In many countries, there is a widespread perception that teenagers' lives nowadays are dominated by technology. However, the information (26) _____ was gathered in a recent study of Australian teenagers' use of and attitudes towards technology suggests that this view doesn't reflect the reality of their everyday existence. The research by academics from the University of Canberra in Australia found that, while most teenagers had ready access to home computers, mobile phones and (27) _____ electronic devices, they generally spent more time on traditional (28) _____ such as talking to family and friends, doing homework, and enjoying hobbies and sports than on using technology. Accessing social media and playing computer games ranked as low as ninth and tenth respectively among the ten most common after-school activities. Fifteen-year-old Laura Edmonds is one of the teenagers surveyed. She admits to being very (29) _____ to her smartphone and makes full use of various apps (30) _____ if she needs to unwind after a hard day at school, she tends to 'hang out with my friends, listen to music or chat with my mum and dad'.

In many countries, there is a widespread perception that teenagers' lives nowadays are dominated by technology. However, the information (26) _____ was gathered in a recent study of Australian teenagers' use of and attitudes towards technology suggests that this view doesn't reflect the reality of their everyday existence. The research by academics from the University of Canberra in Australia found that, while most teenagers had ready access to home computers, mobile phones and (27) _____ electronic devices, they generally spent more time on traditional (28) _____ such as talking to family and friends, doing homework, and enjoying hobbies and sports than on using technology. Accessing social media and playing computer games ranked as low as ninth and tenth respectively among the ten most common after-school activities. Fifteen-year-old Laura Edmonds is one of the teenagers surveyed. She admits to being very (29) _____ to her smartphone and makes full use of various apps (30) _____ if she needs to unwind after a hard day at school, she tends to 'hang out with my friends, listen to music or chat with my mum and dad'.

In many countries, there is a widespread perception that teenagers' lives nowadays are dominated by technology. However, the information (26) _____ was gathered in a recent study of Australian teenagers' use of and attitudes towards technology suggests that this view doesn't reflect the reality of their everyday existence. The research by academics from the University of Canberra in Australia found that, while most teenagers had ready access to home computers, mobile phones and (27) _____ electronic devices, they generally spent more time on traditional (28) _____ such as talking to family and friends, doing homework, and enjoying hobbies and sports than on using technology. Accessing social media and playing computer games ranked as low as ninth and tenth respectively among the ten most common after-school activities. Fifteen-year-old Laura Edmonds is one of the teenagers surveyed. She admits to being very (29) _____ to her smartphone and makes full use of various apps (30) _____ if she needs to unwind after a hard day at school, she tends to 'hang out with my friends, listen to music or chat with my mum and dad'.

In many countries, there is a widespread perception that teenagers' lives nowadays are dominated by technology. However, the information (26) _____ was gathered in a recent study of Australian teenagers' use of and attitudes towards technology suggests that this view doesn't reflect the reality of their everyday existence. The research by academics from the University of Canberra in Australia found that, while most teenagers had ready access to home computers, mobile phones and (27) _____ electronic devices, they generally spent more time on traditional (28) _____ such as talking to family and friends, doing homework, and enjoying hobbies and sports than on using technology. Accessing social media and playing computer games ranked as low as ninth and tenth respectively among the ten most common after-school activities. Fifteen-year-old Laura Edmonds is one of the teenagers surveyed. She admits to being very (29) _____ to her smartphone and makes full use of various apps (30) _____ if she needs to unwind after a hard day at school, she tends to 'hang out with my friends, listen to music or chat with my mum and dad'.

In many countries, there is a widespread perception that teenagers' lives nowadays are dominated by technology. However, the information (26) _____ was gathered in a recent study of Australian teenagers' use of and attitudes towards technology suggests that this view doesn't reflect the reality of their everyday existence. The research by academics from the University of Canberra in Australia found that, while most teenagers had ready access to home computers, mobile phones and (27) _____ electronic devices, they generally spent more time on traditional (28) _____ such as talking to family and friends, doing homework, and enjoying hobbies and sports than on using technology. Accessing social media and playing computer games ranked as low as ninth and tenth respectively among the ten most common after-school activities. Fifteen-year-old Laura Edmonds is one of the teenagers surveyed. She admits to being very (29) _____ to her smartphone and makes full use of various apps (30) _____ if she needs to unwind after a hard day at school, she tends to 'hang out with my friends, listen to music or chat with my mum and dad'.

