Yesterday the NYT reported that Germany has disconnected the 8 oldest of the country's 17 nuclear reactors.
Critics called this move abrupt and asked whether it meant a return to dirty power and the possibility of country-wide power-outs. The article suggests that Germans are anxious, though they seem better prepared than Americans for shortages, as the average German household uses
half as much power as its American equivalent.
Over the weekend, I saw what happens in America when you threaten to cut off power. People go beserk, then go shopping.
Two days before Hurricane Irene, the supermarket on Wyckoff Avenue was jammed, lines winding past whole areas of the market cleared of food. It seemed strange to be filling a cart with groceries for a one-day power out---but when the TV says "evacuate, fill a bathtub with water just in case, find your flashlight, make sure you have a safety plan for your pets"... I think the media fulfilled their obligation to keep the NYC community prepared and safe, but how might this situation have looked in a place not used to overconsuming?
Storm damage, not much in Bushwick---few trees to muck with in this industrial area of warehouses and
waste transfer facilities. On a scale of what a hurricane could topple over: Bushwick is like a frog next to Manhattan's skyline, the frog prince.
This is my neighborhood---mattress pile on the sidewalk, cement mixing plant in the background. What's awesome about living here is that it's so barren and vast, so still, you think you're on industrial Mars, until another fellow human pops out of the bricks. (Hey, who are you?) Instinctively, you want to meet this person---unlike in Manhattan where the streets are so crowded, sometimes you try to be alone.
This is Jocelyn. She was rocking superbright colors the day before the storm and I liked that attitude.
This is Noga, on her way to fill up the cart. Loved her colors, too.
Yep, I'm wearing 'em. Keeping it bright as the skies were turning grey. Next time a storm hits I hope people will listen to the media's warnings...because Irene didn't cause a scene in NYC but the next one might. We can all learn from this experience to rethink how much we really
need to be comfortable. One day we might find ourselves in a situation like Germany's, or Japan's, and it's up to us to remain bright and calm when our world threatens to uproot like a tree.
