Wind Power

The day before yesterday 4300 people in Hawaii Kai experienced a power outage for 6 hours and it drove everyone crazy. The line of angry coffee-drinkers at the Kahala Starbucks snaked back all the way to the apple store (a few hundred feet) and the average wait for a cup of coffee was 20 minutes. The power was restored by 1:30 pm, and it really wasn't that big of a deal, but the irony was that the power outage was caused by the strong winds knocking down a tree onto a power line. The wind was strong enough to kill the power....so wouldn't it then also be strong enough to be the power? We all are aware that windmills are beastly eyesores that nobody particularly wants in their backyards (who even has one in Hawaii anyway?) and yet it would be such an efficient way to power our islands.

We are currently solely dependent on HECO (Hawaii Electric Company) and they have a total monopoly on our electricity. Most of this electricity comes from burning oil, but some of it is from burning our garbage. (lame woohoo...) A tiny portion of it is from solar panels that feed back into the main grid, but that hardly counts. My family spends 8 times as much on less kilowatt hours than when we're at our condo in Florida. EIGHT times more! It's sick.

 People have finally awoken to the idea of solar panels, but they just don't seem to be popping up—probably because everyone is worried about paying their rent, car payments, and power-bills and doesn't have enough capital to invest in a PV system plus the cost of installation. We're so stuck here. Nothing ever moves forward. This is probably one of the most unprogressive places within the US that I've been. The Aina Haina library has solar panels on its roof, lots of them, but I almost think it's just for show, (because that library is on the main highway) and  is a feeble attempt to pacify all the environmentalists who hound on the state for not being greener. That library is never open anyway. For all I know, those might be fake solar panels; panes of glass encasing strips of tin foil. It's a conspiracy!!

In any case, I think the wind was making a statement by knocking out the power. "HELLO. Wake up you idiots. USE me! I'm here, blowing for you all the time and yet you continue to burn oil and ruin the planet." Gas prices are up to $4.43/gal (for those whose engines require premium) and milk prices are $6.99/ half gal (for good organic milk.) What the fuck is wrong with us. Milk should not cost more than gasoline. We shouldn't even be using gasoline. Windmills should be out in the ocean, harnessing the power of the tradewinds, just like the ones in Denmark. I shouldn't be having this monologue, because people should be smart enough to make a change already. People need to stop acting like they know everything and just listen to nature and pay attention to what's happening in the world. Why does Safeway still give out plastic bags for groceries. It's a slap in the face. They don't even ask if you need one or not. Don't get me started on GMOs or the new proposed ban on organic farming and gardening. I've had it. This world is so screwed up. Are there even any good people out there, and can we even make a difference.

I need to stop my rant because I'm just going to give myself insomnia. My island fever is peaking and I just need to get off this [beautiful and amazing] island before I bring everyone down.