Could you live without electricity?

ahnowbrowncow · 22-07-2016 10:18AM #1

Electricity was out for the whole town of Killarney and maybe even further for over an hour.

Tourists looking all confused as there was no light in shops, tills and atms not working, traffic lights down. If you were a shoplifter I'd say you could have had a field day with all the cameras being off.

Most places didn't even have access to water and even the ones that did had no electricity to heat it. No tea for me this morning.

leeside11 · 22-07-2016 10:23AM

ahnowbrowncow wrote: »

Electricity was out for the whole town of Killarney and maybe even further for over an hour.

Tourists looking all confused as there was no light in shops, tills and atms not working, traffic lights down. If you were a shoplifter I'd say you could have had a field day with all the cameras being off.

Most places didn't even have access to water and even the ones that did had no electricity to heat it. No tea for me this morning.

Know an old guy living without electricity and running water, healthy as anything
A bachelor naturally...

BabyE · 22-07-2016 10:29AM

Not in Ireland, I would probably last slightly longer if I lived in a hot climate by the beach(basing that on my electricity usage when we get good weather here)

biko · 22-07-2016 10:32AM

I'd last ten minutes and then starve to death.

Maybe a bit longer than ten minutes.

kneemos · 22-07-2016 10:59AM

Amass weapons,dig a hole.

Particularly in Kerry.

snubbleste · 22-07-2016 10:59AM

Yes.

westcoast66 · 22-07-2016 11:00AM

I could no problem, but then we live near running water and grow a lot of our own food. The main problem for the majority of the population would be no access to money and therefore no way of buying food.

Shenshen · 22-07-2016 11:10AM

I don't suppose I'd die immediately, but why on earth would you WANT to live without electricity?

Dravokivich · 22-07-2016 11:12AM

Like on one of them 30 day challenge things, or off the grid completely like them doomsday preppers?

I'd rather not be in a position to live without electricity. Not just due to the luxuries of TV, PC and all that. But it's benefits such as Heat, Light, Storage, Cooking.

We're not better off by being able to go backwards, but by looking to go forwards more efficiently.

Winterlong · 22-07-2016 11:19AM

When are the electric workers next due to go on strike? There must be a payclaim due soon.

The Backwards Man · 22-07-2016 11:20AM

Yep, the world would function fairly well without electricity, despite what the prophets of doom would say. Millions of city folk who wouldn't know a blackberry from a piece of goat dung would die, granted, but the rest of us would be fine.

22-07-2016 11:25AM

Read the excellent One Second After/One Year After, which details the events after EMP attacks across the world, which knocks out power supplies/electrical equipment along large parts of the planet.

Probably not for very long, I would reckon.

Winterlong · 22-07-2016 11:26AM

The Backwards Man wrote: »

Yep, the world would function fairly well without electricity, despite what the prophets of doom would say. Millions of city folk who wouldn't know a blackberry from a piece of goat dung would die, granted, but the rest of us would be fine.

That is easy.
Blackberry.
Dung.

Hologram · 22-07-2016 11:27AM

No. Well I would live, as in not die (although it's needed for illnesses) but would not manage without it for long - especially in the winter. Too reliant on it. We all are, no matter what "hard nuts" who are not in that actual position say.

fineso.mom · 22-07-2016 11:29AM

Had no electricity for a few days after a bad storm. Managed fine as I have a gas hob and woodburning stove so was ok for heat and food. I even managed to feed a few neighbours who only had electric appliances. The worst part was not having water but other than that it was ok. Eating dinner by candlelight was quite nice.

hawkwing · 22-07-2016 11:30AM

ahnowbrowncow wrote: »

Electricity was out for the whole town of Killarney and maybe even further for over an hour.

Tourists looking all confused as there was no light in shops, tills and atms not working, traffic lights down. If you were a shoplifter I'd say you could have had a field day with all the cameras being off.

Most places didn't even have access to water and even the ones that did had no electricity to heat it. No tea for me this morning.

Was out in Tralee,Killorglin,Kenmare,Caherciveen,Castleisland and Dingle too from 915-1015ish

The Backwards Man · 22-07-2016 11:33AM

Winterlong wrote: »

That is easy.
Blackberry.
Dung.

Now, make jam with one and plant a pear tree with the other. You'll be a survivalist in no time.

Jimoslimos · 22-07-2016 11:37AM

biko wrote: »

I'd last ten minutes and then starve to death.

Maybe a bit longer than ten minutes.

Actually a lot shorter. Your heart would stop beating, nervous system shuts down, cells won't function, etc.

