The Miracle of Electricity in Modern Life

It is a miracle that electricity exists. And it is a most extraordinary thing that many of us across the world can plug something in and 'at the touch of a button' have instant use for our busy modern lives. But as with a lot of things that we 'get off the shelf' we rarely pause to think where electiricty it comes from and what the hazardous consequences may be in the process.

We take it all for granted till we suffer a power cut! Have you ever wondered or tried to count up the number of domestic appliances, utilites, lights, machines, devices, computers, phones, entertainments and gadgets we use which need an active electricity power supply to operate in the home?

.

Here is a seletion but there are many more - see what else you can think of...

Want to learn more? Follow this link to understand the basic principles of electric power and it's use in the home with good ideas of how to save it.

Here is a chart comparing US with UK domestic use from Shrink That Footprint being an excellent message in itself:

Not to mention all the multitude of electrical products contantly used in business - here again just a selection

Then of course there are public services using electricity such as:

And private companies supplying public services such as electric train:

As well as electricity for spotlights, stageshows and sound in modern day music, arts and theatre:

Yet a Sobering Thought ...

The sobering thing is that, unless our electricity supply comes from a sustainable source, not only are we using up a quota of resources and potentially adding to pollution where the power is generated, but also, if the transmission of this electricity supply is not generated by bird-wildlife friendly means and travelling through state-of-the-art conduits:

while we "merrily boil a kettle" our supply can be endangering, albeit killing and injuring, beautiful birds and animals (even people) on its way, as we have seen in the case of the young male Osprey Jimmy.

Mock up of Jimmy electrocuted at Hiraeth Cottage. Ironically the cottage is derelict, uninhabited.

So what can we do to stop our modern lives from impacting detrimentally?

A
Plan Of
Bird Friendly Living