Today’s prevailing condition in our great outdoors: Ice on the rocks.
The ice storm that shut down this part of Oregon today was a fitting time to think about things, among them the best way to keep from freezing in our homes.
Our part of western Oregon does not get many days like this, and one hopes it stays that way. But with climate change, as we’re always told, extreme weather is likely to become more common.
So it’s hard to overemphasize the importance of a reliable way to heat homes. And reliable home heating is what natural gas provides.
A few decades ago in Southern Oregon, we lived in a big 50-year-old house whose furnace had died long before. We spent a few freezing nights in blankets on the floor in front of the electric wall heater in the living room.
Much older now, I’m grateful for the ready availability of natural gas. And if the power goes out and the forced-air system doesn’t work, there’s always battery power to keep the gas fireplace lit.
With increasing demands on the electric grid and the intermittent nature of renewable sources like wind and solar power, you’d think there would be a growing need for natural gas for wintertime survival.
Instead, office holders in some places, Eugene and Milwaukie among them, want to ban gas piping to new residences in coming years. That looks foolish in light of the weather we had today and will probably have in winters to come. (hh)
Today was trash day in our neighborhood, but we don’t expect the trucks to make it on the icy roads.
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Living in a rental Gas is not even an option in my place. No fireplace real or otherwise. Most of us renters live with baseboard heat only and that is expensive.
We’ll start being more like California (heaven help us). With more push for “green” energy, we’ll start having rolling blackouts in the summer (power grids pushed beyond their limits due to all the EV’s and air conditioners) and whatever the catchphrase will be in the winter (EV’s – due to their limited winter range needing more frequent charging and heaters – due to lack of natural gas). Thanks crybabies!
With even a cursory reading of Hasso’s latest screed, one could easily conclude that Mr. Hering may be on the Northwest Natural Gas payroll.
I have several decades experience flogging products and this blog post by Hering reads like something straight out of J. Walter Thompson. As a caveat, there is nothing inherently improper about sales copywriting or advertising.
The challenge for non-marketing types (most consumers) arises when there is even an appearance of what might be viewed as behind the scenes influence. Given Hering’s regional status as a Mover and Shaker amongst Albany’s influential class, combined with his lengthy career as Editor of Albany’s sole News outlet, it seems logical to question why he may have acted as a shill for natural gas consumption with such eagerness.
Or… Maybe, just maybe… he’s fed up with the push for rapid acceptance of renewables that are decades away from being ready, just like many of us are. The push away from natural gas that Oregon’s leadership is pushing right now is going to hurt the lower and middle class the most. I’m very grateful to have a gas furnace keeping my house warm during this ice storm
I never thought an AOC lover would come out in Albany but it appears we have one as his comments mirror hers. In 2019, she proclaimed the world would end in 12 years unless we do something to stop global warming so the governor better get the switch to electric cars moved up to 2025. As renewables account for 7% of electricity in Oregon, we need to get the liberal hot air used to generate power to get rid of that nasty natural gas. I also need to make my 85 year old sister aware that 60 years of using a gas stove has probably given her cancer because natural gas contains benzene, a known carcinogen (the last fact comes from Annonymous who posted it 2 articles ago as he needed to get in the last word).
Hartman reads like a conspiracy advocate. HH is an advocate for clear thinking and has a history of drawing attention to stupid ideas fostered by the political class. Hartman’s loss would benefit this blog.
Hartman’s responses induce us to lift a leg and produce our own natural gas. PS- Don’t tell the legislature. It’ll ban farts.
No matter how green anyone is interested in being — and I’m very interested in being as green as reasonably possible — the reality is we don’t yet have viable alternatives to using fossil fuels including natural gas. Also, Hasso, congrats on that cutline — “Ice on the rocks” is caption-writing poetry.
Go fill a hot water bottle while your electric hot water heater still has hot water.
Purchase lithium ion rechargeable hand warmers that you can recharge in your car.
At least you will keep your core warm while bundling up. It works.
The term “natural gas” is hate speech and must be killed.
I demand its removal from your website.
Expect a call from the FBI after this cold snap is over.
I got an email from my HVAC company reminding those with heat pumps to turn them off when the ice storm hits. These things not only don’t work in freezing weather, they sometimes actually break down with large expensive repair bills to follow. The email notes to turn on your backup source of heat if you want to stay warm. Good thing my back-up and primary heat source is natural gas.
In an effort to help low-income families, communities are pushing for lower cost housing options. Removing natural gas as a heating source flies in the face of that effort since it cost significantly more (on average) to heat with anything else but natural gas.
How about Texas, where this morning, Texas state government has authorized bypassing all emission standards in order to keep the electrical grid going.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/ercot-gets-permission-to-bypass-emission-standards-to-keep-power-on/ar-AA15D6ws . I guess it’s OK to pollute the air with more carbon as long as it creates electricity for home heating.
I applaud the effort to modify things and address climate change, but once again, please, let’s think this out and do this reasonably. Current efforts are not reasonable.
What District do you live in?
May the odds be ever in your favor.