Community Chat

[Cakers3]

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@hckynutjohn wrote:

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@Spurt wrote:

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@granddi wrote:

Is your electric company remotely adjusting your thermostat? Amid Texas heat, some are.

Apparently if you sign up for some sort of "saver plan" you give your provider access to your smart thermostat. many are reporting resets to 78 degrees with no way to override. 

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@granddi 

If you have a "smart thermostat" the energy company can connect and turn off the power sometimes in 30 minute or an hour intervals....Its called a "power saver rebate plan".  I declined for CPS Energy to install a "smart thermostat" in my home and they really bugged me about it... It's my home and I want control of my thermostat.....I dont mind conserving and you have to if you want a reasonable energy bill, but my choice! Especially if I have a lot of food in my freezer....I dont trust CPSEnergy....

@Spurt 

I'm with you. Why would any person with common sense, turn over their ability to control their own homes environment, to some large conglomerate or government office?

Have them decide my comfort level based on what others decide works for them! Not in my world! Too many already have control over things in my life, many that I probably don't even know about! And I am going to knowingly, give them another piece of controlling my life? Ain't gonna happen.

hckynut  🇺🇸

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@hckynutjohn   I so agree.  No smart thermostat in our home, either.

We are well aware how to conserve energy without a nanny.

[Black Cat Back]

I live in AZ.   It's 114 here today.  It's deadly to be outside.   We suffer with these temperatures for months.  There is news today of severe hot weather in Spain and Portugal.

I'm sorry to hear about that, but I wish the news would focus on the extreme temps here in the US.  People here in AZ can't afford rent and some are on the streets having to endure this deadly heat.  

The elderly and sick need to be cared about and checked on.  This extreme heat is not going to get any better.   We must not forget that people are suffering from this in many parts of the US.   States need to do a better job of planning and caring for dangerous and deadly temperatures.

Those with working A/C's and nice homes, etc need to be concerned about people who aren't as lucky.  

[Cakers3]

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@Black Cat Back wrote:

I live in AZ.   It's 114 here today.  It's deadly to be outside.   We suffer with these temperatures for months.  There is news today of severe hot weather in Spain and Portugal.

I'm sorry to hear about that, but I wish the news would focus on the extreme temps here in the US.  People here in AZ can't afford rent and some are on the streets having to endure this deadly heat.  

The elderly and sick need to be cared about and checked on.  This extreme heat is not going to get any better.   We must not forget that people are suffering from this in many parts of the US.   States need to do a better job of planning and caring for dangerous and deadly temperatures.

Those with working A/C's and nice homes, etc need to be concerned about people who aren't as lucky.  

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@Black Cat Back   Very well stated.

Cooling centers with free transportation and donating energy 20" fans each year can be a start to help out.

Also check on neighbors both elderly and those with small children.

Keep an eye out for pets outside, too.

[Vivian]

Several years ago I was in France during an unprecedented heat wave. They were totally unprepared for it. Fifteen thousand French people died, mostly elderly in un-air conditioned apartments. This week, the temperature in some UK locales will be 104. When I was in the UK, albeit twenty years ago, very few places were air conditioned. At least in the US we are more aware of the dangers and can prepare. On the other hand, it won't surprise me if we see heat-related deaths both here and across the pond.

[cody2]

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@Spurt wrote:

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@ThinkingOutLoud wrote:

I read that part of the issue is not enough wind for the wind turbines. Seems green energy isn't all that it's cracked up to be.

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@ThinkingOutLoud 

Not only that, but weather plays a part with solar too....and what the heck are they going to do with these HUGE (Ive seen them up close along the Texas coast) when its time to replace them...and the used solar panels too....as well as lithioum batteries on the electric cars...It seems we are trading one set of problems for others....SMH

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Exactly. I read an article a few days ago that California who is a leader in solar power has a big problem. Old and outdated solar panels that are being removed is causing a landslide of materials, some which are toxic, and no where safe to dispose of them. That is going to become a very serious issue in the near future.

[Sapphiregal]

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@hckynutjohn wrote:

I have been trying to understand the term Global Climate and the so-called Global effects.

Using that as my guide, when oil or natural gas, is found in other countries, it doesn't effect the Global Climate.But if done so in the United States it creates all the issues with the Global Climate. Got me thinking.

So as long as China/India and other countries produce it, and in a less friendly environmental way, it doesn't effect the Global Climate!  Makes perfect sense, to someone I guess, but not this old guy.

Go to other countries to get our much needed energy source/pay more money to do so/and those pipelines run directly to the United States, or are they shipped here on sail boats, or electric or windmill powered oil barges.

Now I see! Only 1 country, that is among the cleanest sources of producing energy, is responsible for 95% of the Global Climate Issues!  Makes perfect sense, maybe to those same people I mentioned in another post, that have thousands of $$$ in 3 and 4 dollar Bill's stacked up.  

Think I got it. Now I am gonna take paper to pen, and figure out why in the last year and a half, filling up either of our internal combustion engine vehicles, cost me over twice as much. Give me about 30-45 seconds and I'll get back to ya'll.

hckynut  🇺🇸

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@hckynutjohn 

You and I think alike on this issue! 

[Trailrun23]

Texas has never been the king of wind energy to my knowledge. The wind turbines have been forced upon Texas by the fed govt. alothough we have many wide open spaces, wind doesn't always blow.  We are awash in natural resources like natural gas and oil....but are restricted in the amount we can drill or process. 

[icezeus]

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@patbz wrote:

We occasionally pass a flatbed truck with a giant blade on it; before that, I had no clue that they were that huge.  I've seen wind farms for close to 40 years in the high desert of California.

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@patbz 

Once a year during the month of December I head out to a Luxury Premium Outlet called Cabazon. It's an annual trip that I make with some of my GF's. Well after a day of shopping we always head out to the Palm Desert/Springs area for a late lunch early dinner. There is this one freeway that we have to take where we pass a freakishly  large Wind farm.  They are simply huge and quite frankly sort of creepy looking. 

[patbz]

@icezeus :  I am familiar with the wind farm of which you speak.  I routinely went by the Tehatcphi wind farm, which is a little further from the highway; it was a shock to realize exactly how large those blades are.

[Trailrun23]

Environmentalists also have issues with the giant wind turbines since they kill lots of birds...and they make an intolerable constant whining noise...really loud. Texas doesn't have as many turbines as some other states. The turbines can't provide all the energy needed. Wind energy is a great idea, but science has a long way to go before it can sustain the demands independently. Musk even told Tesla drivers here in Texas not to charge them right now in order to save electricity. The irony!