Babaamaajimowinan (Telling of news in different places)

Letter to the Editor: Electricity

To The Editor:

The recent storm and its aftermath remind me of history, culture and of lost or forgotten knowledge. As we celebrate "Independence Day," I can't help but reflect on our lack of "Independence." We have an extraordinary dependance on electricity. We speak of reliance on television or computers, but the real dependance is on fossil generated electricity by far…and my goodness do we take it for granted!

Without electricity, I went to bed and got up at a sane and reasonable hour. I listened to loons, frogs, birds, and the wind rustled leaves. Without electricity I spent time outside, I read, I worked physically, I visited with neighbors and relatives…and we looked in on each other, helped each other. If this time out continued only those off the grid wouldn't know or have their world turned upside down. Brett Cease and his upcoming folk class on solar energy is quite timely.

Of the storm and it's consequences. I hated it, I got sick, I'm soft. Mother Earth - if she lives - and if we are a part of her like red blood cells, vitamins, minerals are a part of us, then we…the human element/aspect of Mother Earth's being is out of control, has run amok not unlike a cancer. Is Gaia is building up her immunities expressed through global warming and it's consequences to soon cast us from her body?

While we are thankful that "it could have been much worse," thankful for our city police, fire, and utility workers along with Ottertail Power and others, and breath more easily as the fan and the TV came back on. I can't help but reflect how dependent we have become on electricity because nothing else works including us without it. We must move toward a more sustainable planet, we must tap the sun the true source of all energy. I hope more of us will take time to reflect. Work such as being done by Mr. Cease needs to spread, here…then there…then everywhere.

With respect,

Michael Meuers

Ward 5, Bemidji

 

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