12-09-18 Power-less at Home

The winter storm two weeks ago was a shock to many residents in southeast Manitoba. The treacherous weather caused ice build-up, downing many power lines and rendering many areas without power. Our house was one of those without power. As I struggled to function in a house where nothing worked, I became increasingly aware of how dependant we are on our modern-day hydro system. Without electricity nothing in the house functioned: the furnace did not run, the well could not be pumped so the toilet could not flush, and food could not be cooked. Our house became nothing but a shelter from the wind and snow, and with poor insulation and leaky windows, it did not even do that well. When our hydro is interrupted, our dependence on electricity for daily life becomes shockingly obvious.

After a night huddled under blankets, morning brought the cold reminder that living without heat and water is unsustainable. We left our frigid house to stay with family who had power.

We are so vulnerable and dependent on our current electrical system, with its delicate balance of hundreds of miles of hydro lines, hydro poles, and generating stations necessary to power our homes. What if our homes were not so dependent on electricity? I began thinking about what we could do to live less vulnerably.

Changing the way we construct out houses is one step towards relying less on electricity. Most buildings have 2x6 walls. Six inches is not much insulation once the furnace stops running. Alternate insulation materials actually have the ability to store heat like a battery. This heat is then released as the temperature inside the house drops. With appropriate house orientation, bright winter sunshine can pour into the house during the day, charging the densely packed insulation. After the sun sets, the thick walls release heat, warming the house interior passively. Both straw bale insulation and densely blown recycled cellulose act as a heat battery. Furthermore, both of these insulation materials are friendlier environmentally than traditional fiberglass.

Thicker insulation coupled with an alternative heating source would further separate us from our dependence on hydropower. A wood stove is very versatile. It allows you to heat the house, heat water and even cook food. Here in southeastern Manitoba we are lucky to have ready access to wood, a wonderful renewable heating resource when managed correctly.

When our hydro was out it occurred to me that I was no longer able to provide properly for my children. What would happen if no one had power? Are we living responsibly when we live in such a fragile state? We have a responsibility to our families and to our community to provide a living space that is safe and reliable.

I encourage you to critically examine your housing arrangement and consider how well you would fare without power for an extended number of days. What are the changes you ought to make in your own home? What are the changes we ought to make as a community?

 Rebecca Hiebert