[Bumblebear]

On the radio squeezed in between the awful April news and other stuff was a warning that we could be getting blackouts soon.  Then I found this in the Guardian.  All those conspiracy theorists could be right...maybe there will be a time when supermakret shelves start emptying and those of who can produce our own food will come into our own...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/oct/05/blackouts-coal-power-stations-ofgem?fb=optOut

[Fleecewife]

<<< The Greenpeace policy director, Doug Parr, said the Ofgem report "sends out a clear warning that we need to reduce demand" rather than build new power stations.>>>
 
I agree with Greenpeace on this.   So much generated power is wasted, for example in having office lights on throughout huge buildings all night, when there is no-one on the premises, and the huge proliferation of high powered 'intruder lights' in rural areas.  Not having central heating running all the time, or notching down the temp a bit, not using air conditioning - we don't really need it in Britain do we?     Wear a woolly jumper and we won't need new power stations 

[Fowgill Farm]

Living where we live on the end of the line will we notice the difference! There are times in winter its more off than on anyway.
I can remember the power cuts in the seventies, it made us all huddle in the one room that had a coal fire and play cards & dominoes, real quality family time
What will all the geeks do without their gizmo's?
Fleecewife is right about wasted energy, here at work eveyone has their central heating back on, ours isn't, we've lit the fire in the sitting room and elsewhere big cardis are the order of the day, and at work i go around switching off lights in unused offices & meeting rooms and everyone looks at me like i'm strange!
Mandy

[Bumblebear]

I agree (toasting myself by the woodburner).  We have all become so reliant on energy we're actually quite flippant about it's use, but forewarned is forearmed and thats why we went into this whole shenanighans in the first place.  I remember the powercuts as a child too. 

[SallyintNorth]

We don't know we're born over here.  In the States, regular brownouts are common.  I used to visit a friend in San Francisco; they published brownout schedules a week or so in advance so that you could plan your washing, cooking, freezer use, etc.

I may have told the story before, but twenty years ago me and then-hubby had a business together in a converted farm building.  The employees used to turn the heating up and we used to turn it down, so we offered to buy each of them a 'company cardy' instead of letting them (over)heat the whole granary loft! 

[Lesley Silvester]

It amazes me how many people wander round their homes in tee shirts but with the heating on all day.  We have central heating (gas fired) and it goes on in the mornings until 10.30 then again in the evenings.  We wear jumpers to keep warm.  I was also brought up to turn lights of when I leave a room but you see houses with every room lit up and only two in the house.  People must have money to burn. 

[RUSTYME]

Remembering the black-outs , the 3 day week , in the 70's as a kid ? I was at work in those days! I feel old .
My mum grew up in Acton , London , and had no leccy at all , just gas for heat and light , until they moved to Ruislip in 1949 , where they had leccy .
Leccy is now another form of control , rely on it at your peril !
Use it , yes . Abuse it , if you must . But do not base your world on it .
If you don't already , learn to rely on yourself and what you can provide .
As i have said for sometime now , the system is going down the pan . Rely on any part of it and you will go down with it !
The times they are a changing , and fast !

[tizaala]

OOOH ,panic , panic (do impression of a headless chicken ) quickly......build another fifty wind farms ,( don't work when the wind don't blow)
Simply harness all the rivers for hydro power , we have no water shortage in this country.
 
When did you ever see all the wind turbines all working together ? .... usually 6 out of 20 at any one time , bloody useless.
Do you believe everything you read in the papers? 

[doganjo]

I have proved it is actually cheaper to run the central heating 24/7 and keep the temperature down (mine is at 17 C until  November, when it will go up slightly, although the woodburner will then  kick in)- I have been saving £60 a month for two and a half years doing this, despite the price rises and cold damp weather.  I have also gone onto fixed rate tariffs.

[Bumblebear]

Rusty, never a truer word spoken.  As my friend says "we're going to hell on a handcart", people keeping waiting for things to change but that AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN.  As for the press, there's never any mention of the riots and mayhem going on in Europe and America as the disaster takes hold.  The riots a few years ago were only the warm up IMO.

[RUSTYME]

Er , who is panicking ?
Am i reading the same thread ?
 I personally couldn't give a toss if the leccy went off tonight , forever ! Or if the whole system went down overnight , makes no difference to me , well very little anyway  .
Like i said , leccy is now another form of control and the rhetoric will be ramped up as it is with other forms of control !

[Lesley Silvester]

quote author=RUSTYME link=topic=28187.msg279546#msg279546 date=1349708162]
Remembering the black-outs , the 3 day week , in the 70's as a kid ? I was at work in those days! I feel old .

 
Russ, I don't like to mention this but.................. hang on a minute, so was I.  NO, Russ, you're only a youngster.      
 
Annie, that is interesting.  What did you used to have your thermostat on before?  Is your place really warm?  Since I've been less active I do get cold easily so this might work for us.
 
 

[RUSTYME]

Yep , i am just a nipper Lesley . I am only 23 really , but have had it rough so i look 55 .

[Lesley Silvester]

Like me, Russ.  Except I wish I did only look 55.   

[Bumblebear]

And I'm 45 looking 85!    Like you Russ I say "bring it on", I have my candle stores already...oops shouldnt have sai dthat should I!!!