Are You Prepared?

In the book I'm listening to now, the power unexpectedly went out, and it doesn't look like it's coming back soon, if ever. People have to learn how to survive without so many things they took for granted. No lights, no air conditioning, they can't cook on the stove or use the oven, the food in the refrigerator will spoil if it isn't used quickly.

Stop and think about it - how dependent are you on the electricity that comes into your house? I know I've complained when the power went out for a few hours, because there's nothing I can do. Everything seems to use electricity. I guess I should be thankful and take advantage of the time to sit and read a book - at least while it's daylight.

The more I listen to this book and hear about power outages like they're experiencing in Kentucky right now, the more I think some kind of back-up system would be a good idea. I know some people have gas powered generators, but I like the idea of Solar Back Up Power better. With this kind of back-up, you don't have to worry about having gas to run the generator or being able to get the gas, or in my case, living with the smell of the motor running. As long as the sun shines or the wind blows (with the optional wind generator), you can have power. Without added pollution.

With the way our power bills keep going up, I'd be interested in finding out about using solar power on a regular basis. I wonder how long it would take to come out ahead?

Solar Decathlon sponsored by BP

The Solar Decathlon has been held twice before (in 2002 and 2005), and I never heard of it. Have you? University teams from around the country design and construct fully functional solar homes, and then transport them to Washington, D.C. There they are erected on the National Mall, forming a solar village. Each team then competes in 10 contests. Some contests measure performance, some require the completion of tasks, and others are judged by experts in architecture and engineering. The goal is to design, build and operate the most attractive and energy-efficient solar-powered home. Jeffrey's boss lives in a solar-powered home. I wonder if she knows about this? This year, the week-long competition occurs from October 11-19.

BP has been a proud sponsor of the Solar Decathlon in each of the previous years it has been held, and once again this year they are proud to be one of the main corporate sponsors. As part of their support of this event, they have created a blog where all of the teams, as well as a reporter, will write posts throughout the competition. I've been reading through some of the team content posted so far. It is interesting to read about unloading the houses on the National Mall and beginning construction, though I am finding out that these teams have already spent two years working on this project, while carrying a full class load. This will be a great way to get a behind-the-scenes view of the competition. I hope there are pictures and videos, too.

These teams, all these young minds, working together and competing with one another to come up with viable and practical ways to use solar energy. The possibilities are limitless! While the University of Colorado won the past two competitions, I'm pulling for the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign - mainly because I used to live there - Champaign, that is. Actually, I don't really care who wins. I just love the idea, and I'm sure some of their ideas will be put into 'real' use in the near future.

After reading about this BP Solar Decathlon I am also giving BP a closer look. I didn't realize they were so committed to finding alternative energy sources, not only solar, but also wind power, natural gas power, and hydrogen power. They are sponsoring this special event as part of their commitment to discovering cost effective, clean energy solutions for everyday living.