Lifestyle

The optimal health of every community member is a primary goal and necessity to thrive in any remote, off-the-grid, and self-sustainable environment. To achieve and maintain this goal, Project TriStar has defined the community diet as exclusive raw vegan with food production and meal preparation designed to support this diet. This means there is no consumption of cooked foods, processed foods, or animal products and byproducts such as meat and dairy.

If you are not currently eating raw vegan foods then this concept may be unfamiliar to you. For some, the questions and comments revolving around a raw vegan diet may include:

1. We need the protein in meat to stay healthy
2. How can I get enough protein from vegetables?
3. I never get full eating vegetables
4. Vegetarian foods have no taste
5. My “body constitution” requires that I eat cooked vegan food and no raw food
6. I tried a raw diet before and it didn’t work with my metabolism, etc.

To hear answers to these and many other questions about the perceived need for meat and a raw vegan diet, you can watch an interview with Dr. Brian Clement, director of the Hippocrates Institute in Florida. Dr. Clement and the Hippocrates Institute are leaders in the field of eating live food to aide in optimal health, nutrition, and helping the body cure many diseases.

The truth is that the above comments are myths based on a society that has been brainwashed into an unsustainable lifestyle filled with addictive habits to foods with little or no nutritional value. The Project TriStar community has moved past these old patterns or unsustainable paradigms. Project TriStar is about physical healing, being consciously awake, and acceleration of growth and in order to achieve this goal, the body must also be supported and nurtured.

Of course, all fruits and vegetables are produced with the primary objective of organic and chemical free, as well as GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) free. For this reason, Project TriStar has developed an extensive heirloom seed bank and utilizes a variety of growing techniques to ensure a high nutritional and chemical free value of the produce.

The benefits of a diet consisting of more fruits and vegetables have long been recognized as healthier for human consumption. Even the Harvard School of Public Health writes:

“It's hard to argue with the health benefits of a diet rich in vegetables and fruits: Lower blood pressure; reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, and probably some cancers; lower risk of eye and digestive problems; and a mellowing effect on blood sugar that can help keep appetite in check."

"Most people should aim for at least nine servings (at least 4½ cups) of vegetables and fruits a day, and potatoes don't count. Go for a variety of kinds and colors of produce, to give your body the mix of nutrients it needs.”

Although less recognized, the additional benefits of an organic raw vegan diet mount daily as researchers and doctors complete their studies and examinations of those who have made this transition. In fact, there is a growing trend of health related cures that are being directly linked to the benefits of a raw vegan diet.

The reality is that there is no diet healthier and more sustainable than that of raw vegan. Some of the more obvious advantages include: reduced energy consumption (no cooking), reduced food consumption (more nutrition, less volume, and less cravings), reduced health related problems and ailments (less acid and chemicals), reduced need for medical treatment and prescriptions (enables the body to heal naturally).

Proven to many who have already made the transition to raw, but less publicized is that some raw vegan diets have been directly linked to the healing of heart conditions, digestive disorders, cancer, diabetes, and hundreds of other ailment. Weight loss couldn’t be easier as there is no longer a need to diet, just change your diet to raw vegan! Basically, without consuming processed foods, trans-fats, and saturated fats, the human body naturally balances hormone and chemical secretions allowing the cells and organs to rest and begin the repair process. This, in turn, allows the body to settle into its ideal weight.

For these and many more reasons, Project TriStar has concluded that an exclusive raw vegan diet is the healthiest form of nutrition for humans, provides the greatest harmonic relationship between the human body and nature, and has the greatest viability for long-term sustainability.

Often the biggest questions for those considering the raw vegan diet and the Project TriStar community are “what kind of food will we be eating?” and “how will it taste?” And hopefully if you are considering these questions, then you have probably already researched and answered the more basic questions of: “how can anyone survive without meat?”, “why is there no livestock in the Project TriStar community?”, and “why a raw vegan diet rather than cooked food?”.

