Staying warm

With the wind howling away at my parents place in Victoria, and the wind-shield factor hovering around -10 C, I am glad that the power is still on! With this blast of cold arctic air most homes would not stay warm for very long if the power went out. Some homes have wood stoves, but life is not easy when this is the only heat source.

As the climate changes and storms become more frequent and severe, and weather patterns going to greater extremes, the subject of "energy security" is an important one. Bigger storms result in more frequent losses of electricity. Our lives rotate around the ready supply of power. Seldom do we realise just how important it is to us -until it fails.

Two years ago some homes on southern Vancouver Island were without power for a week. On the east coast of the U.S. many more people are discovering how life is without power for a week, in sub-freezing conditions in this case. I expect that it is not pleasant. Certainly destructive of the local economy, too.

Homes that are better insulated and have superior windows/window coverings are not only much cheaper to operate, and much more comfortable (especially on a day such as today!), they are also much more secure when energy supplies are disrupted. While such upgrades (or initial construction costs) do add up, where else do renovations eventually pay for themselves, contribute significantly to the value (and saleability) of the home, and make the homeowner/renter much more secure when the world is freezing in the dark?

I admire those who have the forethought to update their homes and businesses. It is time.