2007 10
Want To Lead A Sustainable Life? Move To Uruguay
Published by MartinVarsavsky.net in General with No Comments
In this video I show examples of sustainable farms and explain how with only $40,000 dollars or 30,000 euros an American, European or citizen from probably any country in the world could immigrate to Uruguay, a country of the size of Spain with Northern California climate and only 3.1 million inhabitants, buy a 10 hectare farm and lead a sustainable life.
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Henri on January 11, 2007 ·
What is sustainable about having 10 hectares of land per person (or family)? Sorry, in terms of land-use there is nothing sustainable there…
Martin Varsavsky on January 11, 2007 ·
Henri,
Could be 10, could be 2, but Uruguay is empty and you can move there and lead a sustainable life yourself. This is not a proposition for the whole planet but it is one for many who could go.
Martin Varsavsky on January 11, 2007 ·
They do have wimax already. That´s what I use in my farm.
Galleguayo on January 11, 2007 ·
Martín see this Proyect: Waslala Ranch
http://www.proyectoarte.org/residenciaparaartstas.htm
If they dont like it, no problem, feeling at Home Among the Elite in Uruguay’s Punta del Este,(the Hamptons of South America).
http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/01/07/travel/07frugal.html?pagewanted=2&ref=travel
Ernesto on January 12, 2007 ·
Dear Martin,
What you are proposing is one of the two reasonable outcomes one is presented with when one begins to understand, and is therefore stunned, by the implications sustainability. The initial reaction is to become either contemplative, and move to a sustainable farm, either in Uruguay, or in Chile (like Doug Thompkins, different budget), or becoming an activist and join GreenPeace.
Retiring to a farm in Uruguay is definitively the first choice.
Sustainable development requires a profound change in our lives, for everyone.
It’s a new paradigm.
It implies much more than not living beyond our possibilities –– not to burning down our house to keep ourselves warm, or cut the tree branch we are sitting on.
It requires a new way of living, consuming and producing for every human being in the planet.
Best
Ernest
http://elviajedeodiseo.blogspot.com/2006/12/los-valores-de-la-sostenibilidad.html
Javier Cabrera on January 15, 2007 ·
I like the idea Martin! but, how do you move to Uruguay (I’m currently in Argentina) and buy a house? I mean, how do you move and be legal there? because they won’t make you resident by just buying a farm-house! that’s the big question for me…
I mean, buy a house means you become legal resident just by doing that?
Great blog BTW, I like the colors, red rules.
Javier
Nicolás on January 16, 2007 ·
Last year I was going to buy some hectares in Corrientes, Argentina. It’s a very beautiful place too, like Misiones or Entre Ríos. Of course, it’s very cheap too.
I would like to buy a few hectares there, and build a house to put my gadgets (i love hi-fi sound) and after watching a movie or working with my notebook, take a ride in a horse with some friends and family.
Maybe in three or five years I will finally do it.
Nicolas Mango.
Martin Varsavsky on January 16, 2007 ·
I think that you can buy a house and apply for residence and they give it to you.
I have been told that it is one of the easiest countries to immigrate to cause it has a population drain.
ifisher on May 3, 2007 ·
Not wimax… wireless, point to point microwave.. which you pay for. (www.dedicado.com). Available in most rural areas of the country.
Wimax is hardly available in the US and Canada (where I come from), so it’s not likely to find it in the 2nd world (Uruguay is a 2nd world country). Also, Wimax is most suited to densely populated areas, like small, populous countries in Europe.. where the population per square km is much higher. Uruguay is small, but not densely populated. Except for Montevideo, the density is very sparse per sq km.
Immigration policy to uruguay is not ‘exclusionary’ like the 1st world… where policies are set to keep people out.. not to let them in.
If you can show you can afford to live here, eg. prove you have work that makes you more than U$S 500/month, you can apply and if you are not a criminal, you will be given residency. Most young Uruguayans make less than U$S500/mo.. so yes, you can live here without starving or freezinng on Not wimax… wireless, point to point microwave.. which you pay for. (www.dedicado.com). Available in most rural areas of the country.
Wimax is hardly available in the US and Canada (where I come from), so it’s not likely to find it in the 2nd world (Uruguay is a 2nd world country). Also, Wimax is most suited to densely populated areas, like small, populous countries in Europe.. where the population per square km is much higher. Uruguay is small, but not densely populated. Except for Montevideo, the density is very sparse per sq km.
Immigration policy to uruguay is not ‘exclusionary’ like the 1st world… where policies are set to keep people out.. not to let them in.
If you can show you can afford to live here, eg. prove you have work that makes you more than U$S 500/month, you can apply and if you are not a criminal, you will be given residency. Most young Uruguayans make less than U$S500/mo.. so yes, you can live here without starving or freezinng on
Fernando Mayol on April 1, 2008 ·
Me and my partner are looking to move to Uruguay. I’m a Cuban national, fluent in Spanish, work in the hotel industry. He’s an artist. We’re at a crossroads in life, too young to retire, yet, but can invest, buy property and hold out until Social Security and pension kicks in. Living in Washington DC, looking for a big change, a simple life. Get a Visa? Buy some land? Can you get a job? Is the cost to live really $500/month? Live and let live attitudes? Any help appreciated. Fernando
Gustavo on June 5, 2008 ·
Hi all:
I found this forum looking for information about Wimax in Uruguay, but actually I am Uruguayan an I love this country, I think that is really a good place for living, with a good climate not too warn, not too cold, and very quite.
It is a country with a good system of public education, for example you have free access to University.
But it is not the paradise is not ease to earn money for living here, there are not too much job and for that too many of our young people go to Europe or USA looking for a job that allows them survive.
Resuming if you have some money to invest ant put your or business you can live very well here but if you are planning to came here looking for a job this is not the place, so Fernando think two times before coming here is not going to be ease to get a good job in the Hotel industry and is going to be harder as an artist, also is not ease leave with 500 U$s per month.
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Stephan on January 11, 2007 ·
Great video!
With wimax such a region would be perhaps more attraktive. And how about education? At rural countrysides a high standard of education will cost (far?) more than in cities.
Maybe it’s possible to stop urbanisation with the help of internet? I think about living in rural sides and still participate in society, with videotelefonie, music downloads,…. And you can still drive into the next big city for a weekend or so.