| What if the greatest threat to American life as we | | | | can be done with gallon jugs and |
| know it is not | | | | shelves or whatever is clean and |
| terror, but sabotage? What if a massive invasion of | | | | convenient.When we have insured a water |
| America is being planned for the year 2015? Will | | | | supply, the next thing would be food. |
| America have effective counter measures in place to | | | | Stock up on things you would want to |
| prevent the destruction of our communication systems, | | | | eat on a restricted diet and stock up on |
| including the internet, or our computer controlled electric | | | | non hybrid garden seed for foods you |
| power grid? Last I heard, | | | | are willing to grow. Seed loses viability |
| attacks on the internet are a regular occurrence and | | | | over time, so a small garden started |
| staying just one step | | | | now can guarantee fresh seed when it |
| ahead of them is taxing anti sabotage capabilities, like | | | | is needed. Special refrigerated seed |
| a well designed | | | | storage can generally assure viability |
| electronic game. Can we imagine what life in America | | | | for five years and more. If I was not |
| would be like without | | | | growing a small garden for fresh seed, I |
| electric power or telecommunication?In such a | | | | would add fresh seed to my storage |
| condition, how would we | | | | from the marketplace every three years |
| possibly repel an armed invasion? What | | | | or so.The big question for all of us |
| will happen to transportation if only one | | | | concerned with comfort and |
| out of ten fueling stations could pump | | | | convenience, the great commodity of |
| fuel with back up power? Or one in a | | | | the West, is electricity. On the camping |
| hundred? Where would we work? Who | | | | level, rechargeable flashlight batteries |
| would be able to pay us? Where would | | | | and a couple of solar chargers can do |
| we get food and water? It is highly | | | | the job for a few hundred dollars. You |
| likely we will all be on a camping | | | | will have portable light after sunset. If |
| vacation or fighting invaders day and | | | | you want to operate appliances, heat a |
| night. In light of 9/11 are you confident | | | | waterbed, use a desktop computer, |
| our public guardians will prevent such | | | | watch TV or video, light a house or |
| sabotage by enemies, foreign or | | | | yard, a much larger storage system is |
| domestic? We are so focused on the | | | | required, along with some generation |
| explosive attack, we give little thought | | | | capability.The greater the investment in |
| to the many ways we are vulnerable | | | | storage, the less critical power |
| and no one is able to cover all the | | | | generation becomes. A five hundred |
| bases required for high security.For at least thirty five | | | | watt photovoltaic array would not |
| years, | | | | power the typical American home all |
| environmentalists and conservationists | | | | day, yet, with ten kilowatts of storage, |
| have been urging us to become less | | | | there would be full power available |
| dependent on corporate agriculture, | | | | every other day, provided there was |
| corporate electrical power, corporate | | | | ten hours of average daily sunlight. |
| fuel, corporate work and corporate | | | | Photovoltaics are far more cost |
| government. We left it all to corporate | | | | effective for small back-up systems with |
| leadership to reduce these | | | | alternative charging options, than for |
| dependencies and we have increased | | | | whole house power. Small charging |
| them to the point our survival and that | | | | alternatives, include automobile |
| of our children cannot be insured by | | | | alternators, small commercial gasoline |
| personal effort. Many of us are | | | | powered generators, do - it - yourself |
| comfortable enough in our faith to say, | | | | wind generators and even converted |
| no matter what, God will provide. Then | | | | bicycle exercise generators. As long as |
| comes the pertinent question. What will | | | | the grid system is functioning, one can |
| be provided and for whom? What will | | | | use commercial energy to keep the |
| we do with those for whom no provision | | | | storage system topped off. I believe |
| has been made - write them off?Think first in terms | | | | that is the very best place to begin |
| of providing | | | | building a home system.The uninterruptable power |
| yourself with the very basics required | | | | supply |
| for survival when energy is unavailable | | | | created to provide emergency power |
| in the marketplace. How much clean | | | | for desktop computers is a logical first |
| water do you have stored or readily | | | | step in a home power system. For less |
| available when it no longer flows from | | | | than one hundred dollars one gets a |
| the tap or is unfit for consumption? How | | | | twelve volt battery, a regulated AC |
| much food do you have on hand if local | | | | battery charger, a DC to AC power |
| markets go bare? How would you heat | | | | inverter, an automatic switch and an |
| your home or your food if governments | | | | annoying alarm that lets you know |
| required all available energy? Do you | | | | when AC power is off. To increase the |
| have a fuel supply handy? Lanterns, | | | | utility of this system it is only necessary |
| candles, rechargeable batteries and | | | | to connect additional twelve volt |
| battery chargers? It is one thing to plan | | | | batteries in parallel with the battery in |
| for a six week or six month disruption in | | | | the UPS. To get greater total capacity, |
| supply chains. What happens if the | | | | buy additional UPS units and plug-in |
| disruption continues for six years?Few people would | | | | connectors for extra batteries. When |
| need to sacrifice | | | | your storage system has grown to a |
| that new car, college education, or | | | | satisfactory capacity, it is time to |
| vacation trip to create a simple plan | | | | acquire some generator capacity.Photovoltaic |
| that allows greater self sufficiency in | | | | generators are |
| home and garden. Few if any special | | | | constantly improving and the cost |
| skills are required and the technologies | | | | comes down as they do, like consumer |
| that assist in independent and | | | | electronics. The more people we have |
| comfortable living are constantly | | | | investing in this form of solar power, |
| improving. A six year campout could be | | | | the more affordable it will become. As |
| a hoot and a growth experience for | | | | people begin using such power, the grid |
| anyone willing to prepare and | | | | requires less capacity and peak use |
| preparations can be made on a very | | | | generation which reduces generation |
| tight budget.Few people can last much more than | | | | costs for the electric utility. We have |
| three days without potable water. Bad | | | | become conservationists in our quest |
| water might buy you a few weeks | | | | for energy independence and |
| before illness takes you. If you have | | | | contributors to the global welfare. It is |
| dirty water readily available, | | | | a good feeling. As new technologies, |
| purification equipment can be had for | | | | such as fast burn combustion and water |
| less than one hundred dollars and | | | | power come along, it will be possible to |
| deluxe, high volume purification can be | | | | generate surplus home power at less |
| had for less than six hundred.The handiest and least | | | | than half the average cost of utility |
| expensive | | | | power. You save money, the world |
| water supply available to most of us is | | | | around you saves energy and you live |
| a guttered roof with large containers at | | | | well when the lights go out in the West.All one needs |
| the downspouts. Containers can range | | | | to become energy |
| from forty five gallon plastic trash cans | | | | independent in five years or less is a |
| to fifteen hundred gallon above ground | | | | plan and a budget. It could be the best |
| swimming pools. Total typical annual | | | | investment we will ever make.Ed Howes sought and |
| rainfall, frequency and total roof area | | | | found, knocked and entered. Now he sees things |
| will help one choose the most | | | | differently. To see more of what he sees, please visit |
| appropriate containers. Indoor storage | | | | or do an author search here at Ezine Articles. |