Freedom in a Can: Finding Sustainability in 72-Square Feet

The tiny-house movement hits the road and comes to the campus of Champlain College on Wednesday, November 18th at 7:30pm in the Perry Presentation Room, 251 S. Willard St.

What started out as an expedition in 2012 has turned into a lifestyle. During the evening presentation, Shari Galiardi and Dave Hutchison of Boone, NC, will share what they discovered when they said goodbye to their professional careers in higher education and their 3-bedroom, 2.5 bath house and hit the road. Going from 1650 to 72 square feet was a challenging downsize in which the couple found “Freedom in a Can.”

As outdoor enthusiasts and advocates for sustainability, the couple has spent the past 3 years traveling 60,000 miles across our country and Canada, visiting 44 states, over 50 national parks & monuments, and many other public lands. Along the way, they visited old friends, made many new ones, found meaning through seasonal work and volunteer service, and fell in love with America all over again.

As part of a noon-2PM Open House earlier in the day on the Hauke Courtyard (off of Maple Street just uphill from Willard), the couple will share their tiny-house-on-wheels – a 1957 “canned ham” trailer combining a solar-powered electrical system with a golden-age, vintage look. Bring your own mug to enjoy hot cocoa with them.

The evening presentation will include stories, advice, and images of the places they’ve visited.

“It just seems like a natural next step for us and what we should be doing at this time of our lives,” they reply when people ask them if they are “living the dream.” They’ve been called brave, adventurous and just plain crazy, but they are dedicated to “living large by living small.”

The program is sponsored by The Core Division, The Environmental Policy Program, and Sustain Champlain at Champlain College, Burlington, VT.

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