Your electrical power and the United States electiral power grid is something we all take for granted. You might not give much thought to your electrical power until you have to do without it.
I lived in the city more than five years ago, and I got use to being without it more than I think should have been possible. I have never had that many problems living anywhere but right in the city. I seemed that all it took for the electrical power to go out was a good, strong breeze. It seemed silly, but it was definitely a reality. I learned not to take electricity for granted.
It’s really funny now when the electrical power goes off. I live in a smaller area, and it is rare that it goes out. One afternoon I was outside with my daughter, and I noticed that my neighbors were all coming out on their porches and looking around. Some were squinting because of the bright sunlight, and I wondered what was going on.
Apparently, the electrical power had gone out, and this drove everyone from inside to go outside to see if anyone knew what was going on. It was like something out of a movie.
I know that I rely on electrical power just as much as the next person in the United states. We rely on it so much that we are at a loss when it goes out. Though I can understand a business having huge issues when the power goes out, it amazes me that homes have issues too.
These issues aren’t as serious though. The television, computers, and every thing else is off. You might notice a quiet like you have never heard before. No one seems to know what to do. I even have to admit I find myself getting bored if it goes on for too long but then I can always find a real book to read.
We rely so much on electrical power that we don’t know what to do once it goes out, even if it’s only for thirty minutes. I would guess that means that the things we rely on have almost become too important.
I know when the Internet goes out, I do start to panic. In my defense, I work online, and every moment I can’t work I lose money. All the same though, it shouldn’t be a big deal. We have come a long way, but in some ways, we have put ourselves at the mercy of our own creations. I’m not sure how comforting that thought should be, but it scares me just a little.
The electrial power grind in this country is very unstable and it takes just a squirrel chewing on a wire at a substation to blackout whole areas of the country. Like refinereis we haven’t built many new power stations and the ones we do build are still coal or natural gas based. High pollution and coal is a labor intesive process plus it must be transported 100s if not thousands of miles to get it where it’s needed.
We have enough wind energy in North Dakota alone to power the whole country with cheap and non polluting electricity. We have enough sun in Arizona to power the whole country from the sun. Cheap and clean. Makes you wonder why we aren’t doing more of it doesn’t it.
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