Juneau's dilemma a wake up call?

Question

In April, avalanches knocked down transmission lines and residents found themselves threatened with a 5-fold increase in utility bills.

Juneau quickly powered down.

Stores went partially dark. Neon lights were turned off. Clothes were hung on -- gasp -- clotheslines.

An energy expert from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory even visited to offer advice.

Do you think that some of the habits the residents acquired will stick? Could this be a wake up call that we can lower our energy use when motivated to do so?

Answer 1

Yes, it may become difficult to purchase home solar systems as demand rises.  Suppliers could raise costs as well.  Installers could be booked a few months out.

Ironically Juneau may be one of the few cities that may get lucky on the first meter or two of sea level rise:

Completed by the University of Alaska, the analysis identified a surprising impact - while global sea level is projected to rise, in the City and Borough of Juneau the land surface is rising as a result of glacial ice (isostatic rebound) at a rate of uplift that is greater than the projected rate of global sea level rise.  Therefore, over the next century, the relative sea level in Juneau will likely decrease between .3 metres (1.0 feet) and 1.1 metres (3.6 feet).

http://www.iclei.org/index.php?id=1505&n...

Answer 2

Perhaps. Cuba was another wake up call:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRz34Dee7...

and check out my answer here and the links

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

Permaculture was the solution to the massive problems of the early 1990s known as the Special Period. Cuba lost half their oil overnight, lost 80% import and export markets, food was scarce; people started to starve. They had a food crisis; they were unable to import food, farm chemicals nor use machinery to grow food by conventional means. Government could not act quickly enough so gave the power back to the people. Cuba HAD to become self sufficient and sustainable and fast.  

So they did. There have been substantial benefits in Health due to improved diet and an increase in exercise from bike riding/walking/gardening. They have had to develop networks so community is strengthened and many say they have a much better quality of life than ever before. Their new values of cooperation, conservation and curtailment have enriched their lives. Cuba has a lot to show the world with how to deal with energy adversity.

However, the Special Period is over and I understand that the motivation for many is declining as new consumer goods are available in the shops. The queues for mobile phones, for example, are legendary.