More and more young people are choosing to take a gap year between finishing school and starting university. Alternatively, they may decide to take a gap year between graduating from university and starting a career feeling the need for some time out before joining the rat race. Most students see the time as an opportunity to travel. The idea of travelling to as many foreign places as possible appeals greatly. A large percentage of gap-year students have wealthy parents who can easily subsidize their travel. Others have to save up before they go, or look for some form of employment while travelling For example, they may work on local farms or in local hotels. By doing so, they not only earn some money, but they are likely to meet local people and acquire some understanding of their culture. There are some students who choose to work for the whole of their gap year. A number may decide to get work experience, either at home or abroad, in an area which they hope to make their career, such as medicine or computers. A large proportion of students are now choosing to work with a charity which arranges voluntary work in various parts of the world. The projects provide hands-on experience of a very varied nature, from teaching to helping build roads or dams. The gap year is not just an adventure. Young people can benefit greatly from encountering new and varied experiences and from communication with a wide range of people. Perhaps most importantly, gap-year students have to learn to stand on their own two feet.

More and more young people are choosing to take a gap year between finishing school and starting university. Alternatively, they may decide to take a gap year between graduating from university and starting a career feeling the need for some time out before joining the rat race. Most students see the time as an opportunity to travel. The idea of travelling to as many foreign places as possible appeals greatly. A large percentage of gap-year students have wealthy parents who can easily subsidize their travel. Others have to save up before they go, or look for some form of employment while travelling For example, they may work on local farms or in local hotels. By doing so, they not only earn some money, but they are likely to meet local people and acquire some understanding of their culture. There are some students who choose to work for the whole of their gap year. A number may decide to get work experience, either at home or abroad, in an area which they hope to make their career, such as medicine or computers. A large proportion of students are now choosing to work with a charity which arranges voluntary work in various parts of the world. The projects provide hands-on experience of a very varied nature, from teaching to helping build roads or dams. The gap year is not just an adventure. Young people can benefit greatly from encountering new and varied experiences and from communication with a wide range of people. Perhaps most importantly, gap-year students have to learn to stand on their own two feet.

More and more young people are choosing to take a gap year between finishing school and starting university. Alternatively, they may decide to take a gap year between graduating from university and starting a career feeling the need for some time out before joining the rat race. Most students see the time as an opportunity to travel. The idea of travelling to as many foreign places as possible appeals greatly. A large percentage of gap-year students have wealthy parents who can easily subsidize their travel. Others have to save up before they go, or look for some form of employment while travelling For example, they may work on local farms or in local hotels. By doing so, they not only earn some money, but they are likely to meet local people and acquire some understanding of their culture. There are some students who choose to work for the whole of their gap year. A number may decide to get work experience, either at home or abroad, in an area which they hope to make their career, such as medicine or computers. A large proportion of students are now choosing to work with a charity which arranges voluntary work in various parts of the world. The projects provide hands-on experience of a very varied nature, from teaching to helping build roads or dams. The gap year is not just an adventure. Young people can benefit greatly from encountering new and varied experiences and from communication with a wide range of people. Perhaps most importantly, gap-year students have to learn to stand on their own two feet.

More and more young people are choosing to take a gap year between finishing school and starting university. Alternatively, they may decide to take a gap year between graduating from university and starting a career feeling the need for some time out before joining the rat race. Most students see the time as an opportunity to travel. The idea of travelling to as many foreign places as possible appeals greatly. A large percentage of gap-year students have wealthy parents who can easily subsidize their travel. Others have to save up before they go, or look for some form of employment while travelling For example, they may work on local farms or in local hotels. By doing so, they not only earn some money, but they are likely to meet local people and acquire some understanding of their culture. There are some students who choose to work for the whole of their gap year. A number may decide to get work experience, either at home or abroad, in an area which they hope to make their career, such as medicine or computers. A large proportion of students are now choosing to work with a charity which arranges voluntary work in various parts of the world. The projects provide hands-on experience of a very varied nature, from teaching to helping build roads or dams. The gap year is not just an adventure. Young people can benefit greatly from encountering new and varied experiences and from communication with a wide range of people. Perhaps most importantly, gap-year students have to learn to stand on their own two feet.