Butters1979 · 22-07-2016 11:40AM

The Backwards Man wrote: »

Yep, the world would function fairly well without electricity, despite what the prophets of doom would say. Millions of city folk who wouldn't know a blackberry from a piece of goat dung would die, granted, but the rest of us would be fine.

Millions of city folk would flood out into the country side armed with weapons looking to take your food.

22-07-2016 12:12PM

The Backwards Man wrote: »

Yep, the world would function fairly well without electricity, despite what the prophets of doom would say. Millions of city folk who wouldn't know a blackberry from a piece of goat dung would die, granted, but the rest of us would be fine.

Sadly this isn't accurate. There are some estimates that 90% of Americans would die within the first two years after a possible EMP blast. You can probably carry this out the same across multiple countries in the civilized world. Millions of country folk would die off too - how many farmers can maintain their land without the use of electrical equipment?

Its dead Jim · 22-07-2016 12:15PM

I would be either ****ed or have people fighting to employ me to bring back the electricity.

Electricity should be back in no time when I can't procrastinate.

The Backwards Man · 22-07-2016 12:24PM

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Sadly this isn't accurate. There are some estimates that 90% of Americans would die within the first two years after a possible EMP blast. You can probably carry this out the same across multiple countries in the civilized world. Millions of country folk would die off too - how many farmers can maintain their land without the use of electrical equipment?

Farmers have been maintaining their lands without electricity for thousands of years, and for many it is still a living memory, so that theory is out the window. Intensive farming would take a backwards dive, but there's many that would argue that's not such a bad thing. I hate these doomsday type estimations, wholly inaccurate and sensationalist rubbish for the most part.

Anyway, the OP was merely talking about the mains electric going out, think, not a EMP blast scenario.

Most country folk I know wouldn't even be left without electricity if the electricity went out.

osarusan · 22-07-2016 12:31PM

In my current home, no, as there are no substitutes.

At my parents' place with a garden, a well, a stove and thousands of trees to serve as fuel for cooking and heating, then yes.

But it would be very primitive and miserable.

sKeith · 22-07-2016 12:31PM

Even in the event of an EMP blast, its just an EMP blast. The laws of physics have not changed. There is nothing stopping you from making electricity. The internal combustion engine wont stop working unless you forget to buy fuel.

jamesbere · 22-07-2016 12:51PM

Just watch doomsday preppers and you'll be fine.

Speedwell · 22-07-2016 01:02PM

I was living in Houston when Hurricane Ike hit. My apartment complex sustained so little damage, despite being directly in the path, that it was almost fun to hear the eye go overhead. The entire city block and the area for a good way around was out of power for three days, though (and we were lucky; some folks were out for weeks). In hurricane territory, you prepare to have to be out of power for three days to a week or longer.

We had some compact camping equipment and a water purifier (the water supply still worked, hooray, toilets), plenty of flashlights, and a couple of battery-operated fans, and we had some good styrofoam coolers that we'd filled with ice before the storm hit, so we had milk for a few days, too. In the 35-degree heat, it was pleasant to wash in cool water anyway, so the only water we really heated was for coffee and cooking. If you keep the freezer compartment of an American freezer shut tight without opening it at all, it will keep your food fresh for at least a few days in a row, especially if it is full. We froze a few milk cartons full of water to fill the extra space and help keep the food cold.

The Vietnamese and Mexican restaurants happened to have propane backups for their refrigerators, and cooking equipment that ran on gas, so they were actually open right away and fed most of the neighborhood, cash only because the card machines naturally wouldn't work. Hot phở and cold guac in the summertime, yeah.

Your Face · 22-07-2016 01:03PM

I have in the past so - yes.

Capt'n Midnight · 22-07-2016 06:04PM

no problem, we used to watch TV by candlelight,

Your nervous system works on electricity so no you couldn't live without electricity. In fact you'd be dead before you hit the floor.

sryanbruen · 22-07-2016 06:09PM

No I could NEVER live without electricity! My life literally relies on electricity.

DEFTLEFTHAND · 22-07-2016 06:14PM

I'm a soft millennial type, I like my creature comforts. I'd need a tough bogman like TBM to take me under his wing and teach me how to fend for myself in a post electrical world.

Stasi 2.0 · 22-07-2016 06:17PM

Farmers have been maintaining their lands without electricity for thousands of years, and for many it is still a living memory, so that theory is out the window. Intensive farming would take a backwards dive, but there's many that would argue that's not such a bad thing

How many people still have the skills to farm using pre-intensive methods and could seamlessly transition back to these methods at short notice. How much disruption would occur to the food supply and how many people would survive ?

Could you live without electricity?

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