What I Learned From the Power Outage

[ChristineL]

Let's start with the obvious; those PG&E recorded updates lie to you, when you talk to an actual person...they lie to you. Our power was out from Friday, 4:30AM to Monday, 6:45PM. First, they were aware of my outage which was due to fallen trees and they estimated it would be back on Fri. evening. On Sat I got one of my favorite recordings: "We expected to have the power back on last night at...blah blah". On Sunday, I was told they had found where the problem was and it would now be fixed. It was now due simply to fallen wires. On Monday, it was due to a fire. I just want the truth, if they haven't found the problem, I can live with that...just tell me and I'll plan accordingly. Now, on to the general public. On Sunday, I talked to neighbors who had seen exactly where the problem was, they could see it from their house. I asked if they had informed PG&E...of course not. This way you can have PG&E trucks going all over the hills searching...

I also learned how blessed I was to live in the community I live in and what wonderful neighbors I had. I was offered a free room for Mom, myself and the dog at the resort I do readings out of. I was offered freezer and refrigerator space by several people who had their power back. My next door neighbor, being particularly concerned about my mother, ran a line from his generator to Mom's downstairs unit and one to mine. Mom had heat and I plugged in the refrigerator. I could also make coffee and boil water for tea. No food loss and I didn't have to worry about Mom being cold. I had several places to go to for a hot shower and the ability to blow dry my hair. (Hair past the waist does not air dry efficiently in an unheated space.)

I also learned I'm spoiled and can be childish. Let's face it, I had a roof over my head and with all the help I had, as well as all the warm clothes I've accumulated, this was not all that bad. I could even plug in a small lamp and read. I was actually very blessed and lucky. Yet, I complained...a lot. I had phone service as I still have one of those thirty some odd year old AT&T phones that plug directly into the jack and need no electricity to work. As long as I have phone service, I can earn a living.

Once again I was reminded of all those things you take for granted. Hot food, the wonderful feeling of well-being after a hot shower, the computer and internet, the satisfaction of being in a clean and attractive space after vacuuming and dusting, clean warm clothes just out of the dryer (power came back on just in time to avoid a trip to the laundromat) and on-demand light after dark. It's funny how habit continues; I would enter the bathroom lit flash-light in hand and automatically reach for the light switch. As soon as the lights came on, I turned on the TV only because I could. (I then switched to playing a couple of CD's I hadn't heard yet. Edith Piaf, takes me back to my childhood in France.)

I also learned, a black dog and a black cat are hard to track in the absolute darkness of a power outage (LOL). Both got out when my neighbor came to my door to ask me something. Luckily, all the generator noises spooked them and neither went far. I can tell you, after that scare, I was super careful and made sure both were confined when I was going in and out of the house.

One thing for sure, when the day comes I can afford to do so, I'm going to get off the grid as much as possible.

[terriann]

I'm been thinking that the solution to our energy dependence isn't to get "off the grid" and become independent. But rather to have smaller, more locally controlled grids that allow for interdependence at a local level, with all the diversity of power sources that a region can provide for itself. Diversity = vitality and health--ecological, economical, and social.

Anyone else have thoughts about this?

(I've been reading Cradle to Cradle: remaking the way we make things, by William McDonough & Michael Braungart)

--Terriann

[Braggi]

Right on Terriann. That concept really puts the spotlight on the BIG LIE that is nuclear power. PV solar power is the answer, distributed all over people's homes, the roofs of businesses, schools, and covering parking lots. We can even cover over roadways with NO LOSS of habitat for animals or plants. How about rows of solar panel poles down the centerline of all divided roads?

There is so much we can do to end the dominance of big corporations, including power companies. Remember during the phony "power crisis" (that we're still paying for)? Everyone's power bills in California went way up except for Sacramento and Los Angeles. Why? It's because those two cities had their own locally controlled power companies and local generation stations. It should be remembered as well that Sacramento shut down its nuke plant and replaced it with wind and solar generation because the nuke wasn't cost effective.

While we're remembering things, let's recall that no terrorist has ever targeted a solar panel.

Stop the nukes! Up with solar panels and wind generators! Today's technology for tomorrow's energy security.

-Jeff

[shellebelle]

You forgot Anaheim. If you truly want to look at a city that is on grid but independent look there. Well not really at them per se. Look at what Disney has done and how they connected it to the city. Walt Disney was an advanced thinker and a dreamer. Anaheim's power almost never goes down, why? They own their own plant sort of. Disneyland can remain up when all else is down.

Bad part is that no one takes conservation seriously and fumes and contaminates - its why we left, the bees were dieing around us. We were dieing.

Right on Terriann. That concept really puts the spotlight on the BIG LIE that is nuclear power. PV solar power is the answer, distributed all over people's homes, the roofs of businesses, schools, and covering parking lots. We can even cover over roadways with NO LOSS of habitat for animals or plants. How about rows of solar panel poles down the centerline of all divided roads?

There is so much we can do to end the dominance of big corporations, including power companies. Remember during the phony "power crisis" (that we're still paying for)? Everyone's power bills in California went way up except for Sacramento and Los Angeles. Why? It's because those two cities had their own locally controlled power companies and local generation stations. It should be remembered as well that Sacramento shut down its nuke plant and replaced it with wind and solar generation because the nuke wasn't cost effective.

While we're remembering things, let's recall that no terrorist has ever targeted a solar panel.

Stop the nukes! Up with solar panels and wind generators! Today's technology for tomorrow's energy security.

-Jeff

[ChristineL]

Love the direction this thread has taken. Terrian, Braggi...I agree with your solutions...but until it's possible in this area...I hope to be able to at least install solar panels at some point.

Anybody have suggestions on what we all could do to initiate a movement to make what Terrian and Braggi are talking about happen?

Christine

[nurturetruth]

'Tis sooo nice to see members in this community discussing such a topic!

Love the thread title too !

What did I learn from the power outage?!! Other than how everyone seems to want Sebastopol to have its own independent source of electricity....

I learned how important it was to have a working, comfortable , non-smelling, compost toilet on hand to use!
( i already have access to solar panels, Gas heater, Gas oven/stove, Gas fridge)

.... and I even hear rumors that there might be someone local who will be offering these already made compost toilet kits fairly soon!!!

(if anyone is interested in such a concept--feel free to email me)