When people think of a raw vegan diet, they often image what might be called "rabbit food" or basically a meal consisting of few leaves of lettuce and some carrots. This perception couldn't be farther from the truth. Project TriStar understands that it only takes knowledge, planning, and little effort to prove the community members with a raw vegan diet that both tastes and looks great. The reality is that most any dish that can be made with conventional and processed foods can also be made with raw foods as well.

You might then ask, "but what does it taste like?". Answer: In most cases, very similar and sometimes even better that the conventional counterpart. Anyone who has experience with preparing raw vegan cuisine knows that similar tastes can be created in many different ways. Often mixing together completely different raw foods can simulate the taste of something that was either processed or cooked. With the advent of the raw vegan movement, people have been experimenting with how to recreate many of the conventional tastes that we have come to appreciate such as pizza, pasta, soups, and sauces. The results have been astounding and provide the rest of us with recipes that we can now use at our leisure.

Something unique to the raw vegan diet is called "energy soup". Energy soup is a highly nutritious blend of different leafy raw vegetables with various spices such as basil, garlic, ginger, red pepper, and maybe some salt. The best part is that you can mix and match whatever vegetables you might prefer and even throw is some fruit if you like. Some of the more common vegetables in energy soup might be celery, kale, spinach, bok choy, and any variety of chard. If you've never had it before, the results are one of the easiest, quickest, nutritious, and tasteful raw vegan meals that is nothing less than amazing.

Project TriStar understands the challenges of a raw vegan diet and especially when transitioning from a diet of cooked foods and animal products. Project TriStar also believes that people feel and perform better when they eat foods that are highly nutritious and also taste good. As such, the selection of plant crops is also based on palatability of the plants once they are prepared for community consumption. Everyone knows that some foods are more palatable than others and even the best chef may not be able to change that.

As a community founded on the raw vegan diet and whose members have joined because they believe in this diet, Project TriStar has access to extensive knowledge base in the creation of raw vegan meals and recipes. The Food Services Committee will draw on this vast experience to ensure that plant production and menu items are in harmony with the ability to create nutritious and tasty meals for the community consumption.

Another consideration is to ensure the raw vegan diet includes enough fat and protein. To supply these nutritional requirements, the Project TriStar community has included the production of both nuts and algae (also known as Spirulina and chlorella). The following chart provides a breakdown of the protein and fat content for a variety of nuts, as well as Spirulina.

The community raw vegan menu reads like a veritable encyclopedia with knowledge, wisdom, and experience all rolled into one. Menu items include: an infinite variety of energy soups, raw pastas, raw breads and crackers, raw chips, sandwiches, sauces, deserts, and food combination's that challenge and even surpass the taste test with any raw vegan restaurant.

With any community or lifestyle, there is always a need to store some food away for either convenience or a rainy day. In the case of raw vegan food, one of the best ways to prepare food for storage is through dehydration. Such dehydrated foods may be useful when traveling long distances, for emergencies, instant energy boosts, or just for snacks. To accommodate these needs, dehydration of fruits and vegetables is an ongoing activity of the food production operations.

In order to take full advantage of the nutritional value of living raw foods, they are best picked only after they are vine ripened or immediately after they have dropped from the vine. This ensures the produce is in it's most nutritious state for human consumption and has achieved its most palatable taste. As part of the daily harvesting and meal preparation operations, fresh vine ripened fruits and vegetables are picked from the garden and delivered directly to the kitchen. The kitchen staff then creates the community meals based on the days harvest and posts a list of the menu items in the cafeteria dining area. Menu items may change from day-to-day as fruits and vegetables come in and out of season and to provide more variety in the community diet.

Many people still belief that eating meat is necessary for human survival. Many also believe a sustainable community means breeding or hunting all the meat they need to sustain their lives.

Project TriStar views sustainability and the relationship between man and nature quite differently from that model. Project TriStar understands the cause and effect of consuming meat on several levels including: necessity, health, food production, required skill sets, care and feeding, and sustainability.

After extensive analysis of these considerations and more, Project TriStar has defined the community diet as meat-free. This commitment means not raising domesticated animals for the consumption of food or animal byproducts and no hunting of animals to supply meat for humans or pets.

