Just in Case (23 page)

No book on preparedness can be complete without addressing how we power our homes and lives, not just during a crisis, but all the time. Every barrel of oil saved is not just money in our pockets but an investment in our planet and in our ability to live sustainably and responsibly on it.

Much of the renewable energy technology is in its infancy. As such, it is still expensive, but costs are slowly coming down and tax incentives are making the purchase of many systems a worthwhile investment. Most families are not in a position to live off the grid, relying entirely on renewable energy sources, but the smallest choices we make, whether we’re replacing an old water heater or installing a solar power system to meet part of our electrical needs, can make a difference.

What exactly do I mean by renewable energy? Oil is formed over the course of fifty million years. First, plankton and other microscopic life form an organic carpet on the floor of the ocean. Over the ensuing eons, those tiny life forms harden into a layer of rock. Sandstone sediment covers the rock in layers five miles thick. The weight coupled with the high temperatures pressure-cooks the fossils and transforms the hydrogen and carbon molecules into petroleum. Coal has a similar beginning but is formed from plant rather than animal matter. With that kind of a time scale, the truth is plain. Once you burn oil or coal, it’s gone. There is no way to make more. It is nonrenewable.

Renewable energy comes from sources that are constant. The sun shines today and will shine tomorrow. The wind will always blow. Trees, if grown and harvested sustainably, can be replaced in our lifetime. These energy sources are renewable. Using renewable energy impacts three areas of my life I care deeply about: It promotes my independence, it protects our fragile ecosystem, and it saves money.

No single type of renewable energy works best for every person in every climate. Most people who live off the grid rely on several systems to meet a variety of needs. They also make lifestyle changes in order to make the systems work optimally.

Solar energy seems to be the most popular choice for beginners in the renewable energy field. Solar energy can be harnessed to provide home heat. This can be as simple as situating a new home with a south-southeast orientation and placing as much glass on that side of the house as possible while insulating the north side from winter winds. Opening window coverings during the day and closing them at night will help retain some of that warmth. In the heat of summer, the window coverings are closed during the day and opened at night to reduce the costs of cooling your home. More elaborate designs call for heat collectors and distribution systems.

Solar energy has seen good success in heating water. In its simplest form, sunlight enters a clear glass panel and hits a black plate that is in contact with water. The water gets hot and insulation on the box keeps it hot. A few such panels placed on a wellsituated rooftop can provide much of the hot water a family needs for daily use. Obviously, the return on such a system is far greater in Phoenix than in Anchorage. I spoke to several families in the Northeast who had solar hot water systems and found they worked well except during the darkest days of January and February, when they generally needed a backup system to have enough hot water for all of their needs.

SOLAR HOT WATER HEATING PANELS

Photovoltaics are a solar panel system that converts the sun’s energy into electricity. The energy can be used, stored in batteries, or sold back to the power company. In a hot and dry climate, a photovoltaic system can produce enough electricity to actually run a negative balance on your electric bill. These are expensive systems, but they are quite reliable, and as electricity costs continue to rise, they are looking a lot more appealing to many. As the demand goes up, the cost is likely to decrease.

SOLAR HOT WATER HEATING PANELS

PHOTOVOLTAI CARRAY

Obviously, energy conservation is key, not just when using renewable energy, but as a way of life. Think about your purchases as they relate to your life and the planet. Compact fluorescent bulbs, Energy Star appliances, and manually operated small appliances help all of us. Why use a plastic bag that winds up in the landfill when you can make a bag that you will have for years? Grow a garden. Get a bike. Walk. Sustainability and preparedness are linked to a better, more independent life for all of us.

RESOURCES

Homemade Money,
by Richard Heede

Practical Photovoltaics,
by Richard Komp

The Real Goods Solar Living Sourcebook: The Complete Guide to Renewable Energy,
by John Schaefer

The Solar Electric Independent Home,
by New England Solar Electric Inc.

Technologies and Sustainable Living,
edited by Douglass R. Pratt

When Technology Fails: A Manual for Self-Reliance,
by Matthew Stein

LIGHTING

L
IGHTING IS SO
critical to our sense of wellbeing in a crisis. Being unable to see creates a great feeling of vulnerability. Light a lantern during a power outage and you can feel calm settle over the room.

There are several choices for lighting, and this is one place where spending a bit more money is probably worth it. Candles may make for a romantic dinner, but they are not the best choice for illumination should the power go out. A plain taper gives off very little light, and candles can be a fire hazard, especially around children. If you do decide to use candles, consider a long-life candle and protect the flame with a glass globe. Hundred-hour candles may be a good option. These small glass containers filled with liquid paraffin burn more brightly than wax candles and give off a small amount of heat as well.

Kerosene lamps, sometimes called hurricane lamps, are glass containers with wicks and a removable chimney. They give off a moderate level of amber light. They also give off an odor that bothers some people, especially those with asthma. If you’re planning on using kerosene lamps, you’ll need to store extra wicks as well as fuel. The fuel is highly flammable and should be stored well away from food, children, pets, and heat sources; in fact, you may want to store it outside your home. The least expensive kerosene lamps can be had for under fifteen dollars. There is even a kit that will convert a canning jar into a kerosene lamp for about six dollars. All kerosene lamps will benefit from being placed in front of a reflector, such as a mirror, to enhance their light.

LONG-LIFE CANDLE

HURRICANE LAMP

CAUTION

When you have candles lit, place the candleholders on stable surfaces, well away from curtains and wall hangings. Never fall asleep with a candle burning, and don’t leave the room with one burning either.

For short-term power outages, a few inexpensive kerosene lamps will probably meet your needs, but if you are worried about lighting for a longer period, you might want to investigate the Aladdin lamps. These are considered the Cadillacs of nonelectric lamps. They burn with no odor and no noise. They use an incandescent mantle in addition to a wick and are far more efficient and bright than other nonelectric lighting options. But those qualities come with a price: A basic Aladdin costs about a hundred dollars, and prices go up from there. The manufacturer recommends that you use only Aladdin lamp oil with these lamps, and this is more expensive than regular lamp oil. If this seems a little more than you want to spend for your needs, shop around. Other types of oil lamps and lamp oil can be purchased from hardware and department stores as well as camping and sporting goods stores.

Also available at most camping stores, propane and white gas lanterns give off a very bright light, but they have some drawbacks. They hiss and glare when burning, and the white gas can be dangerous to burn and store.

The new kid on the block for lighting is the hand cranked lantern. One minute of winding will generate one hour of illumination. These lanterns are small and don’t provide as much light as kerosene lanterns, but they don’t require flammable fuel and can be handled safely by children. I expect to see this technology continue to improve and look forward to more hand-powered options on the market soon.

Whatever lighting choice you make, you will also want to have a good selection of flashlights available. I recently have begun replacing all of my C- and D-cell battery flashlights with hand cranked models. They cost about twice as much as the battery-powered models, but one minute of winding will furnish you with thirty minutes of bright LED light. I recently found some of these flashlights on sale for a few dollars at a discount store. I bought a couple and found them lighter and less substantial feeling than the more expensive ones, but if you are working with a tight budget, even one of these would be better than a traditional flashlight. With normal use, the lithium battery can be recharged five hundred times and will last ten years. Similar flashlights can be charged by shaking or hand pumping. With batteries so expensive, short-lived, and difficult to dispose of properly, not to mention their propensity for going dead at inopportune moments, the hand-powered models are a good investment.