Absurdity in everyday (consumer) life

Like everyone else who will read this, I use electricity. Like nearly everyone who will read this, I get my electricity from a utility company. Like nearly everyone who buys electricity from a utility, I don't choose the utility.

Turlock Irrigation District is that utility. As I understand the history of the Central Valley irrigation districts and their development as electric utility companies, the connection between irrigation and electricity has to do with hydro-electric dams. It's simple: dam the river to supply water to farms and people, and meanwhile stick a turbine in it and generate power.

There's two basic models of hydro-power: large dams and small dams. Large dams are fairly destructive of ecosystems, and are not considered "renewable" resources. Small dams are less destructive, and are considered "renewable." (Of course, with any hydro-power, a lot depends on whether there's actually a renewal, to wit, snow during the winter.)

T.I.D., and I believe all the other electricity suppliers in California, prints the sources of power on the back of the bill every month. This month's "power content label" informs us that 6% of T.I.D. power this month comes from renewable sources - 3% each from geothermal and small hydro. 29% comes from large hydro; 19% from coal, 46% from natural gas. At present, natural gas prices worldwide are ridiculously high, so it makes little to no sense to rely most heavily on that, unless you're so short-sighted about energy policy that you're finding the easiest source (the one that requires least change to the way you do business), and are willing to pass on the cost to consumers, no matter how high it is. At this rate, it will have to come to a point that people just can't pay, or won't pay, the higher rates for gas-derived electricity, for T.I.D. or any other utility to stop using it.

But that's not why I'm bothering to write. I mean, corporate short-sightedness and profiteering on that basis is commonplace.

Take another look at the list of sources. See something missing? Go ahead and look; I'll wait here...

Dum-de-dum-de-dah... Whiw-whew-whoo... Oop-bop-sh-bam.

Spot it? Yep: no solar! And no wind! Ta-da! Yadda-yadda-yadda dum-ba-dum-dum! Yuppa-de-da-de-da-dum! (That's supposed to be the Looney Tunes coda.)

Now, I'll grant, in the winter months, the Central Valley is cloudy most of the time. But it's California, as in sunny California, and the power company chooses to get exactly 0% of its electricity from the sun. And when we don't have sun, and often enough when we do, we have wind. Once again: zippo.

So here's the dilemma. As a consumer, especially one in an apartment, I have just about no chance whatsoever of choosing the source of my electricity, but I'm basically dependent on it, like everyone else. The only leverage I have with the power company is to use less (and we do, down more than 10% from last year at this time - plus, of course, not running a TV at all hours, and what with me being one of the world's great light-turner-offers) or to write them letters of protest. Now, imagine the response I'd get from T.I.D. - "thank you for your interest..."

There is one other option that I've got that most of you don't: T.I.D. is an old-fashioned public utility (they're privatized in most parts). That means an elected board directs its policies (more or less). I can run for the board. Of course, if it becomes evident I'm a Green, in this district, that could be troublesome.