During this summer's blackouts, remember the 'green' cutlery!

wnd.com ^ | 5/27/2022 1922 hrs edt | Patrice Lewis

[rktman]

Amidst the serious and sometimes devastating issues facing our nation today, you'll be glad to know our leaders are focusing on the important stuff.

I refer to the guidelines published by the Department of Energy for helping Americans prepare for blackouts over the summer. Among its routine advice, it offers this jaw-dropping gem: "Have sustainably sourced disposable utensils and dinnerware on hand so you do not need to use water to wash dishes."

I'll admit I blinked in shock when I read this. Sustainably sourced cutlery and dishes? Really? Of all the potential advice for handling blackouts, why did the Department of Energy pick this bizarre example?

Blackouts are horrible events. They leave all vital and non-vital resources and services high and dry. Health care, refrigeration in stores and restaurants, water supplies, transportation, communication, industry – it all ceases (or you must scramble for alternatives). Fatalities skyrocket – fires (from candles and oil lamps), carbon monoxide poisoning, pedestrian accidents, etc. And of course, the criminal element will always take advantage of situations in which law enforcement is overwhelmed and security features are disabled.

[rktman]

Thanks Patrice. I heard the 'warnings' the other day and thought "We are just starting the YUGE push for renewables and already being warned of blackouts this summer." Just imaging how awesome it's gonna be when we get to 100% renewables. WOO HOO! The not so bright pols in NevaDUH have placed it into law that the state mush be 50% renewable by 2030 and 100% by 2050. Not sure what the penalties are for not complying. First degree felony? Fookin' idjits. Try running Vegas on renewables in mid August. 🍳🏜️🌡️🙄🐂💩

[hardspunned]

What nonsense. We will have plenty of dirt and sand left from our main dinner course to scourer our dishes.

[JonPreston]

NYC Blackout, 1977

[rktman]

Using dust bunnies like a swiffer now.

[Pollard]

Not bad overall

• Keep a flashlight in each room of your house and in your office. Keep plenty of batteries on hand, too, or consider light sticks or a motion powered flashlight that does not need batteries.
• Keep candles and/or oil lamps on hand for light. Don't forget matches! Also, do not light candles and/or oil lamps if there is a possibility of a gas leak in your home.
• Keep the emergency number for your electric utility handy in case you need to call.
• Keep an ice chest readily available to store medications that must remain cold. Store ice packs in your freezer and ready for the ice chest.
• If you use electricity for your water, such as a well with an electric pump, have enough water available to last a couple of days. You should have at least a gallon of drinking water a day for each person in your house for drinking and cooking. Non-potable water uses, such as water for flushing toilets, can be met with water from rain catchment barrels.
• Have sustainably sourced disposable utensils and dinnerware on hand so you do not need to use water to wash dishes.  
• Keep the pantry stocked with some easy-to-open, non-perishable foods that require no cooking. 
• If you want to have a backup generator, make sure it is installed by a licensed electrician. Check with your local building department to see if a permit is needed. Make sure the system has an automatic breaker that disconnects the house from the power company's regular electricity lines when it is running. This prevents electricity from leaking back into the grid and making it dangerous for utility workers. Conduct regular maintenance to make sure it is in working order.
• If you have an outdoor gas grill keep the gas tank full, or if it is an open burning grill make sure to have plenty of charcoal or wood on hand. A grill can be a handy to cook while the power is down.
• Keep a household first aid kit and a disaster preparedness backpack kit in case something happens.
• Have a household disaster plan that you and your family can follow if something occurs.

[Pollard]

See what your chances are of doing without electricity this summer. https://www.nerc.com/pa/RAPA/ra/Reliability%20Assessments%20DL/NERC_LTRA_2020.pdf

[Chad C. Mulligan]

Makes sense to use disposables if you are on a well. Been there, done that. Grew up in hurricane country.

But “sustainably sourced”?

Sand has been used to scour dishes and utensils for millennia.

Aside from food, I would worry about keeping my insulin cold, except that MY electricity comes mainly from good old West Virginia COAL.

[rktman]

99% covered and some other items no contained on the list.

[Chad C. Mulligan]

Battery powered LED lamps are a whole lot safer than candles. Some will run in “firefly mode” for days on one 18650 Li-Ion cell. Or three “D” alkalines.

Keep a fully charged “battery brick” (pack of lithium cells) to recharge your cellphones.

I do have a small kerosene lamp that can act as a stove to heat a small pan of food or water.

[rktman]

Thanks. Interesting stuff. Looks like we’re in one of the WECC categories. We shall see how things transpire.

[Chad C. Mulligan]

We used to keep our ice chests cold for a weekend at the racetrack by putting in frozen bottles of drinking water, rather than those “cold-packs”.

[Pollard]

We lived off grid for 5 years. We had a minuscule 350 watts of solar panels running a 12vdc system with four golf cart batteries. Unfortunately the Xantrex C40 charge controller crapped out as did the inverter and the batteries were about shot by that time too. It ran LED lighting, some electronics and a small 12vdc fridge which also crapped out.

We used a two burner Coleman propane camp stove and a 20 lb cylinder would last for 2-3 months. Also did a lot of outdoor cooking on open fire or with a dutch oven using coals and with a rocket stove. With a rocket stove, you can boil water with sticks.

[hardspunned]

I hear you. I live on the Ohio, multiple coal fired generating plants within 50 miles, W. Va. coal 100 miles up river. 10 cents/kWh! Some of the cheapest electricity on the planet.

[Pollard]

Good indicator is the source

Nat Gas might cause my rates to increase but we have a pretty good electric co-op here so hopefully we won't get hit too hard. Good amount of reserve so I doubt we'll have outage. We didn't ten years ago during two heat wave summers with temps over 100 for weeks on end.

WECC BC's got it made with almost all hydro as long as there's not an extreme drought. Plenty of reserve though.

2030, all bets are off because everyone seems to have plans for 2030. UN/WEF/NATO - Yes, NATO 2030 is a thing. Also like the WEF, NATO has Young Leaders.

[null and void]

The not so bright pols in NevaDUH have placed it into law that the state mush be 50% renewable by 2030 and 100% by 2050. Not sure what the penalties are for not complying. First degree felony? Fookin' idjits. Try running Vegas on renewables in mid August. 🍳🏜️🌡️🙄🐂💩

Vote wisely...

Nevada Ping!

To add your name to the growing Nevada ping list, FReepmail me...

[null and void]

Non-potable water uses, such as water for flushing toilets, can be met with water from rain catchment barrels.

In many jurisdictions it is illegal to collect rainwater...

[Pollard]

https://worldwaterreserve.com/is-it-illegal-to-collect-rainwater/

[bigbob]

Don’t forget scary guns and ammo so if you need something you can shoot someone and steal it from them. Oops... that’s the anti-prepper method...

[rktman]

Rain water? LOL! YOU know what i mean.

[null and void]

EXCELLENT! Thanks!