Necessity & Health:

A common urban myth is that humans need to eat meat in order to be healthy. This is a myth that was obviously born out of a lack of education and an emotional attachment to convenience and taste. The fact is that unlike the herbivore, whose digestive system is designed specifically for a diet of vegetables, or the carnivore, whose digestive system is designed primarily for a diet of meat, humans have a digestive system that accommodates the consumption of both meat and vegetables.

This doesn’t mean that humans can eat the same foods or the same way that either the herbivore or carnivore eats. For human consumption, all meat must be cooked to kill the harmful bacteria that can cause disease, illness, and even death in humans. In a similar respect, vegetables must be rinsed or washed somewhat to avoid the potential of parasites and similar bacterial problems.

The act of cooking food destroys more than just the bacteria. It is generally accepted that heating food to temperatures above 118 degrees Fahrenheit (48 degrees Celsius) causes proteins in food to become altered and enzymes to deactivate. This means that when foods are cooked at or above this temperature, the nutritional value in the food is being reduced. In fact, the nutritional value of food continues to decrease as either the cooking time or temperature is increased. The reality is that most cooked foods are heated to such extreme temperatures that the nutritional value of the food is depleted to little or nothing.

It’s also known that temperatures above 160 degrees Fahrenheit are generally required to kill the bacteria in meat products. This means that any enzymes, protein, or minerals in meat are literally destroyed along with the bacteria while the meat is cooked for human consumption. Instead of nutrition, what people receive when they eat cooked meat is generally just a sense of fullness that tricks the mind into believing that the body has received nutrition.

The reality is that there are no enzymes, protein, vitamins, or minerals in meat (cooked or raw) that humans need or that can not be received through other vegetable or mineral food sources. It has also been proven that people can not only survive without eating meat, but they can experience even greater health with a meat-free diet.

Food production:

Unless someone has lived on a working dairy or cattle farm where 100% of their food was either from the garden or the livestock, they may have a big surprise ahead of them when considering an animal-based diet in a sustainable community.

People tend to think that it’s easy to raise animals for food. That all you need to do is let the animals roam free on the land and collect them or their byproducts when you need them. This may be true in the most ideological circumstances, but the reality is that every different animal comes with its own unique set of benefits and risks.

The domesticated animal kingdom is very sensitive to changes in the environmental and generally even more so than their wild ancestors. The only reason why livestock death and disease is not more widely publicized or known to the average person is due to the fact that the health of mass produced domesticated livestock is constantly being supplemented with hormones, steroids, and antibiotics.

Even in recent times, we’ve all heard of mad cow disease and how entire farm herds and herds from multiple farms have been destroyed to reduce the spread of this disease. Do people realize they could, would, or have eaten diseased meat without even knowing it? Do people realize that it takes more than just letting animals graze in the field in order to ensure their livestock food supply does not die off from disease?

The simple fact is that maintaining any animals for personal consumption or consumption of their byproducts requires experience. Without such experience, a community could wake up one morning to find their source of meat is no longer viable and thus, their community may no longer be viable.

If such a catastrophic reduction in animal population were to occur, how long would it take to repopulate the herd? Anyone who has experience raising domesticated animals knows that it can take years and even decades to naturally replenish a herd that has been decimated by an unexpected act, and if the decimation is severe enough, possibly never.

It is true that the same type of decimation could happen with vegetable crops. Unlike domesticated animals, vegetable crops can be grown indoors or outdoors, mature in a much shorter time span, and can be started from stored seeds rather than generations of breeding. It would literally take only weeks or months to be back in full production with either the same or different strains of vegetables. The reality is that a community that sustains with a primary food supply that is animal-based runs a much higher risk than one that sustains from a plant-based food supply.

Required skill sets:

Like any other skill, raising animals for food production is something that requires more than simply reading a book. It requires practical experience and the greater the experience, the greater the probability of success. The raising and care of animals as a food source is not simply feeding and harvesting. As a complex biological organism, cows, chickens, goats, pigs, etc. all come with their own unique risks and care requirements.

