Melting Snow in Texas to Flush Toilets?
If you think it can’t happen here in the U.S., guess again. Consider how much what we take for granted. Clean water, clean air, electricity, a reliable communications network…. The list goes on and on, but you get the point. We are vulnerable.
If you are reading this post, you are likely a somewhat prosperous person. You own a computer, or some device capable of downloading written information. You have access to the internet. You probably live in a warm, cozy place, and don’t worry about where your next meal is coming from or whether you have enough clean water to survive the day. Suppose you didn’t have all those things?
Look at the ongoing crisis in Texas. The temperature remained at around 4 degrees F for several days. The state’s power grid failed because of outdated equipment that was not maintained properly, and those in charge didn’t pay attention to the need for pro-active preparation. As a result, burst pipes disrupted water service and severely damaged many homes and buildings throughout the state. People died from carbon monoxide poisoning trying to keep warm in their cars. Car accidents abounded. Texans aren’t used to driving on roads of snow and ice and most roads weren’t plowed because… well, it never snows in Texas and there aren’t many plows, to begin with. Thousands remain without power and running water. There is a boil water order in many areas. But how do you boil water without electricity?
While writing the novel, “When North Becomes South,” I thought deeply about how I would function without all the creature comforts to which I have become accustomed. People often ask me what the most challenging part of writing this book was, and my answer is simple: I had to confront a scenario most of us know could happen, but we brush it aside as if it isn’t possible. We are aware of the fragility of our infrastructure, yet we haven’t done the things necessary to prepare for losing it.
There’s physical preparation, and there is also emotional preparation. We can prepare physically to an extent, but the emotional piece is something we rarely consider-those feelings of unreality and anxiety about the future. Will life ever return to “normal?” How long will this go on?
The pandemic opened a doorway, forcing us to confront our dependencies-at least some of them. Yet the pandemic also made us even more dependent on technology and long-distance communication. Can you imagine dealing with the pandemic without Zoom or an equivalent technology?
I know… this is dark and scary stuff! In fact, someone posted a review of my book on Amazon saying just that-it is “dark and scary,” and the reader didn’t want to face that right now! I fully understand that, but I also believe confronting the possibility of it now, while we are in a decent state of mind and can be proactive, is important. That is the reason I wrote this book.
If you want to explore this further, subscribe to my newsletter and get the first two chapters of the book for free!
Originally published at https://beckybronson.com on February 21, 2021.
