LITTLE STEPS CAN CREATE BIG CHANGES

Whether you believe in climate change or that the climate just changes there is a lot of pressure right now to do something! We are at a time on this planet where everything is global and we are bombarded with news from all over the world. We all know that there are things that need to change but how do we do it? How do we identify propaganda or fake news? It can be overwhelming! This makes us feel either guilty, helpless or both.

LET'S DISCUSS HOW TO CHANGE OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT ON A PERSONAL LEVEL

The only way to change the world is to change ourselves one individual at a time. If we each took a little more responsibility for our actions it would add up to a whole lot of change. No one can make us change, but when we look inward and reflect on our choices, we can choose to make choices that will benefit ourselves and our world. We have been conditioned as consumers to place convenience ahead of responsibility for our environment. By recycling as much as possible we can reduce our landfills. Buying things second hand and repurposing as much as we can creates less waste. Buying things in bulk means less individual packaging. Being power smart and water wise is an obvious better choice! There are lots of better choices for us. Living Off Grid with solar power has taught us to make good choices mandatory!

QUALITY OF LIFE IS EVERYTHING BUT AS CONSUMERS IT COSTS MONEY

We are lucky to live in Southern BC where there are many resources including lakes, streams, fertile valleys and lots of sun. To keep our quality of life we need to be vigilant in taking care of our watersheds, forests, agriculture land and wildlife. By supporting our local agriculture we can encourage the care and respect that smaller size farmers give back to the land because it is their land and livelihood that depends on it! To keep our quality of life with our consumerism it's always a person a choice because in the end you pay the bills. No one wants to give up their personal comforts or be restricted about when and how much water and power they use. Look at California, they have rolling blackouts in the fire season and now they are implementing a 50 gallon/day water limit this year with large fines for going over. That means they can't shower and do laundry on the same day! In BC we have lots of water for our Hydro power but we also have that dry season which puts a strain on our dams and reservoirs.

A SOLUTION IS ROOFTOP SOLAR

The infrastructure is already in place and it gives each of us the power to be responsible for our energy consumption on an individual level. The beauty of grid-tie systems is that you build credits when the sun is shining to offset your debt that accumulates over night. You can look at your power bill and adjust your lifestyle accordingly. This will be even more important as more of us choose electric vehicles in the future. The technology is changing fast and the pressure has been on automobile manufacturers to provide efficient and reasonably priced vehicles.

But will our Grid be able to handle everyone plugging in to charge in the dry season? Just because you aren't paying for fuel at a gas station you still have to "fuel up". This will make your power bill go up instead. Now if you have rooftop solar the credits you built up all day will offset your bill. Also as power rates increase, as we know they will, your credits will accordingly help stay on top of inflation. If everyone went with rooftop solar the Grid would be charged all day and not reliant on the dams until the sun went down. This is the perfect blend of clean sustainable power that we have as British Columbians! In the Okanagan we have very dry hot summers and lots of sun exposure. Solar compliments Hydro perfectly, when the rivers slow down the sun is shining! Maybe then we wouldn't have to build more dams in the future which is a huge environmental concern! Excess power created could be diverted to pump water back into our reservoirs for irrigation and fire season.

AS CONSUMERS IT'S UP TO US TO MAKE GOOD CHOICES

Our choices reflect what's important at the time so we can influence corporations to also make good choices so we continue to support them. By buying local and buying things with less packaging we are making a statement of our values. If we can control our own gluttony, by bringing our wants and needs into a realistic check of self reliance and efficiency, we are taking responsibility for our individual carbon footprints. The only way to change corporations and governments is to set an example of the changes we want to see implemented as consumers and voters. So we all need to dig deep and figure out our values and stand behind them! Blame and shame only distract from the real issues of personal values and morals.

WE HAVE LIVED OFF-GRID FOR OVER 40 YEARS

It has taught us to be self reliant and continuously look for better ways of improving our efficiency (and wallet). As a society we are not ready to immediately change our lifestyles and make huge sacrifices and we shouldn't have to if we can find the balance. We cannot just shut down fossil fuels, logging and big industry as we need jobs to keep our economy going. But we can improve the ways in which we do things, support small business, use more recycled materials in new production, change our packaging, buy an electric vehicle if you live in the city and put solar panels on your roof!

There are personal gains that come from making good choices like installing solar panels. First of all you feel good knowing that you are taking responsibility for your power consumption. Secondly you are making an investment in yourself and your home. The price of the equipment is an investment in your retirement. Once the cost of the system is paid off there is one less bill to pay in the future and you have increased the value of your home. Thirdly by taking positive action you will inspire your neighbors, friends and family to make a difference too! We can't solve the world's problems but we can fix our own problems, inspire each other and help our community prosper! And by doing so we can influence other communities, cities and maybe eventually the world!

" Those who have the privilege to know have the duty to act" Albert Einstein (1879-1955)