In times of old when people depended on their ability to produce all of their food needs by themselves, children grew up with the knowledge and experiences of raising animals. Often this was supplemented with older family members who provided two or three generations of knowledge in a single household. This did not guarantee that a solution to a livestock problem was immediately available, which is why there was an eventual need for the veterinary industry.

Another important factor in raising livestock is knowledge of animal husbandry. The only way to maintain the health and sustainability of livestock long-term is by routinely introducing a new and unique genetic strain into the existing herd. This is more important for some breeds of livestock than others, but must generally be done every few years to ensure the health of the herd. Inter-herd breeding will eventually produce animals that are more susceptible to illness and disease as their immune systems become increasingly compromised.

Before anyone considers the care, feeding, breeding, and maintenance of animals for a food source, a community would be wise to have someone experienced with the specific breed of animals. This might be someone who has operated a farm or alternatively someone who is experienced in veterinary medicine. Anything less would be irresponsible to yourself, your family, or a community.

Care and feeding:

Depending on the community location, size, and type, the maintenance requirements for an animal-based diet can be extensive. This is due to the fact that all domesticated animals used as a food source are herbivores and as such, eat vegetation. Whether that vegetation is wild in nature or needs to be produced as part of the community crop production depends on many factors, however, this means the care and maintenance needs for the livestock are primarily to ensure they are feed.

Without first hand experience, it might seem that maintaining livestock for food simply means letting the animals graze off the natural landscape and then harvesting the animals as needed. This couldn’t be farther from the truth.

Let’s start by discussing growing seasons. Unless the environment is such that animals can graze off the land year round, the community will need to harvest and store crops to feed the animals. Depending on the location, this could be due to winter, monsoons, or even an annual period of drought. Whatever the case, it is essential that food for the livestock be stored for either cyclical weather patterns or the unexpected weather anomaly.

Obviously, the longer the period where crops can not be grown, the more crops need to be harvested and stored. Depending on the location of the community, the storage requirements could range from 1 month to even 5 months. This means that manpower and resources are required to plant, harvest, and store food for the maintenance of livestock even if the only reason is in case of a natural disaster.

How much food is required to maintain domesticated livestock? In order to provide a realistic picture, we will discuss the grazing needs, as well as the harvesting and storage needs. For simplicity sake, we will only consider the grazing and harvesting needs for cows and goats. In the summer or grazing months, 3 to 4 acres of prairie grass are required to sustain an average cow and one-quarter acre for each goat. From here, it doesn’t take much to calculate the number of acres of fertile prairie land to support a herd of any size.

Let’s consider the harvesting, curing, and storage needs for the off season or winter months. To do this, we will recalculate the consumption requirements of the cow and goat as the weight of food per day rather than acres of prairie grass per season. This also assumes the nutritional value is similar to that of the same prairie grass habitat. If the feed was derived from a planted crop such as alfalfa or hay, the volume required to feed the livestock could be reduced by about half.

Very simply, the average cow (each cow) consumes approximately 100 pounds (45kg) per day which further equates to 700 pounds (318kg) per week and 3,000 pounds (1,361kg) per month. In other words, a herd of only 10 cows requires 30,000 pounds (13,608kg) of harvested and stored prairie grass for every month they cannot graze in the wild. In addition, each cow will drink approximately 50 gallons (189 liters) of water every day.

The average goat (each goat) consumes approximately 5 to 7 pounds (2 to 3 kg) per day which equates to 42 pounds (19kg) per week and 180 pounds (82kg) per month. Goats don’t drink nearly as much water per day as a cow, but in either case, water consumption also depends on whether the animal is producing or being harvested for milk byproducts.

Although humans cannot generally eat prairie grass, they can live comfortable and healthily on only about 1 to 2 pounds (.5 to 1 kg) of raw nutrient rich vegetables per day. This is about 1.5% of what it takes to feed a cow and only 25% of what it takes to feed a goat.

Sustainability:

The human population has grown far beyond the ability of the natural animal kingdom to supply it with food. The only way the human population has been able to continue consuming meat and animal byproducts has been through the use of controlled breeding, hormone therapy, and genetic engineering.

