Down To The Seaside

When I look out my window I can see heat waves shimmering over the now golden grasses and last flowers of the season that grow in the fields surrounding our house. Everything is sluggish with heat exhaustion, and even the flies are walking.

Our last home (until last August) on the west coast was right on the water so hot summer days were moderated considerably. It was possible, and sometimes quite necessary, to wear a sweater and wool hat year round.

Our new place up in the hills of south western Nova Scotia is a few kilometres off the water and its cooling influence. Up here it is hot and humid in a way that we still need to acclimatize to before it won't feel like we are a Dali clock melting in a sizzlingly surreal scene. 

While we don't drive much, yesterday it got so hot in the hood that we decided to go down to the seaside for some relief. We discovered a local park that surprised us with its beauty, and only a short drive from home.

Green energy projects like these wind generators on the hillside also take advantage of the steady ocean breezes. 

Immediately upon arrival we noted the cool breeze coming off the water. Ahh - nature's air conditioning. We stayed until we cooled and were solidifying once again.

This refrigerated reality will do quite nicely when heat regulation is required. Stay cool out there.

Off Grid

Are you ready for when the lights go out?

For two decades my sister has chosen to live off grid in a log cabin in the woods. Although her family has had the benefit of a gas-powered generator, in recent years their main source of power has been the sun.

Tucked into a forested hillside overlooking Kootenay Lake, they are little effected by extreme weather or other nasty events. They are self-sufficient, which isolates them from the vagaries of depending on the regular power grid and other utilities.

Most of us, however, are not as prepared for off-grid living. Around the world people are involuntarily getting a taste of what it is like as extreme weather becomes more commonplace. Recent violent storms in the US that knocked out the power to millions are just one example.

During the last week of June, there was torrential rain and flash floods in the UK, drought in Korea, and heavy rains and flooding in Nigeria. Climate change scientists are predicting increased levels of extreme weather around the world.

In the US, 82 percent of Americans report that they personally experienced one or more types of extreme weather or natural disaster in the past year. But how many have a plan for being off grid and sustaining themselves for a day or two... or more?

55% of Americans report that they have thought, some (38%) or a great deal (17%), about preparing for a natural disaster. However, only 36% have an emergency plan that all members of their family know about, and an emergency supply kit in their home (37%).

It doesn't matter where in the world one lives, preparing for off-grid living can only be of benefit.

First of all, having a plan in place means you are prepared for extreme weather events or natural disasters. You can weather the storm in relative comfort and without panic or fear.

Secondly, any preparation done for emergency self-sufficiency will also prepare us for a future where cheap energy is ancient history, and life has become much simpler and less power intensive.

We should be ready for life without television, toasters, air conditioners, microwave ovens, and other energy drawing gadgets.

My sister has been living without these conveniences for two decades, and like her, we may find that we enjoy life more without them.


Preparing For Emergency Off Grid Living

Some basic things to consider in an emergency plan are: 

• storage of 4 liters (1 gallon) of water per person per day minimum, and/or purchase water purification system, mechanical or chemical
• a well stocked pantry (enough to keep your family fed for a minimum of 3 days - a week, but preferably longer)
• wind up flashlights, lanterns, and radio
• alternative cooking method
• alternative heat source if in cold climate
• first aid kit
• a small, portable solar panel and power pack
• a severed water connection means having to plan for human waste disposal 
• candles (reading by candlelight can be quite enjoyable)

Simple Tips For Staying Cool

Many homes these days are built with energy intensive central air conditioning, making hot summer days a major drain on the power grid. In the current heat wave that is sticking to a sweaty North America power use is approaching all time records. Due to high demand and an aging infrastructure power outages have been widespread. It is time for some simple alternatives to power hungry air conditioning.


In 2001 my partner and I spent several months in global hot spots such as India and Malaysia. Although these areas tend to be hotter and more humid than most, air conditioning was not prevalent, except in retail stores - it was the only way to keep shoppers in the stores and spending.



The most common device for keeping cool was an ordinary circulating or ceiling fan, and even then the power to turn them was intermittent at best. Mostly, it seemed, people just acclimatized to the hot, and conducted themselves accordingly. Between 11:00 am and 3:00 pm things just slowed down to a torpid pace. Think hammock rather than hard work.



With cheap energy on its way out, we are going to have to do some acclimatizing of our own. Here are a few ideas for staying cool, and saving money on your power bill at the same time:

• close windows and coverings during the day - keep the heat out
• open windows at night, use fans to move cool air in, hot air out
• migrate north (a high of -2 C in Alert, Nunavut, Canada today)
  
• take a cool bath or shower
• sit in a forest or treed area (the coolest place in New York on a blistering day is Central Park)
• go swimming at a lake, river, stream, pond or pool
• use ceiling/circulating fans to increase evaporation off your skin - save up to 40% on a/c
  
• learn to enjoy the heat (winter is on its way)
  
• go slow, or stop
• get high - it is cooler at elevation (The Brits built mountain 'hill stations' in India to escape the stifling heat of the plains)
  
• sit outside in the shade, eat meals in the yard, use your BBQ instead of stove or oven
  
• stay hydrated - drink lots of water
• get away from the concrete jungle - it is hotter there
• eat cold meals like egg salad, fresh fruit and veggies, sushi, sandwiches, cold soups...
• hang out in your basement
• do hard labour early morning or late afternoon
• go to the seashore - it is always a few degrees cooler near the ocean, plus there is usually always a breeze
  
• adopt the Spanish custom of a siesta, or mid-day rest

Stay cool. Conserve energy. Save money.

Have a nap, and enjoy your summer.