Another reason that my state is way better then yours. We are saving the planet. Not like Texas which is just a selfish bitch.

There’s a program in the U.S. called Energy Star– it certifies homes and appliances for cutting their energy consumption anywhere from 15 to 40%. I don’t think they expected it, but we may have found the first entire city that qualifies: Juneau, Alaska, cut power consumption by 30% this month.

Alaska’s capital city lost its main power transmission lines in a series of avalanches earlier this month, cutting it off from a relatively cheap source of power at a hydroelectric dam, and leaving it to draw from backup generators that cost nearly five times as much. Faced with the tough decision that such a large increase in utility bills can present, the city did what many have speculated the western world is incapable of: they cut back.

With citizens cooking on charcoal grills, refusing to watch TV, and drying their laundry on clotheslines, Alaska Light and Power still projects that they’re three months away from repairing the lines and restoring power that’s not slaved to the price of oil.

Okay now I recognize that Juneau only did this after avalanches sabotaged their power sources, but you still have to give them credit for cutting their energy consumption back so far.

And if that leaves you feeling less then inspired then I offer Chena Hot Springs for the win. (I actually went to Chena for my honeymoon. No really, you could hardly tell it apart from a tropical getaway. We were poor.)

I am perhaps feeling a little defensive after having to defend my state from nasty remarks spouted by co-workers all week after last Friday's record breaking snow fall.