Resting Lightly on the Grid

I wrote last Sunday about Sam’s Club rationing rice to four 20-pound bags per person. Well, I am happy to report that here in Merida, Mexico, the local Sam’s Club hasn’t put any limit on the amount of rice you can buy.

Yes, we have a Sam’s Club here. And a Costco, and several Wal-Marts, and a Home Depot. (I got tired of living in places with just a fruit stand and a fish hut a long time ago…but I like being able to get to them with just a 30-minute drive to the beach.)

I noticed another difference in my local Sam’s Club the other day…something I hadn’t seen in stores in the States lately.

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Back by the sporting goods and automotive sections, I came across two large stacks of boxes. One was a stack of wind turbine kits for about $700 and the other was a stack of kits containing portable solar cell panels for about $400.

Right there next to the blow-up swimming pools and the socket wrench sets.

For a little over a thousand bucks, I could get a wind turbine and a solar panel kit, load both of them into the back of my mid-sized SUV, take them home, hook them up to some deep-cycle batteries, and start the process of getting off the grid.

This is something I find deeply compelling, especially when I read things like this from Jim Buckee, former CEO of Talisman Energy Inc. of Calgary:

“I think it’s fair to say the era of cheap energy is over.”

And this, from Rajat Nag, an official with the Asian Development Bank:

“We just have to accept the era of cheap food is over.”

I fully expect to read the news tomorrow and find someone saying the same thing about the eras of cheap water and cheap air.

That’s what made those stacks of gadgets at Sam’s Club so attractive to me. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how dependent I want to be on power grids and global food transportation networks. I’ve already decided that my moving to Mexico was inspired, at least in part and probably subconsciously, by these issues.

My brother asked me once why I chose this part of the world, and I didn’t fully appreciate my answer at the time. I told him, “Hey, if the power goes out and the oil dries up tomorrow, I’m betting this place will carry on pretty much like it has for the past few thousand years.”

I was joking at the time.

I don’t really expect the power to go off or the oil to dry up tomorrow…but I do expect them both to be significantly more expensive than they are today.

I guess the locals here in Merida see it coming, too. And in their typically practical style, they’re stocking their Sam’s Club with practical solutions.

Add in the cheaper health care and lower taxes around here, (not to mention the fruit stands and fish huts up on the beach) and it’s the kind of place I want to live for the next few years while the global food and energy networks sort themselves out.

I’m making a trip back to Sam’s Club tomorrow to take another look at those wind turbines and solar panel kits. Can I pick anything up for anybody?

Dan Prescher
Publisher, International Living

Editor’s Choice: Easy Living in Latin America Mexico: The Owner’s Manual Both Dan and his wife Suzan love Mexico…and it’s not just because of the cheap natural energy. They enjoy the slow paced lifestyle with the modern conveniences of the U.S., the friendly people, and the general low cost of living. It’s also an added advantage that it is so close to the States. Read this Owner’s Manual to see for yourself why Mexico is so special. Costa Rica: The Owner’s Manual Costa Rica is a nature lovers dream. It has boasts long stretches of deserted beaches, dense jungles with exotic wildlife, dramatic volcanoes, lush green valleys, crystal-clear lakes, rivers, streams, and waterfalls, and no less than 161 parks and wildlife refuges. In the manual, you’ll find lots of tips for exploring “the world’s most biologically diverse country.” As well as all of that, you can live here comfortably on $1,200 a month or live luxuriously on $2,000. Uruguay: The Owner’s Manual Uruguay is a wise option if you wish to relocate to Latin America but still want to retain the First-World infrastructure you are used to. Whether you choose to live in a beachfront location or in a rural setting, you’ll find a beautiful home here at really affordable prices. It’s also the ideal country to invest and work.