On every level of historic colonization, humans have over populated, over hunted the wild animals, and over consumed the resources until the only way they could survive was to move to another location or more recently, alter the species to fit our new consumption needs. This begs the question, have we learned anything from history?

Now consider the creation of a new community that is based on the same principles of food production and consumption. What makes anyone think this time will be any different? What happens if infection, disease, or some catastrophic event causes mass extinction in the community livestock population? Will the community then resort to hunting in the wild as its new source for meat?

If we’ve learned anything from history it’s that the wild animal kingdom is not capable of supporting the human populations’ ravenous appetite for meat. The reality is that there will still be too many people hunting and the animal population will be rapidly diminished until people are starving once again. And when people are starving, there is little or no consideration for moderation.

Besides the inherent risks with an animal-based diet, do people really believe the perceived benefit of such a diet is worth the excessive use of resources to maintain it? Why does it make any sense to grow, harvest, and store crops for livestock or to house and maintain animals when you would need only a fraction of the resources to simply grow vegetables for human consumption.

Once again, the choice of a diet based on animal versus vegetable comes down to the consumption of resources, practicality, and conscious responsibility. The only community diet that addresses these historic risks and human tendencies towards the animal kingdom as a food source is a diet based on growing vegetables as the primary or only source of food. Communities that have prepared to live a vegetarian lifestyle have the greatest chance for long-term sustainability.

Communication is essential in every instance of life and especially when interacting with others. Unfortunately, in modern society, the term "communication" has often become synonymous with an overuse and abuse of technology.

It all may have started with the analog telephone, but our ability to communicate has evolved into a combination of necessity and addiction in order to function in the world around us and has become less and less about listening and learning from a conversation.

What did we do before cellphones and computers? Nothing necessarily different. Everything just required more time and people to complete, but life still functioned. And yes, it did actually require organizing your thoughts and planning ahead of time in order to get the same tasks completed.

Project TriStar understands the obvious benefits of technology and the advancements that technology has provided, but also believes that advancements in technology are partly responsible for a systematic destruction of humanity.

No, technology is not evil and like all things has it's place in our growth on both personal and global levels. This website is a perfect example of how technology can help people if used constructively. It can bring people together instantly from around the world and can help to bridge the gaps in cultural differences, however, it can also be linked to the demise of social standards, ethics and morality as it creates a social disconnect with human interaction including within oneself.

In other words, it's easier to say or do something to harm another person if you don't have to look them in the eye or lie to their face. It's also easier to do something to hurt yourself or avoid a lesson if we are consumed or distracted by the gadgets around us. We have unsolicited marketing calls, emails, and a growing dependency to technology. As a whole, mankind has become addicted to instant gratification. We have adapted a need to be plugged in order to exercise, to relax, and especially to be entertained. These are just a few examples of how technology has become a destructive tool to the advancement of spiritual awareness and consciousness much more than a constructive tool.

Just as electronic communication has become increasingly important in most modern day societies, it is absolutely not important to the Project TriStar community initiative. In fact, Project TriStar believes that our dependence on electronic gadgetry is a major player in the social and spiritual downfall of modern day society. After all, how can we consciously connect with yourself or another person when we are constantly plugged in? The answer is very simply that it is difficult at best.

Project TriStar believes the key is a return to natural and universal laws and to a simpler way of life. This includes removing our dependencies, additions, and distractions to technology and replacing them with personal interaction, personal communication, and creative activities.

If a member understands the Project TriStar initiative, then they may also understand what off-the-grid living really means as it applies to daily life. The remote community location means no access to cellular service, little or no electricity, no access to the internet, and no batteries.

Member orientation is specifically designed to help new members experience the community lifestyle before actually moving to the community site. Besides addressing issues related to the raw vegan diet, medications, and possible feelings of isolation, this orientation period assists members in realizing and clearing any known or unknown dependencies and addictions to technology.

If someone needs electronic devices to feel comfortable, connected, and entertained, they have a long way to go before even applying to a community like Project TriStar. If they are still clinging to those devices up to the last possible moment before moving into such a remote community, then they may still not be ready for an off-the-grid lifestyle.