More and more young people are choosing to take a gap year between finishing school and starting university. Alternatively, they may decide to take a gap year between graduating from university and starting a career feeling the need for some time out before joining the rat race. Most students see the time as an opportunity to travel. The idea of travelling to as many foreign places as possible appeals greatly. A large percentage of gap-year students have wealthy parents who can easily subsidize their travel. Others have to save up before they go, or look for some form of employment while travelling For example, they may work on local farms or in local hotels. By doing so, they not only earn some money, but they are likely to meet local people and acquire some understanding of their culture. There are some students who choose to work for the whole of their gap year. A number may decide to get work experience, either at home or abroad, in an area which they hope to make their career, such as medicine or computers. A large proportion of students are now choosing to work with a charity which arranges voluntary work in various parts of the world. The projects provide hands-on experience of a very varied nature, from teaching to helping build roads or dams. The gap year is not just an adventure. Young people can benefit greatly from encountering new and varied experiences and from communication with a wide range of people. Perhaps most importantly, gap-year students have to learn to stand on their own two feet.

“I have not paid a single electricity bill since the year 1970,” says Richard Perez with noticeable glee. He can afford to be smug. He lives “off-grid” – unconnected to the power grid and the water, gas and sewerage supplies that most people in the world rely on. He generates his own electricity, sources his own water and deals with his own waste disposal - and he prefers it that way. “There are times when the grid blacks out,” he says. “I really like the security of having my own electricity company.” Perez is not alone. Once the preserve of mavericks, hippies and survivalists, there are now approximately 200,000 off-grid households in the United States of America, a figure that Perez says has been increasing by a third every year for the past decade. For all of the people who live off-grid, self-sufficiency means guilt-free energy consumption and peace of mind. “It feels brilliant to make use of clean, free energy that is not from fossil fuels,” says Suzanne Galant, a writer who lives off-grid in a rural area in Wales. “And if something goes wrong, we can fix it ourselves.” Now even urbanites are seeing the appeal of generating some if not all of their own power needs. So is energy freedom an eco pipe-dream or the ultimate good life? Well, there is only one way to find out: begin to explore the possibilities of solar, wind or hydropower. But unless you live on a sunny, south-facing hillside with access to a nearby river or stream, that might prove prohibitively expensive! There is no doubt that being off-grid has its problems, and it is not always the cheapest way to get the energy you need. Even so, pioneers like Perez have proved that it can be done, and without giving up a 21st century lifestyle: “I have got five personal computers, two laser scanners, two fridge-freezers, a microwave, a convection oven, vacuum cleaners - you name it,” says Perez. “There is an external beam antenna on the roof for the phone and a satellite dish for an Internet connection. I have got 70 kWh in batteries that could last me five days. I have too much electricity.” Too much electricity and no more bills. That has got to be worth aiming for.

“I have not paid a single electricity bill since the year 1970,” says Richard Perez with noticeable glee. He can afford to be smug. He lives “off-grid” – unconnected to the power grid and the water, gas and sewerage supplies that most people in the world rely on. He generates his own electricity, sources his own water and deals with his own waste disposal - and he prefers it that way. “There are times when the grid blacks out,” he says. “I really like the security of having my own electricity company.” Perez is not alone. Once the preserve of mavericks, hippies and survivalists, there are now approximately 200,000 off-grid households in the United States of America, a figure that Perez says has been increasing by a third every year for the past decade. For all of the people who live off-grid, self-sufficiency means guilt-free energy consumption and peace of mind. “It feels brilliant to make use of clean, free energy that is not from fossil fuels,” says Suzanne Galant, a writer who lives off-grid in a rural area in Wales. “And if something goes wrong, we can fix it ourselves.” Now even urbanites are seeing the appeal of generating some if not all of their own power needs. So is energy freedom an eco pipe-dream or the ultimate good life? Well, there is only one way to find out: begin to explore the possibilities of solar, wind or hydropower. But unless you live on a sunny, south-facing hillside with access to a nearby river or stream, that might prove prohibitively expensive! There is no doubt that being off-grid has its problems, and it is not always the cheapest way to get the energy you need. Even so, pioneers like Perez have proved that it can be done, and without giving up a 21st century lifestyle: “I have got five personal computers, two laser scanners, two fridge-freezers, a microwave, a convection oven, vacuum cleaners - you name it,” says Perez. “There is an external beam antenna on the roof for the phone and a satellite dish for an Internet connection. I have got 70 kWh in batteries that could last me five days. I have too much electricity.” Too much electricity and no more bills. That has got to be worth aiming for.

