Energy Vacation - The Zen of a Reduced Ecological Footprint
by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 09. 5.05
We have been considering the idea of taking an energy vacation for a while now, and while randomly browsing peak oil blogs (for those who still don't know what peak oil is, here is a primer) we found someone who had a similar idea: "This fall, plan a weekend, or two consecutive days and nights as an "energy vacation". Start upon waking Saturday and go until waking on Monday morning. During your "vacation", turn off your thermostat, refrain from using any lights and use electricity only sparingly - i.e. to keep food from spoiling. No driving. No TV. And, yes not even any blogging or 24 hour news updates." We suspect that such a vacation would be beneficial to most people on many levels. Relaxing and getting away from most stress sources, realizing just how dependent we are on energy in our everyday lives, talking and spending quality time with family members and friends, going outside and exercising more, and even conservation if enough people do it (it all adds up – everything counts in large amounts...).
There's more than one way to go about it, and you can be as "hardcore" as you like about it:
You have two ways to start your "vacation". The first is fully prepared - having stocked up on all necessities: candles, good books, deck of cards, bottles of wine, gallons of water, grill food, etc. Some people just like to be prepared, and you have to give them that.
The second way is to use items and food stocks that you have in your home, and use foot or pedal power to get the rest. Walk to the library on Saturday to get a good book. Stop by the grocery store, buy and carry what you'll need for the day on the way home. What, your nearest food store is 5 miles away? Dust of that bike and flexible cooler and head out! Or, see if there is a closer alternative that you could walk to. Local corner stores, butchers, specialty stores would love to have your business. You won't have asian pears, and imported organic soy oat grass bars (or what ever is your fancy) in the same place, but maybe you'll be surprised at what you can find in walking distance.
The point is not so much to create rules and turn this into a game as to slow down and really understand what would disappear along with cheap energy, and why it's important to move toward a truly sustainable society.
More here: ::Energy Vacation - Without leaving home
Ah, that sounds nice. It reminds me of the big blackout we had on the East Coast a few years ago, which ended up being a rather pleasant experience for us - we hung out on the porch with the neighbors, grilled, rode our bikes.