Helping members reduce and eventually eliminate their dependency on cell phones and other forms technology is part of the transition to off-the-grid living. Members may believe they understand what off-the-grid living means, but the reality may be quite a shock for a population that has become addicted to technology, instant gratification, and unconscious communication.

The Project TriStar community is preparing for likely the greatest leap in conscious evolution and the potential and probable events surrounding this time in history. These events could render most technology useless and ultimately obsolete. Those who choose to become members of the community understand these topics and have no problem letting go of technology that is accustomed to being used for pleasure or business. Once a member has relocated to the community, there should be little or no need for access to such technologies.

As with many topics related to the Project TriStar community, there is a transition period while the community is under development, through the member orientation, and all the way up to relocation to the remote community facilities. This period of time provides members with an opportunity to utilize there technological devices while eliminating their dependency.

Project TriStar has every intention on maintaining communication with the outside world both before, during, and after the coming catastrophic potentials and social realities of these times. As such any technology used for communication with the outside world is used sparingly and as a way to keep tabs on the rest of humanity.

Obviously, the remote location of the Project TriStar community naturally limits communication options with the outside world. Project TriStar plans to use some satellite phones for communication during the community planning and construction. Once construction is completed and all the members have moved into the community, the majority of communications with the outside world will be through the use of HAM or shortwave radio, preferably of the tube design.

A Communications Committee has been established to coordinate and facilitate all internal and external communications for the community. This committee is responsible for the communication techniques and technology used for planning of the remote community, on-site development, and internal needs after development. They are also responsible for all communications needs and access during the member orientation period including: internet access, mobile phone usage, and vendor contact. This committee will authorize access to outside communication on an as needed basis. Some authorized communications may include: contact with family and friends, coordination with new members, and ongoing support of the community development process.

Project TriStar does plan to utilize some for of computer technology to archive and store information that is deemed important for the preservation of knowledge and history. This technology and these efforts are also coordinated by the Communications Committee to ensure the technology is maintainable and provides the highest probability of retrieval at a later date. Any use of technology for education or health services is coordinated between the appropriate committees.

All Project TriStar committee members have greater access to external communications during the development process due to their responsibility to contact vendors, coordinate with new members, and handle logistics for the community planning and development efforts. However, once the community development is completed and all members have relocated to the remote facilities, committee member will have no more access to technology and communications than any other member.

Members are required to relinquish or dispose of all electronic devices prior to relocating to the remote community location. This includes: cell phones, ipods, mp3 and multimedia players, hair dryers, computers, and satellite phones.

The nature of the Project TriStar self-sustainable, off-the-grid, and remote community makes transportation both less important and of greater concern at the same time. First, members have little or no need for a vehicle once they begin participating in the community operations and second, any vehicle that is used within the community must be rugged and properly maintained for the trip to and from the remote community site. In other words, most vehicles are neither equipped or safe enough for the all-terrain and endurance needs of community transportation.

Members choose the Project TriStar community and lifestyle fully aware that it means a radical change from the lifestyle most have left behind. To a great extent, this means a purging of material possessions that have no need or purpose in the community and the community lifestyle. A lifestyle that incorporates simplicity in needs in exchange for a safe, peaceful, and nurturing environment that harmonizes with natural and universal laws. As such, and due to the remote community location, this also includes letting go of the need to be completely autonomous and the need for a vehicle for personal transportation.

By joining the Project TriStar community, each member makes a commitment to living a simpler and more rewarding lifestyle. Each member knows this is not a short-term commitment, but rather a long-term and hopefully lifetime commitment by the members to a lifestyle that has only slight reflections to the one they left behind. In the long-term, this means little long-term for contact with global society as it exists today.

Project TriStar is also not a day spa or vacation resort where people can drive up, expect to stay, and then leave without making such a commitment. Most of all, Project TriStar is a community that lives, breathes, and acts like a community rather than individualists trying to live and work together. It's this very sense of community that creates the opportunities for growth and expansion that are represented in the community.