“I have not paid a single electricity bill since the year 1970,” says Richard Perez with noticeable glee. He can afford to be smug. He lives “off-grid” – unconnected to the power grid and the water, gas and sewerage supplies that most people in the world rely on. He generates his own electricity, sources his own water and deals with his own waste disposal - and he prefers it that way. “There are times when the grid blacks out,” he says. “I really like the security of having my own electricity company.” Perez is not alone. Once the preserve of mavericks, hippies and survivalists, there are now approximately 200,000 off-grid households in the United States of America, a figure that Perez says has been increasing by a third every year for the past decade. For all of the people who live off-grid, self-sufficiency means guilt-free energy consumption and peace of mind. “It feels brilliant to make use of clean, free energy that is not from fossil fuels,” says Suzanne Galant, a writer who lives off-grid in a rural area in Wales. “And if something goes wrong, we can fix it ourselves.” Now even urbanites are seeing the appeal of generating some if not all of their own power needs. So is energy freedom an eco pipe-dream or the ultimate good life? Well, there is only one way to find out: begin to explore the possibilities of solar, wind or hydropower. But unless you live on a sunny, south-facing hillside with access to a nearby river or stream, that might prove prohibitively expensive! There is no doubt that being off-grid has its problems, and it is not always the cheapest way to get the energy you need. Even so, pioneers like Perez have proved that it can be done, and without giving up a 21st century lifestyle: “I have got five personal computers, two laser scanners, two fridge-freezers, a microwave, a convection oven, vacuum cleaners - you name it,” says Perez. “There is an external beam antenna on the roof for the phone and a satellite dish for an Internet connection. I have got 70 kWh in batteries that could last me five days. I have too much electricity.” Too much electricity and no more bills. That has got to be worth aiming for.

“I have not paid a single electricity bill since the year 1970,” says Richard Perez with noticeable glee. He can afford to be smug. He lives “off-grid” – unconnected to the power grid and the water, gas and sewerage supplies that most people in the world rely on. He generates his own electricity, sources his own water and deals with his own waste disposal - and he prefers it that way. “There are times when the grid blacks out,” he says. “I really like the security of having my own electricity company.” Perez is not alone. Once the preserve of mavericks, hippies and survivalists, there are now approximately 200,000 off-grid households in the United States of America, a figure that Perez says has been increasing by a third every year for the past decade. For all of the people who live off-grid, self-sufficiency means guilt-free energy consumption and peace of mind. “It feels brilliant to make use of clean, free energy that is not from fossil fuels,” says Suzanne Galant, a writer who lives off-grid in a rural area in Wales. “And if something goes wrong, we can fix it ourselves.” Now even urbanites are seeing the appeal of generating some if not all of their own power needs. So is energy freedom an eco pipe-dream or the ultimate good life? Well, there is only one way to find out: begin to explore the possibilities of solar, wind or hydropower. But unless you live on a sunny, south-facing hillside with access to a nearby river or stream, that might prove prohibitively expensive! There is no doubt that being off-grid has its problems, and it is not always the cheapest way to get the energy you need. Even so, pioneers like Perez have proved that it can be done, and without giving up a 21st century lifestyle: “I have got five personal computers, two laser scanners, two fridge-freezers, a microwave, a convection oven, vacuum cleaners - you name it,” says Perez. “There is an external beam antenna on the roof for the phone and a satellite dish for an Internet connection. I have got 70 kWh in batteries that could last me five days. I have too much electricity.” Too much electricity and no more bills. That has got to be worth aiming for.

“I have not paid a single electricity bill since the year 1970,” says Richard Perez with noticeable glee. He can afford to be smug. He lives “off-grid” – unconnected to the power grid and the water, gas and sewerage supplies that most people in the world rely on. He generates his own electricity, sources his own water and deals with his own waste disposal - and he prefers it that way. “There are times when the grid blacks out,” he says. “I really like the security of having my own electricity company.” Perez is not alone. Once the preserve of mavericks, hippies and survivalists, there are now approximately 200,000 off-grid households in the United States of America, a figure that Perez says has been increasing by a third every year for the past decade. For all of the people who live off-grid, self-sufficiency means guilt-free energy consumption and peace of mind. “It feels brilliant to make use of clean, free energy that is not from fossil fuels,” says Suzanne Galant, a writer who lives off-grid in a rural area in Wales. “And if something goes wrong, we can fix it ourselves.” Now even urbanites are seeing the appeal of generating some if not all of their own power needs. So is energy freedom an eco pipe-dream or the ultimate good life? Well, there is only one way to find out: begin to explore the possibilities of solar, wind or hydropower. But unless you live on a sunny, south-facing hillside with access to a nearby river or stream, that might prove prohibitively expensive! There is no doubt that being off-grid has its problems, and it is not always the cheapest way to get the energy you need. Even so, pioneers like Perez have proved that it can be done, and without giving up a 21st century lifestyle: “I have got five personal computers, two laser scanners, two fridge-freezers, a microwave, a convection oven, vacuum cleaners - you name it,” says Perez. “There is an external beam antenna on the roof for the phone and a satellite dish for an Internet connection. I have got 70 kWh in batteries that could last me five days. I have too much electricity.” Too much electricity and no more bills. That has got to be worth aiming for.

