Submitted by happysmash27 in lobby

I'm trying to get a lot of dirt to build an artificial island, but I don't have much money at all. Therefore, I am looking to get my own dirt rather than buying it, as well as my own materials to build a hopper barge to move this dirt. However, somehow, no one has yet asked where one is allowed to get free resources online! Does anyone have any idea where I can acquire these materials (using my own work)?

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libre_dev wrote

How big of an island are we talking? Small patches of land aren't expensive, especially if nothing of value can grow there. You could always steal someone else's dirt of course (now that would be an amusing sight)

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happysmash27 OP wrote

Less than 2/5 of an acre, probably. I'm looking to use as little as possible to be self sufficient.

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er3he4tioztwos3g wrote

As someone who is interested in micronations, this has happened before. They made their own island IIRC, and they actually got took over by the nation of Fiji, for being in their territory. I don't have a source on me at the moment, but I swear this happened.

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er3he4tioztwos3g wrote

As someone who is interested in micronations, this has happened before. They made their own island IIRC, and they actually got took over by the nation of Fiji, for being in their territory. I don't have a source on me at the moment, but I swear this happened.

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indi wrote

Sounds like you're thinking of "The Republic of Minerva". It was supposed to be a libertarian paradise founded by a real estate millionaire. But as recent history has shown, real estate millionaires don't exactly make competent leaders.

They brought loads of sand on barges to build up the reef and create an artificial island.

Going from memory, it was invaded by Tonga. It was a bloodless "war", though shots were fired; the American libertarians didn't really put up much a of a fight. Turns out the right to bear arms sounds lovely to libertarians only up until the point someone else exercises that right and starts shooting back at them.

Well, it was almost a bloodless war. Apparently, the Tongan "soldiers" sent to drive away the Americans were actually just conscripted convicts. While celebrating their victory and dancing on the ruins of their vanquished enemy, they got a little drunk, and a couple of them got violent, and two (?) ended up dead. They were buried on Minerva; the only people to die there.

Today, I believe the entire artificial island has completely washed away. Libertarian groups have, from time to time, attempted to reclaim the island, but none have been successful. They've learned the hard lesson of Minerva:

You don't fuck with the Tongans.

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libre_dev wrote

Why not just form a commune? Much easier. It's entirely possible to disattach oneself from the system that way. Doesn't help anyone else of course, but if near-independence is what your heart desires..

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happysmash27 OP wrote (edited )

How? Wouldn't one still need to pay property taxes, which requires money?

Edit: I just realised that I didn't say this already: it is for forming a commune, just on the ocean.

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An_Old_Big_Tree wrote

I have no idea, and this seems wildly unrealistic just based on what you've said. Still, I'm a little intrigued by your brazenness.

That said, I have some concerns for ocean life if you're going to be dumping a lot of stuff in it. I imagine that it takes a huge amount of anything to make an island, especially in an ocean where the tides and the waves are going to be constantly washing a lot of it away.

Then I assume that the authorities will come and shut you down pretty quickly.

It would be nice if you laid out a bit more of your plan for us to engage with.

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happysmash27 OP wrote (edited )

Well, the website for it is at https://anarkikomunismolando.org/. The basic plan is to create an anarcho-communist micronation which people voluntarily move to in order to achieve anarcho-communism. One idea for someplace to put this was making an artificial island in international waters, and this is what this post was about. Likely, it would be brought over by a hopper barge purchased through crowdfunding.

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Daddybatko wrote

perhaps skip the dirt and just collect broken boats and weld them together. building an actual island takes incredible amounts of resources, not to mention the damage to the marine life. also, you might want to look at how much logistics goes into the actual construction of an island. this is really silly but i love the idea.

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BabyCroc wrote

What country..?

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happysmash27 OP wrote

Any country which allows foreigners to get mass, preferably either close to the western United States or near North-Western Africa.

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Blackbeard wrote

You could create a floating island from empty plastic bottles and netting. Some guy created his own, called Spiral Island, just off the coast of Cancun. It has sand, a house, done ducks, a garden or two. I believe he is fairly self sustained. If you're ever down that way, he is supposed to be pretty welcoming and fun. There are a few articles that go further into detail out there on the internet, and I believe at least one video.

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BlackFlagged wrote

Global warming will put an end to any island pretty soon.

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happysmash27 OP wrote

Make it really tall, maybe? It's already ended through global warming, actually; the location I was looking at was a seamount only slightly below sea level.

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MHC wrote

You'll also need to stabilize it against currents.

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