As such, every member knows the importance of the community operations and maintaining some practical conveniences while discarding others. For all of these reasons and more, the need for individually owned vehicles is neither necessary or practical in the Project TriStar community. To accommodate the transportation needs of the community, Project TriStar has created a Transportation Committee that is responsible for all inter-site coordination, needs analysis, vehicle evaluation and purchasing.

Given the large number of community members, transportation needs for the community are managed by this committee to reduce the unnecessary accumulation of individual member vehicles during either the member orientation period, committee planning, site development, and member relocation. The purpose of the committee is to reduce the need for member owned vehicles as a member gets closer to actually relocating to the remote community site.

Part of this process is to help members reduce their dependency on personal vehicles as part of the transition to off-the-grid living. People may believe they understand what off-the-grid living means, but the reality may be quite different for those who have become addicted to unnecessary travel for the sake of convenience. The remoteness of the Project TriStar community site naturally limits a member transportation options, however, the goal is to help members transition away from the need for a personal vehicle prior to moving into the community.

As with many topics related to the Project TriStar community project, there is a transition period while the community is under development. This period of time provides some members with an opportunity to utilize their vehicle while reducing their dependency. During the community planning and member orientation phase, use of a member owned vehicle might be appropriate depending on the circumstances. In any event, the use of a member vehicle for community transportation is considered a short-term solution towards a long-term goal.

Community vehicle uses include: transportation of members to/from destination airports or cities, orientation, meetings with suppliers and vendors, and delivery of personnel, equipment, and supplies to the remote community location. By the time a member relocates to the remote community site, there will be no need for a personal vehicle. The Membership Committee and the Membership Handbook recommends that all members either sell their vehicle or leave it with friends before final relocation to the remote community site.

It is recommended that community members literally arrive with their possessions in hand at a designated location or nearest city to the Project TriStar facilities. From that point on, the Transportation Committee can arrange for all transportation needs to and from the Project TriStar facilities for the duration and until the member completes their relocation to the remote community site.

If a member still has their vehicle when they arrive and feels that it may be appropriate, equipped, and capable of use for the community activities, they should bring this to the attention of the Membership Committee prior to arrival at member orientation or the committee planning facility. The Transportation Committee will review the community needs analysis and evaluates any member vehicle before it is authorized for use by the community. Any personal vehicle driven by a member to the planning facility or the orientation facility may be put to use for the greater good of the community at the discretion of the Transportation Committee.

Project TriStar and the Transportation Committee have taken great care in order to ensure the safety and comfort of member travel needs to and from the remote community site. This preparation includes choosing only those vehicles that are equipped for long tours through rugged terrain. This means that vehicles are of commercial standards, capable of off-road repair, and capable of carrying enough supplies along with the members and their personal items. This includes the ability to transport enough food, water, and camping equipment in case of breakdown.

As such, the Transportation Committee has selected a variety of suitable vehicles for transportation of members to the orientation facility, site support during construction, relocation to the community site, and for any long-term uses and considerations.

Project TriStar understands that every community member gives up a lot of the conventional comforts and conveniences in exchange for the opportunity to be part of such a unique community and lifetime experience. This means letting go of many perceived emotional and believed physical attachments in order to live in such a self-sustainable, off-the-grid, and remote community.

One of the most comforting possessions to many people is that which allows for their greatest mobility; generally in the form of an automobile. Why? Often because we have become accustomed to the conveniences of modern society or because we feel trapped when our mobility options are limited. With the possible and potential events in our near future, these thoughts and patterns can become even more exaggerated. Maybe it's due to the unknowns, uncertainties, and insecurities of these times or from entering a new and remote community experience, but the truth is that some members may experience a sense of anxiety from letting go of their option to flee.

Healing fear is one of the ultimate goals of conscious evolution which means overcoming our insecurities, addictions, and patterns. Project TriStar is dedicated to helping members achieve these goals and is doing everything possible to make the member transition as easy as possible. Project TriStar understands that this process involves both personal evolution on the part of the member and the building of trust between each member and the community management. The key to achieving all of this is communication.