 2010 searching for the community of people who live in cars, buses, and other small spaces ditching the creature comforts of today’s society to raft, surf, and climb. The name 23 Feet comes from my own 1970, 23-foot Airstream that I live in and took from Colorado to Oregon during the production of the film. After the film was finished, we took the Airstream back on the road for an outdoor theater tour in the summer of 2011 that screened the film off the side of the Airstream. We had about 30 screenings in a variety of landscapes from the middle of wilderness to the middle of cities. For me, the whole experience was an exploration in the meaning of home, community, and ultimate happiness and passion in what you do.

The Airstream has a name. What is it, and why?

Roma is her name, and besides all the roaming she does, she just seemed like a middle-aged old woman that would give you great advice. Hence, Roma. Perfect.

You tricked out Roma with recycled and reclaimed materials. What are some of the highlights?

Roma’s got some snazz to her for sure. Her cork floors are pretty awesome and she has reclaimed wood for the desk and bed. What I am excited about is the upcoming improvements to make her really cozy and sustainable. I’m hoping to add a wood stove, solar panels, and one fine day, a composting toilet. As of now, she’s pretty simple with no plumbing, and the truck charges the batteries in the Airstream after a drive. So lots more to do!

I imagine there was a fair share of magical moments on the road. What was the craziest?

The production was wild. We had no idea if what we set out to do would actually work! We didn’t know if we would find characters, or even if we would make it to Oregon. The truck pulling the Airstream broke down several times, and it seemed like surprises were around every corner. And because most of the budget came after the film was edited, we found ourselves sleeping in a lot of random spots. It was pretty adventurous. The film screening tour was one moment of bliss after another. We were on the road for four months, winding in and out of national parks and major cities. Connecting with so many people who have lived (or want to live) the lifestyle documented in 23 Feet was very magical. To tell a story is one thing, to have that story compel people to tell you their story is a whole different gift. It made all that hard work worth every moment and then some.

What five items/products made life on the road easier?

In a small space, the things you own are few, but very important. From your toothbrush to your water bottle, everything needed to be sturdy and worthy of the road.

Innate Gear Thermos – I swear you can put your coffee in hot and it will still be piping 8 hours later. It’s a miracle bottle.

French press – Any appliance that doesn’t need electricity is a great find. Plus, my favorite way to make coffee.

Slippers – Just because you are on the road, doesn’t mean you can’t be cozy. I travel with slippers everywhere I go.

Horny Toad dresses – They don’t wrinkle, they are super comfortable, and they are super easy to clean. I love me some Horny Toad.

Dr. Bronner’s soap – All purpose awesomeness. Just a few drops and you’ll shine like a new penny. It’s way better for the environment too. (Ed. Note: We love their hair conditioner too.)

What creature comforts did you miss the most?

The only thing I can think of is plants. I miss having little plants around. It’s like a class 5 earthquake in the Airstream when we are on the road, so no plants have been able to take that kinda shock! Other than that, you won’t find me missing TV or a dishwasher.

Any plans for a sequel? In other words, what’s up next?

My business partner Sarah Menzies and I run a production company called Red Reel. We had such a powerful reaction to the outdoor theater tour last summer that we are excited to be able to continue the grassroots unique distribution for projects to come. As far as the stories in the works, we’re sticking with character driven pieces, and pointing our lens to the movers and shakers of environmental and social change. Right now Roma is sitting in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with my family, and Sarah and I are calling San Jose Del Cabo, Baja, home for the winter. We’re filming in the water and editing our 2012 spring films. If there were a sequel to 23 Feet, I think we might take it onto sail boats, but right now, 23 feet of home has turned into about 3 feet of suitcase, and life couldn’t be better.

The post We Heart Our Readers: Allie Bombach, Documentary Filmmaker appeared first on EcoSalon.