Being new to this list thing, and the
internet as well, I'm having a hard time following it all. I wonder if it
would be a good idea for everyone on the list to have a list of who is on
there? Something like: "name, company, E-mail address".I find it hard to get familiar with who is who without some kind of
tool like this. Or am I just too compulsive and orderly?
By the way, this thing is a real
hoot. If I had more work going right now, I wouldn't be talking so much,
but, as it is, it's like going to the Post Office more than once a day. I
never suspected that there are so many other people out there besides me who
choose such a difficult way to earn a living. It sure would be easier and
more-profitable to wire condos, but I wouldn't want to have to go
backward. My personal goal is to install one megawatt of renewable power
in this lifetime. At the rate I'm going, I'll have to be still working at
age 90 to accomplish that goal, but I hope that our society comes around to
sustainability more-quickly so I can slow down some before then.
As I read the postings, I am coming to
realize how lucky I am to live within close driving distance of a fairly
affluent area (Boulder). That allows me a way to earn my required income
and still spend time chasing RE work. Until the work is more widespread
and steady, it looks like most of us will continue to need some kind of steady
part-time work for basic income. Some who have been at it long enough may
not need that, but probably most still do. I know of a gentleman in
Boulder who, last time I heard, does alot of work with UPS systems, as well as
RE work. Consulting for energy efficiency might be another good sideline
business for RE Wrenches. There's alot of work in changing out lighting in
commercial buildings. Energy conservation has a very short payback period
and has the potential to keep much CO2 and other crap out of our air and keep
the dead dinosaurs in the ground where they belong. It's not a hard sell
when you look at the numbers. Trouble with these ideas is that they mostly
only work in an urban/suburban/commercial area. What are Wrenches to do in
the areas away from the cities besides drive into the city? When there's
no RE work, how do we eat? How do all you listening out there do it?
We need to help each other here, if we can.
Last thing, I'd like to clarify my last
posting re: grid tie marketing. 1). I don't mean to say that
marketing grid-tied systems is a waste of time. I think that it is a very
viable market, and something that really should be done. I agree that PV
panels on houses should be as common as skylights. I don't know if the way
to do it is to appeal to people's sense of greed or status, though. Indeed
that may work with some people, but I hold out hope that most people will do
what is good for the planet if they can. It's probably a long, hard road
to really make it happen. People in-general will need to be aware of how
we are trashing the planet, then they will have to care, and then they will need
to know what to do about it. Worse yet, our corporate-government continues
to drag its heels behind a populace that is already coming around to
caring. It ain't gonna be easy, but somebody has got to do the work.
Guess we have all volunteered already, huh? 2). R&D (Rob &
Duplicate) was a joke, OK? I don't mean to suggest that anyone steal
copyrighted material. Am I getting paranoid here? I mean to say
that, if you're thinking about trying to market grid-tied systems, you don't
have to reinvent the wheel. There are probably several companies around
the country who have been chasing that market for awhile now. The energy
has already been invested to a point. Might as well see where things are
at already and go from there, and adapt ideas to your own local market.
There are alot of people in the cities and suburbs and towns who really do want
to make a difference from where they are. Everyone can't move to the
country. 3). I think there's a great potential market for grid-tied
systems. It's just that this little dog can't compete with the big dog in
this area.
Preaching to the choir here? I
don't mean to. It would be good to hear from more of you out there,
though. So, I pose two questions for The List:
1). Should there be a list of who is on the
list? Including what information?
2)..What are some ideas for "fill in" work for those of us
who don't live near an urban center? How's everyone doing it
now?
-Don
Wallingford
Quicksilver
Electrical Service
Frederick,Colo.