This is a very interesting thread. It reminds me that back in the 60's (Yep I'm that old), some hippie types wanted to live on a commune and "get back to nature". The only thing they couldn't live without was electricity. Electricity used to be a luxury back in the day. Now it's an absolute necessity. Kinda like the personal computer nowadays.
I have threatened for years to get a small Honda generator. For when the big quake hits.