“I have not paid a single electricity bill since the year 1970,” says Richard Perez with noticeable glee. He can afford to be smug. He lives “off-grid” – unconnected to the power grid and the water, gas and sewerage supplies that most people in the world rely on. He generates his own electricity, sources his own water and deals with his own waste disposal - and he prefers it that way. “There are times when the grid blacks out,” he says. “I really like the security of having my own electricity company.” Perez is not alone. Once the preserve of mavericks, hippies and survivalists, there are now approximately 200,000 off-grid households in the United States of America, a figure that Perez says has been increasing by a third every year for the past decade. For all of the people who live off-grid, self-sufficiency means guilt-free energy consumption and peace of mind. “It feels brilliant to make use of clean, free energy that is not from fossil fuels,” says Suzanne Galant, a writer who lives off-grid in a rural area in Wales. “And if something goes wrong, we can fix it ourselves.” Now even urbanites are seeing the appeal of generating some if not all of their own power needs. So is energy freedom an eco pipe-dream or the ultimate good life? Well, there is only one way to find out: begin to explore the possibilities of solar, wind or hydropower. But unless you live on a sunny, south-facing hillside with access to a nearby river or stream, that might prove prohibitively expensive! There is no doubt that being off-grid has its problems, and it is not always the cheapest way to get the energy you need. Even so, pioneers like Perez have proved that it can be done, and without giving up a 21st century lifestyle: “I have got five personal computers, two laser scanners, two fridge-freezers, a microwave, a convection oven, vacuum cleaners - you name it,” says Perez. “There is an external beam antenna on the roof for the phone and a satellite dish for an Internet connection. I have got 70 kWh in batteries that could last me five days. I have too much electricity.” Too much electricity and no more bills. That has got to be worth aiming for.

“I have not paid a single electricity bill since the year 1970,” says Richard Perez with noticeable glee. He can afford to be smug. He lives “off-grid” – unconnected to the power grid and the water, gas and sewerage supplies that most people in the world rely on. He generates his own electricity, sources his own water and deals with his own waste disposal - and he prefers it that way. “There are times when the grid blacks out,” he says. “I really like the security of having my own electricity company.” Perez is not alone. Once the preserve of mavericks, hippies and survivalists, there are now approximately 200,000 off-grid households in the United States of America, a figure that Perez says has been increasing by a third every year for the past decade. For all of the people who live off-grid, self-sufficiency means guilt-free energy consumption and peace of mind. “It feels brilliant to make use of clean, free energy that is not from fossil fuels,” says Suzanne Galant, a writer who lives off-grid in a rural area in Wales. “And if something goes wrong, we can fix it ourselves.” Now even urbanites are seeing the appeal of generating some if not all of their own power needs. So is energy freedom an eco pipe-dream or the ultimate good life? Well, there is only one way to find out: begin to explore the possibilities of solar, wind or hydropower. But unless you live on a sunny, south-facing hillside with access to a nearby river or stream, that might prove prohibitively expensive! There is no doubt that being off-grid has its problems, and it is not always the cheapest way to get the energy you need. Even so, pioneers like Perez have proved that it can be done, and without giving up a 21st century lifestyle: “I have got five personal computers, two laser scanners, two fridge-freezers, a microwave, a convection oven, vacuum cleaners - you name it,” says Perez. “There is an external beam antenna on the roof for the phone and a satellite dish for an Internet connection. I have got 70 kWh in batteries that could last me five days. I have too much electricity.” Too much electricity and no more bills. That has got to be worth aiming for.