I’ve spent 20 years off-grid after building private island out of RUBBISH…I saved thousands but now I’m looking for love

A MAN has spent the last 20 years living by himself on an island made out of rubbish, from his house to his toilet, but now he’s looking for a girlfriend. Shadow lives as a recluse, in an off-grid marsh in British Columbia where he focuses on living a happy, healthy life in the most sustainable way possible. The real-life Womble lives as a recluse, in an off-grid marsh in British ColombiaTiktok/@exploringalternatives.fa Shadow has lived by himself for 20 years but now wants a girlfriendInstagram His house is on a floating island surrounded by a lake he calls Shadow’s Water. The shaman’s mission is to protect the wildlife and wetlands around where he lives in Widgeon Marsh. The real-life Womble is gaining popularity online with him having almost 7,000 YouTube subscribers, 13,700 Instagram followers and Tiktok videos of him have gotten over 1.6million views and 73,000 likes. His Instagram bio was recently updated adding “I’m single and looking for a woman”. Shadow’s YouTube mainly shows off the island that he lives on. Its description says:   “I have been living here, self-sustaining, for 17 years. “The whole island is made of recycled and reclaimed eco-friendly materials. “I do my best to leave the smallest ecological footprint I possibly can. “The island runs on solar panels, I have a composting toilet, beautiful gardens and cute chickens. “I believe in natural healing, energies, and a healthy lifestyle. “I want to raise awareness of the importance of living in balance with nature.” On Instagram, Shadow shows his audience how he shares the island with snakes, beavers, otters, birds, bats and fish. Some of the ways Shadow lives his life to make sure he’s staying as eco-friendly as possible is by having a composting shed and a composting toilet so he isn’t polluting into the ecosystem. The filtration system he’s designed means the water level is always at a constant around the marshes so it’s perfect for the wildlife. He also owns chickens that live in his self-made chicken coop and a bat condo where the bats he gets visits from and live in instead of coming into his home. He constantly makes use of things he finds, such as oil barrels that float on the water, and turns them into garden beds for his greenery and food to grow in. The barrels also helped build a bench that he can sit on and relax. This has helped him save thousands. He gets around using one of three boats. A small boat he’s named Puddle Pirate which he uses to get wood, as well as a kayak and a larger boat for trips into the local town if he’s bringing back food or supplies. Interestingly he owns a big library inside his floating home with hundreds of books, where he gets information from on how to keep the island sustainable and help him build things. Downstairs there is also a pantry where he stores food, a kitchen and a large workshop with all the tools imaginable. Upstairs he has an arts and crafts area, an office and a bedroom with a single bed. He has a large range of films, board games and musical instruments that he uses to stop himself from getting cabin fever in the winter. Towards the back of his house there is a meditation room that Shadow uses as he believes in sensing the energy of places and things to truly be at one with them. He also makes his own tarot cards. The downstairs of his house has a workshop, kitchen and pantryTiktok/@exploringalternatives.fa InstagramShadow spends most of his time outside looking for trash he can turn into something useful on the island[/caption] InstagramThe view across the lake from Shadow’s floating home[/caption]