If there’s anything we’ve learned in recent months, it is that we should be energy smart whenever possible. Conserving energy in our homes and driving is very worthwhile.  Crude oil prices could go back to their peak in no time if demand exceeds supply.

My vehicle is a large Yukon, which is great for hauling things.  Unfortunately it does not get great gas mileage so I have trimmed the number of trips I make to the office as much as I can. That has helped my fuel budget.  I would get a smaller car, but this baby is pretty useful for carrying loads and large groups of people on a trip.

We have tried to cut back on energy usage at home by installing extra insulation and double-pane windows.  When we hear so much energy talk on the news, it does have the effect of getting us to at least think about ways to cut back on energy usage.

Talk about a waste of energy—the fuel spent on airplanes, helicopters and trucks in fighting wildfires in California is insane.  Even the evacuation of thousands of families is an unfortunate waste of gasoline.  I found some discussion about wildfire prevention and other fire safety issues at the Minutemanfire site.  Even when fire buffers had been created, homes with tile roofs have been destroyed in fires, surprisingly.

Rebuilding a fire-damaged home likewise utilizes energy that would otherwise be saved, a further link between fires and energy usage.  So there is a relationship between energy conservation and fire prevention, that we often don’t think much about.

Filed under: John's Message

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