Since we got the portable solar panel for the RV, we've gotten spoiled having power, especially since out West, there is an abundance of sunshine to fuel our needs. But when you have no choice but to do without power, it can be frustrating. I'm reminded of California's sky rocketing costs for electricity a few years ago and wonder how the poor coped.
As I think about energy and our energy needs, I'm glad to hear in the news that Bill Gates and a group of other billionaires are pooling money to fuel exploration of alternative energy. And since we've spent 2 weeks in Texas with our news coming primarily from the Houston Chronicle and Houston TV stations, we're aware of how many people in Texas - as well as around the US - have lost jobs (roughly 70,000 of the nation's oil & gas jobs) because of the glut on oil stocks. It makes me wonder how much of that is:
A) due to our world on the whole vowing (and in some cases actually making their goals) to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, or
B)Oil and gas companies fueling their own greed and over drilling (apparently US drillers put crude production before profits focusing on top-line growth rather than bottom-line returns) until the oil slump began in 2014 or
C) Is a slower growth rate in China's economy to blame (apparently oil investors are alarmed at this)
Here's one article re: the oil glut
http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/energy/article/Oil-downturn-has-a-long-way-to-go-6845544.php?t=0e2d4e6de9&cmpid=email-premium
I feel like I'm starting to ramble, but I guess my point is that we could all stand to do with a little less power. Let's use our feet or bikes or skis to get somewhere. Let's unplug and watch a sunset. Let's invest in alternative power sources. In our case, we plan to stay places longer and map out routes that save mileage (and gas) while we drive a little slower and find the cheapest gas. If reading this, you have no desire to put into effect energy saving measures, then go out and fuel the economy with the extra dollars you're saving in your gas budget!