In recent years, there has been a growing trend of Americans opting for a more sustainable and nomadic lifestyle by living in their vans, buses, and cars. While some people have been embracing this lifestyle for a while, others have recently joined in, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. The trend has been gaining popularity and was celebrated through the hashtag #vanlife on social media, which has over 14 million posts. However, the motivations behind this trend go beyond the desire to travel and explore.

People who live in mobile homes believe that it is a more sustainable way of living, especially as the planet warms and extreme weather events disrupt sedentary living patterns. Many believe that living in mobile homes is necessary to combat Climate change. As a result, an emerging climate tribe has arisen, who are using less energy and water and still finding community and meaning on the road.

Brian Gifford, an environmental engineer, is one of these individuals who is committed to fighting Climate change. He purchased a compact 1977 motorhome with solar panels on its roof and installed all of the necessary appliances he needed. Gifford uses his motorhome occasionally to switch camping locations and has driven it only a few times over the past 13 years. He uses a fraction of the electricity that the average US homeowner consumes, and he believes he has less of a carbon footprint than other people.

Gifford is part of an ever-growing group of people who are using their mobile homes as a way to live sustainably. These mobile homes come in all shapes and sizes, from converted school buses to vans and RVs. The Skooliepalooza event in Arizona is a weeklong celebration where people who live in school buses that have been converted into mobile homes come together. The event attracts hundreds of buses, campers, vans, and RVs parked alongside one another forming long, snaking avenues.

Climate change is inevitably disruptive and will send more people to live permanently or temporarily in their vehicles. This group of people are pioneers, and they have a lot to teach us about mobile living, how to exist using significantly less energy and water, and how to find community and meaning.

The van life movement provides a unique opportunity to reduce our carbon footprint and live a more sustainable lifestyle. As the world continues to face the challenges of Climate change, it is essential to take action, and living in a mobile home can be a part of that. Whether it’s by embracing minimalism, conserving energy and water, or simply by living more intentionally, we can all make a difference. The van life movement serves as an inspiration to rethink our choices and take action to preserve our planet for future generations.

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