Concerning individual self-sufficiency. What would you do if a tragic event occurred in your life that left you unable to meet your home's utility requirements? I can tell you from personal experience that if you don't keep up on the phone bill, THEY WILL shut it off. In rural areas, if you can't pay for the propane, they won't bring any more out to you, and if you don't pay the rent on the tank, they'll come and pick that up too. NOW what are you going to do? Oh, no problem, you can just start using electric heaters. Until, that is, you get your next bill. Oops. You better think of something pretty fast, or you may find you and your family taking cold showers, with nothing to cook on and living by candlelight. No electricity means no TV too. (Can we even imagine that?) And in my part of the country, water pipes have a tendency to freeze in the winter when there's no heat in the house. It's no fun not having any money for gasoline either. Now you have to start looking for a good ole' buddy, ole' pal, a bicycle or your best pair of walking shoes. I've been there, like so many others. Being able to see your breath inside your home, no food in the frig, no phone, owning three vehicles and all of them undrivable at the same time.
Don't let it happen to you. Learn self sufficiency. It's a little like wearing a seat belt I suppose. 999 times you can get away without wearing one and never get hurt. But there always seems to be that 1000th time, and that's the one that gets you. I learned a good rule from one of my friends one time. It's called the 7 P Rule. "Prior Proper Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance." I have found it to be a very good rule to go by.
My goal is to one day be 100% self sufficient at my home as well as on the road. H-E-R hopes to investigate everything from power sources such as animals, water, wind, and solar, to water sources and purification, electrical generation, electric or hybrid-electric transportation, food production and preservation, unconventional homes, clothing production, and communication systems. Energy sources requiring ANY petroleum product will not be considered. We will discussing renewable, recyclable and alternative sources only.
The people that founded and made this country were a determined people. They were'nt afraid of change, or failure, or what other people thought. They were tired of getting pushed around and told what to do, so they took it upon themselves to do something about it. I believe that we still have an ample supply of the same kind of people in this country today. People that are a little deeper minded than the average, and intelligent enough to take care of themselves in the present, while still leaving a better place for those yet to come. Let's start our own "energy revolution".
3-14-03
Well it seems war with Iraq is at hand. I'm concerned not only about the after math of the war, but also, what's going to happen with North Korea? Will we still be able to concentrate on terrorism as much as we should?
And here at home, I would suspect that fuel prices will continue to climb, but have no idea how much or for how long. As a house painter in a rural area, fuel costs are of great concern to me.
The economy could be pretty unbalanced during, and for several months after, Iraq is taken.
Our government may have its hands full with foreign policy for the next few years. Domestic issues may not get quite the attention they need. It sounds like a good time to me to step in as individual American's, and start solving more of our own problems. The list of issues that need to be addressed seem endless, so I will make my main effort in alternative/renewable energy. My worries about un-affordable fuel prices would be so much lessended if I were able to produce my own fuel. I could drive by gas station and spit. Oh that would feel good.
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Bigfrogmoutain.com
CADDET page of practical applications of renewable energy
Locating renewable energy businesses
Midwest Renewable Energy Association
Energy Research Unit (in the U.K.)
Australian Cooperative Research Center
Sandia National Laboratories (commercial viable renewable energy)
