The year is 2045, and the small community of Lillsund has become known for its unique tradition: one week every year, just after midsummer, they disconnect from the outside world. No goods are transported in or out, electricity is shut off, and society temporarily becomes a self-sustaining ecosystem. The initiative, which initially attracted great skepticism, has now become a symbol of sustainability and resilience, and other places have started to follow suit.
Day 1: Darkness and Silence
As Sunday evening approaches and the last transport truck rolls out of Lillsund, a strange calm settles over the community. The electricity is turned off and the residents who have not already prepared for the week rush to make the last purchases. At sunset there are no flashing lights, no humming refrigerators, and no beeping appliances. The darkness, which is lit only by solar lamps for a while, feels different – more natural, almost welcoming.
For many, this first night is the most stressful. People are used to being constantly connected, being able to instantly charge their phones or turn on any light. But beneath the surface there is something deeper going on. Lillsund’s mayor, Ingrid, describes this week as a return to the essentials – something that goes beyond our dependence on electricity and consumption.
Food and Water: The basis of the hierarchy of needs
One of the biggest changes society was forced to go through when the tradition started was to develop solutions to manage water and food in the days when nothing could be transported in or out. In the long run, this has created new thoughts and ideas that have led to a robust self-sufficiency culture. Large quantities of food are now grown on several surfaces and roofs all year round, and the houses in the community have invested in earthen cellars for storing crops and root vegetables. Some have even experimented with small-scale aquaponic systems, where fish and plants live in symbiosis to produce both food and clean water.
To meet the water supply during the week, each home has invested in rainwater collection and filtration systems. In winter, large tanks are filled with meltwater that is stored for the challenging week of the year. Having drinking water and food is no longer something you take for granted – and by experiencing the lack once a year, every resident is reminded of how important this base of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs really is.
Energy: From Centralized Electricity to Local Solutions
The power outage is perhaps the biggest challenge. Previously, Lillsund was completely dependent on the national electricity grid, but as part of its self-sufficiency week, the village has developed a network of small-scale energy solutions. Many households have installed solar panels and wind turbines, but since these only provide access to electricity in limited quantities and under the right conditions, creative solutions have become essential.
A couple of local engineers have even created a bicycle generator that allows residents to generate their own electricity through physical activity. Some use biogas from composts to power gas lamps. And so the old honest wood stove has had a renaissance – not only as a source of heat but also for cooking.
In the evenings, families and neighbors gather around candles and lanterns during the week. The simple light becomes a symbol of collective resilience – a sign that Lillsund can cope, even without the convenience of constant power.
Communication and Social Life: Overcoming the Need for Connectedness
A week without electricity also means limited access to the internet. When this started ten years ago, this was what scared most people. But society has developed new ways of communicating and keeping in touch with the outside world. Electricity backup has been built for all connection points to the internet, but few have fast connections and the internet is mostly used for necessary things such as news and messages. Some try to get through the week with only crank radios, but for many this week also means a chance to disconnect from the digital world.
At the same time, something amazing has happened to social life. With residents no longer able to retreat to their phones or computers for long periods of time, villagers have rediscovered the value of the physical meeting. Families play board games, neighbors gather for communal meals, and children run around and play in a way that feels nostalgic and natural. In a way, Lillsund has created a form of digital detox which, although forced, is experienced as a relief for many.
Higher Needs: Self-Actualization and Collective Strength
Further up Maslow’s hierarchy of needs we find self-actualization and the feeling of contributing to something greater. The fact that Lillsund has built a tradition around its annual relaxation has also created a strong sense of community and identity. The residents are proud that, unlike many other communities, they are self-sufficient for a week each year and have built up a resilience against consumption addictions. It has become a collective achievement, and every year they improve their methods to make the week easier and more efficient.
For the young residents of Lillsund, this has also become a chance to show their ingenuity. Many have contributed with new solutions for storing energy, water and food. They organize hackathons before the shutdown, where residents find ways to improve their self-sufficiency system together.
Long Term Effects
This annual week has shaped society in a more profound way than was first thought possible. Lillsund’s residents have become less dependent on consumption and external technology and more self-aware of their own resources and abilities.
In the long term, this has created a mentality of preparedness and self-reliance. Should a major crisis occur – be it a natural disaster or economic collapse – Lillsund’s residents know they can manage, at least for a while. But perhaps even more important is the change in mentality that has taken place: they have learned to value their resources and their community on a deeper level, and that a week without the outside world is an opportunity for growth, not a threat.
Lillsund has become a role model for how we can reconnect to nature and to each other – and in that process become stronger, both as individuals and as a society.
Is this scenario an utopia or makes sense? Would you participate? What new thoughts do you get? will people move to or from lillsund because of this? Is it driving a new kind of innovation?
What would happen if a neighborhood unplugged for an entire week a year? Would you apply? What kind of thoughts do you get? please share them here
