This happened in eastern North America in 2003. Look up a map of Canada and USA for August 14, 2003 and you will see a big dark blob on the right hand side. Some people were without electricity and other services for a week, some like me just for 24 hours. My big scary moment was driving home from work - and there was NO radio service on any station. One station came back on the air after about 15 minutes, a classical station which had a large broadcast area so a very strong signal. I was very glad to be on my way home and not to have to drive back to work the next day. The school where I taught lost their power for about 36 hours so no classes were held. All the residents of my condo complex came out into their yards and chatted with their neighbours, and admired the dark starry sky.
Hi Carol, thanks for taking the time to comment. I will look it up. We were lucky this time. Spain has strong interconnections with France and Morocco to help bring back the grid. Portugal was all alone. We had to use the black start system to bring our power plants back online.
Two thumbs up and clapping over here in the Pacific Northwest of Washington state Rui.
Not only for your well-written and informative article, but also as a wake-up call for all of humanity.
Bottom line is we need to realize the stress we feel around having steady resources is also demanding on Earth. And non-sustainable.
You're right about not knowing what we have until it's gone. I came of age with Yellow Taxi and was a devoted Flower child, budding into Hippie. I took note of Joni's cautionary verse and decided to walk with a light footprint on Gaia. I learned to work with nature instead of trying to control it. That's a lost cause.
It's easier to convert your home to solar than ever before. My husband and I built a solar home in Seattle. Everyone thought we were nuts because it was overcast and not the right climate for solar gain. Our meter steadily spun backward. We not only paid our use, but the city paid us for our overflow. We gave an open house solar tour. Within the next two years, half the homes in our neighborhood converted to solar.
We left the city and built an off-grid, solar home in the San Juan Islands bordering Canada. We have solar panels installed high up in strong fir trees. We've been here five years and occasionally our WIFI quits and has been awol up to two days.
My solution is to make a damn good latte and sit on the deck with a few of those SUN magazines I've been wanting to read.
Strangely, I don't give squat about internet fasting and remember how much I loved a good read. Great article!
You've nailed it here, Rebecca. Thank you so much for your kind and insightful feedback. We really need to pay more attention to the little things and forget about all the gimmicks of modern life from time to time. It's a real wake up call.
Beautifully written. We were without power for a week one summer about fifteen years ago. During a somewhat hot but relaxed time, we found we spoke more with our neighbors and read more books. It was far easier for my husband and me than for our son, who had never been "disconnected." It drove him crazy!
This happened in eastern North America in 2003. Look up a map of Canada and USA for August 14, 2003 and you will see a big dark blob on the right hand side. Some people were without electricity and other services for a week, some like me just for 24 hours. My big scary moment was driving home from work - and there was NO radio service on any station. One station came back on the air after about 15 minutes, a classical station which had a large broadcast area so a very strong signal. I was very glad to be on my way home and not to have to drive back to work the next day. The school where I taught lost their power for about 36 hours so no classes were held. All the residents of my condo complex came out into their yards and chatted with their neighbours, and admired the dark starry sky.
Hi Carol, thanks for taking the time to comment. I will look it up. We were lucky this time. Spain has strong interconnections with France and Morocco to help bring back the grid. Portugal was all alone. We had to use the black start system to bring our power plants back online.
Two thumbs up and clapping over here in the Pacific Northwest of Washington state Rui.
Not only for your well-written and informative article, but also as a wake-up call for all of humanity.
Bottom line is we need to realize the stress we feel around having steady resources is also demanding on Earth. And non-sustainable.
You're right about not knowing what we have until it's gone. I came of age with Yellow Taxi and was a devoted Flower child, budding into Hippie. I took note of Joni's cautionary verse and decided to walk with a light footprint on Gaia. I learned to work with nature instead of trying to control it. That's a lost cause.
It's easier to convert your home to solar than ever before. My husband and I built a solar home in Seattle. Everyone thought we were nuts because it was overcast and not the right climate for solar gain. Our meter steadily spun backward. We not only paid our use, but the city paid us for our overflow. We gave an open house solar tour. Within the next two years, half the homes in our neighborhood converted to solar.
We left the city and built an off-grid, solar home in the San Juan Islands bordering Canada. We have solar panels installed high up in strong fir trees. We've been here five years and occasionally our WIFI quits and has been awol up to two days.
My solution is to make a damn good latte and sit on the deck with a few of those SUN magazines I've been wanting to read.
Strangely, I don't give squat about internet fasting and remember how much I loved a good read. Great article!
🔋🎛️☀️🌲🏡⚡️👏
You've nailed it here, Rebecca. Thank you so much for your kind and insightful feedback. We really need to pay more attention to the little things and forget about all the gimmicks of modern life from time to time. It's a real wake up call.
Beautifully written. We were without power for a week one summer about fifteen years ago. During a somewhat hot but relaxed time, we found we spoke more with our neighbors and read more books. It was far easier for my husband and me than for our son, who had never been "disconnected." It drove him crazy!