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Energy Crisis and Spawning Salmon

© Erica Myers-Russo

Around about a month or so ago, a confluence of events illuminated a little problem here in the Puget Sound region. First there was a temperature inversion. This nifty atmospheric trick trapped a layer of air on top of the area and made us come face to face with our own pollution. Suddenly the smog of thousands of Seattle commuters (where “High Occupancy Vehicle” is defined as one with a staggeringly inconvenient two passengers) wouldn't go away. Air quality plummeted. Mt. Rainier disappeared behind a curtain of haze. The populace panicked, suddenly finding itself in a rainy LA knockoff. And the government sprang into action, issuing a burn ban.

Then a cold front dropped temperatures into the low twenties (all you Canadian readers can quit laughing any time now). Home heating bills skyrocketed, and with them, the cost of fossil fuels. Again, we heard the distant clamoring of scientists and Europeans: Quit using all these non-renewable energy sources. If you think this stinks, wait a couple of decades and we’re all trying to rub two sticks together to stay warm. Then what?

Then why don’t we use hydroelectric power? Enter phenomenon number three: a presidential election, and its concomitant special interest groupies. This is the Northwest, land of the majestic salmon. But hydroelectric power requires dams. Dams prevent the fish from swimming home to spawn. In typically American fashion, a complex socio-ecological issue was rendered into a political dichotomy: you are pro-environment or pro-energy, anti-salmon or anti-solution.

"What are we supposed to do?" groused a concerned friend of mine. "I use my woodstove to cut down on electricity consumption and I chose electric instead of gas because it's supposed to be renewable. But now everything's bad. I mean, give me an option and I'll take it."

What are we supposed to do? Enter energy efficiency and alternative energy options. While our end goal should be to use renewable, non-polluting sources of energy, using our current resources more efficiently is an intelligent intermediate step. Simple changes like choosing efficient appliances, reducing your hot water heater temperature, and line drying your clothes can make a big difference - both to the environment and to your bank account. If you need incentive, consider this: almost half (49% according to the US Department of Energy) of the average household's hot water is used for bathing and showering. There's no need to go dirty; just try low-flow showerheads, shorter showers, and shallower baths. For more concrete steps you can take to lower your bills and your energy consumption, check out the DOE's tips: http://www.eren.doe.gov/buildings/docume...