Dave Patterson
i believe that if we all use solar panals as i cannot at this point as i live in a condo building -but i do beleive if enuff people in the building come to common sense that they will come to the agreement that solar power will make a dif in the amount of power that is usedfor this building,it seems that they r more concerned at upgrading the carpet in dif areas or new paint in the halls,ive been here for the past 6.5 yrs and we have to look at the big pic ,and the long run from my own point of view.do u think im thinkin way outta the pic or not,-tnx -

Lora Bruncke
I think Canada and the U.S. should join them.

It is a Saturday night through to Sunday night so many religious groups can get in on this one. Their fourth commandment is to keep the Sabbath. Let's make sure we preserve it, just in case god is not ready to destroy us yet.

I am marking it on my calendar. The thought of living without power in our country is scary. I can't believe we have reached peak oil and have very little coming from our governments and business leaders to help us wean off it. I hope it is not that they just don't care. I was startled to find apples from New Zealand in my grocery store for the same price as our own. Talk about false economy!!

I think big business is rampant and needs to re-evaluate goals and mission statements!

Marlene Dufresne
Being an avid camper most of my life, I can say I am perfectly able to live without electricity for more than one 24 hour period, given the proper equipment and preparation.

Although, in my later years, our camping in the rough graduated first to a pop-up and then a few years later to a trailer, we did spend quite a few years with just a tent and a campfire and loved every minute of it, even in the rain, in the cold (under freezing) and once in the snow!

While a camping holiday cannot be compared to trying to live a normal day-to-day existence without electricity, it is a good indicator of just how the so-called "simple" life can be accomplished. And how refreshing it is to the soul.....

Katie Rollwagen
I spent the summer in Accra Ghana, where decreased rainfall (due to climate change) has failed to fill the Akosombo Dam, the major source of electricity for the whole country.

As a result, Ghanaians have been living with "load shedding" for nearly eight months. Load shedding is the government's euphemistic term for rolling blackouts. During most of my stay, the power went out for 12 hours every 36 to 48 hours. The blackouts rotated between neighbourhoods and regions.

The blackouts caused serious inconveniences for many small business people, who can't earn a living without electricity. Seamstresses can't sew. Bakers can't bake. Printers can't print. The number of house fires increased due to candles. Big businsesses and the wealthy were less affected, because most had generators.

But I was quite surprised that, as long as I remembered to charge my mobile phone before the lights went out, life pretty much went on as normal during "lights out." Traffic cops directed traffic at intersections where the lights weren't working. There are few tall buildings requiring elevators. I didn't see any underground garages, and very few credit card or debit machines. We cooked with gas. We didn't buy many perishable foods. We lit the candles. People sat outside their homes and conversed with their neighbours. We got used to it without too much trouble.

There's no questions that Ghana needs a more secure power source. Without one, many Ghanaians won't be able to escape poverty. Electricity does make life easier; when household maintenance is easier, children are free to attend school. When there are lights, students can study after sunset. At the same time, experiencing rolling blackouts made me realize all the little things Canadians could be doing to reduce their overall electricity use. We are SO dependent on electricity.

I told my Ghanaian friends about the "big blackout of 2004" (in Ontario and eastern US)and the panic and trouble it caused. Some just shook their heads. Those westerners, one said. They don