ELECTRICITY

I opened my windows tonight and was reminded of the ongoing fires nearby.  The news reported today, that a fire, 4 hours north of us, could disrupt our electricity if smoke were to get in-between the lines.  If that isn't enough, I learned a few years back, that a forest fire in northern California could put us out of electricity, two states away.  I hadn't realized the far-reaching effects of forest fires.  Just because there isn't one nearby doesn't mean it won't affect your comfort at home.

In place of electricity, there are a lot of "wind-up/crank" and Solar-powered items available.  Solar power is available YEAR ROUND (well, in most places)--and it's FREE (the solar part)! Here are a few things I'm really excited about

1. Solar-powered Battery Charger 
2. And on my wish list, this beautiful SUN OVEN!!! (it's even on sale) 
3. Click here to see more solar-powered tools (I just get so excited about these things!)

So for those of us who run the A/C night and day, electricity is truly cherished.  What would I do in the event of a power outage?

First, I would turn OFF and unplug my computers (yes, my computers come first) to prevent any damage when the electricity comes back on.

If the electricity didn't return within a few minutes, I would begin taking precautions to preserve the current temperature (see the first 3 things on the list below) -- and if it were off for hours I would continue down the list:

Solar Sun Oven

In the summer months:

• close curtains/shades
• close windows (during the heat of the day), open when cooler at night
• DO NOT open the freezer, and open fridge as little as possible.  If meat starts to thaw, consider cooking it.  If it reaches refrigerator temperatures, either cook it immediately or toss it out. 
• go swimming (lowers body temperature)
• go shopping (seriously -- if the outage is limited to a neighborhood, the stores on the other side of town will still be air-conditioned
• Take a drive with the A/C running in the car
• take a cool bath or shower (unless your water flow is disrupted by electrical outage).
• Limit movement -- there's a reason siestas are in the middle of the day
• If it's windy, get outside under the shade with a spritz bottle or wet towel
• remember that most phones require electricity to charge and use (we keep an older phone that doesn't require an electrical outlet, for situations like this).
• How do you plan to prepare your food?  Most recently we used our outdoor grill, which was great because it didn't heat up our house.
• Don't forget to keep flashlights/batteries accessible (don't run propane lanterns indoors).  Growing up we used oil lanterns in an electrical outage -- whatever your preference is.
• If your body gets too warm for too long, you will get heat exhaustion and eventually heat stroke.  Stay out of the sun, drink plenty of water and stay cool.
• You can probably come up with some more of your own, please feel free to share!

Solar Battery Charger

In the winter months:

• Have enough wood to fuel a fire (depending on where you life will determine how much wood you would stock up)
• Have plenty of blankets and winter gear available -- layer it on as needed: cotton first, then goose-down, fleece or wool, etc. then something to break the wind on the outside.
• Keep doors & windows closed.
• Open shades during the day to let sunlight warm up the room (vice versa at night).
• Keep everyone in one room, doors closed.
• Share a bed.
• Put towels under door jams and in leaky windows sills 
• Everywhere you look there is insulation (seat cushions can be taken apart to stuff clothing, etc.)  Use your imagination.
• Be sure not to get so hot that you sweat, which will cause your body to cool very fast.  This can cause hypothermia & shock.