If you asked 10 people what the most effective preparedness items are, there would probably be 10 different answers.
Most would include a good water filter among the top items. Others would have survival food at the top of their lists. Backup power would also be among the frequent answers.
Those are all good ones. But I’d be tempted to toss solar energy into the mix. If you have solar-powered tools at your disposal, you can handle just about any emergency involving a blackout.
A U.S. Senate policy paper reads this way, in part. “There is almost nothing more essential to day-to-day life in America than electricity generation and delivery.”
Electrical power is expensive and often unreliable. Power outages occur on a daily basis in one part of the country or another. But sunlight is a free, renewable source of energy.
Solar-powered items help get you through those “powerless” times. Sometimes they can even mean the difference between life and death.
Russia’s invasion raises gas prices
Most of us are following the news very closely these days. We see the horrors of Russia’s relentless attack on Ukraine. Our hearts go out to those whose lives and property are being destroyed.
And it’s affecting us here at home as well. Gas prices are soaring. They’ve already reached the highest levels in our country’s history. They’re expected to get even higher. And gas is likely to become less available.
Patrick De Haan is head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. It’s a tech company in Boston, Massachusetts. He recently said, “Americans have never seen gasoline prices this high. Nor have we seen the pace of increases so fast and furious.”
Even though America has vowed to stay out of the armed conflict, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he perceives sanctions against his country as an act of war.
He is likely to fight back, including with cyber attacks.
Putin will go after our businesses and vulnerable electrical grid. Power outages will make solar power even more important than ever. And Russia is hardly our only enemy. China, North Korea and Iran are also capable of launching cyber attacks.
Outages keep increasing
Even if the war in Eastern Europe were to end today, our grid is shaky. No one can deny that natural disasters are increasing in frequency. And storms are increasing in intensity.
That applies to hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards and more. And because the West has become so dry recently, wildfires rage out of control every year.
Municipalities can’t keep electricity flowing when disasters strike. We’ve seen this over and over again. The grid is too weak. And they don’t have the resources or manpower.
It’s up to individuals to protect themselves and their families. How? By providing our own backup power when the grid goes down. Solar energy is how we can accomplish this.
Generators save the day
Some claim that generators aren’t really necessary. They say power outages are usually only a temporary inconvenience.
But even a short power outage can spoil your refrigerated and frozen food. Food you bought with your hard-earned money.
Blackouts can also cause accidents within a home due to reduced lighting. Excessive heat or cold can cause health issues.
Electronics can be damaged. Your stress level can be elevated. And as we’ve repeatedly seen, outages can last for several days, weeks or more.
Solar-powered generators are superior
Gas-powered generators are dirty, noisy and dangerous when not operated properly. There have been many reports of people being sickened and even killed from carbon monoxide poisoning. There’s also shock and electrocution to consider.
Even if you own a gas-powered generator and can operate it safely, gas prices keep going up. And if the grid goes down, many gas stations will stop operating.
But a portable, solar-powered generator is different. It’s clean because it does not require fuel. It’s quiet. In fact, you can use it right next to your bed while you sleep. And it’s safe. There are no dangerous fumes to breathe in.
It works on electrical power. You can charge it through a wall outlet or with the free power of the sun.
World events, extreme weather and threats to our nation are all making solar power more important than ever. It’s up to us to protect ourselves with solar-powered devices.
