Many are familiar with Icarus of Greek mythology flying too close to the sun and the perils of arrogance.
What you may not know is that Icarus was also warned against flying too close to the ocean, lest his wings get soaked by the waves.
Our namesake reminds us that the cost of hubris can be equal to that of timidness.
Icarus Collective boldly endeavors for a pragmatic balance of sustainability, resilience, and modern comfort.
Who we are
"There Are Too Many Lawn Mowers"
We, Jesse & Samantha, met at UC Santa Cruz in 2010 where we studied Environmental Sciences, Biology, & Psychology. We learned about the challenges humanity will face without embracing sustainability as a common goal.
After graduation, we spent an entire year living on small organic farms across New Zealand. This was an incredible opportunity to experience more self-sufficient ways of living. It was clear that this could be the ultimate retirement plan. The only thing we needed was capital.
Fast forward more than a decade. We've developed successful careers in software development and city planning, with Samantha earning a Masters in Urban Planning from USC during the pandemic. We bought a house and built a life for ourselves in Arizona. We had nearly forgotten the promises we made to seek a simpler, more resilient life. That was until we were reminded of the looming water crisis in the Southwest.
Feeling powerless to change anything and fearing economic fallout if the mega-drought continues, we are partnering with like-minded friends & family to relocate to a region with a lower risk of environmental catastrophe. Perhaps we are the earliest climate refugees trying to beat the rush.
Our attention is now actively focused on building an off-grid community in a part of the world that's totally new to us. If we play our cards right, we hope to create a lasting legacy that will support generations to come, even when the last lithium battery no longer holds a charge.
Point being, a whole neighborhood could probably get by with just 1 lawn mower, yet our entire economic system depends on everyone buying their own, while putting the survivability of future generations at risk.
Break the cycle with us. Let's grow some food together and flourish through the unsavory times ahead.
