Yesterday morning 7am sharp, our power went out. I was reading one of your blogs. SM had just gotten out of the shower.
"Drat!" I paused, assuming it was a power hiccup and everything would pop back on in a second. It didn't.
SM calls..."What happened to the power?" We both peered out across the street in the gray dawn looking to see if our neighbors were out too. Yep.
"Well, I'd better get in the shower too." I said assuming things would turn on in a bit. SM had grabbed the flashlight. "I'm not sure I can shave with this." I wandered into the bathroom and opened the blinds that we ALWAYS keep closed for privacy. "How's this? Better?" I asked.
So we got ready and still no power. I grabbed a bag and stuffed all my "beautification" equipment into it figuring I'd use the bathroom at work to make myself presentable. Hair dryer, squirt stuff, hairspray, brushes, clips....I put my makeup on in the dim bathroom. (Nobody laughed at work so I must've done something right...)
I headed out, my head wet and cold, wondering if I see a downed power pole and traffic backed up for miles. Nope. Just our street without power. Huh.
This got me to thinking though...I'm a pig. Everything I have and depend on in my life came to me because of some form of energy. Everything at work depends on energy. Paper work, medical equipment, EMR's...even the front door to get into the building. Oink
My house, my food, my warmth, my entertainment, my income, my health...even my garden depended on some form of energy to get it there. Oink, Oink
Now I read alot about simple living on ya'lls blogs and I too want to reduce my impact. "Kuddos" to those of you who have lessened yours.
But I hate to say it. There's just no way that the modern world is going to step backword in time to reduce it's appetite. Oink Oink Oink
Offshore drilling, natural gas fracking, clean coal...I myself live downwind of not one but two nuclear power plants. One slip of the wrist and I'm radioactive! The world is small and getting smaller. It's in MY backyard and it's in yours too. There's no where you can hide from it and you just can't be a little piggy and not pay a price.
I guess my point in this post is that, as a world community, we've got to invest in energy research. Cleaner, safer options. Reduced consumption.
Nobody likes it, but it's something we're all going to have to accept. We're in this mess together.
OINK
* Side note* The more I read that nursery rhyme the more I have to laugh.
"To the market" = Our huge appetite as consumers in the world.
"Stayed Home" = Homesteads and victory gardens, back to simple living.
"Some had roast beef, some had none" = The "have's" vs the "have not's".
My favorite though is the "wee pig running all the way home." That's me for sure.
You bet I'm running all the way home. I need my rose colored glasses.
Tami - That is one of the reasons why am soooo happy that our farmhouse is totally off grid.
ReplyDeleteI depend on nobody for whatever energy we consume. And if we haven't got enough energy, I'll make another plan - like off grid kitchen implements, stomping on washing in a big tub / bath, mixing/kneading bread by hand, etc.
On a side note - why not try, once a week, to produce a meal without the normal amount of electricity (leave it to "cook" the whole day in a hay box, and if it's meat or poultry, don't forget to bring it back to the boil for 5 - 10 minutes before eating). And to eat it by candlelight. And to entertain each other with tales from the past / playing a game / reading quietly / or just plain talking. I was thrilled to discover that the world didn't come to an end just because the TV / radio / Hi-Fi wasn't switched on for a night. Through just simply talking to each other, instead of being glued to the TV RMan and I started getting along better (but that could also have been the timing - I was also getting to the end of the worst of my menopause LOL) Although, to be honest, I do miss TV on the farm - it sort of winds me down after the day, especially shows like Grand Designs, gardening shows, and the Richard Attenborough programmes.
In our town house (bearing in mind that we work from home too) I have managed to reduce our electricity consumption by 60% in the past year. How - by only turning the geyser on for 1/2 hour just prior to using it. By NOT using my stove at all - either my solar oven / hay box or a 2 plate gas stove do the necessary. By throwing away my electric kettle - that, too, gets boiled on the two plate stove :) (and trust me, with RMan, myself, RSon and two workers, that can be a lot of kettle boiling sessions /day).
Finally, why not try and get yourself a couple of paraffin (kerosene?) lamps - for those moments when "beautification" is required by there is no power :)
Nothing more romantic / complimentary / calming than candle / paraffin light.
I honestly believe it's all a mindset. And a mindset is really not that hard to change.
Ever since Westinghouse strung the first power cord up they have been selling us a bunch of crap that we 'have' to have to use up that electric. And we fell for it. The beginning of our consumer culture. Look how many people dont even know how to make coffee anymore unless it is in an electric coffee pot. It is very sad we have two generations who think they 'need' all these things when they might just be happier and healthier without it.
ReplyDeleteWe use solar or wind for our energy. Sometimes the generator and if we stay for long periods we can get by on just a couple of fill ups all winter. We don't use campgrounds.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Tami. Even those of us who are aware can sure use the reminder and the reality check now and then. A while back we ran out of propane and it was like our world came to an end. No hot water? No coffee? Clean dishes? Clean clothes? How will be ever live?? Yep, OINK!
ReplyDeleteEven though I try to be electrically (and everything else) frugal, it does help to be reminded, so thanks! Oh, now everytime I use the microwave I'll have the word "Oink" going through my head!
ReplyDeleteBTW, you know that probably up until my early 20's I though that "This little piggy went to market" meant that he was going to go shopping at the grocery store for milk or something.