While We Live In The Dark

If 2020 didn't throw enough obstacles at us, 2021 is certainly ready to pick up the slack.

Currently there are about 2.8 million Texans without power, according to ERCOT.

Just as young adults began prepping for their three-day weekend and couples started flocking to Valentine's Day dinners - an ice storm shook the Lone Star State.

Despite having snowboarders shredding down 6th street in Austin and pool floats being pulled behind Chevy Silverados across frozen ponds in Dallas - there's a tragedy happening to those around us.

Being from Texas and experiencing the effects of the 2021 Ice Storm, I'm able to both celebrate the fun times in the snow while also empathizing with those struggling to find warmth and power. If worrying about whether or not my grandparents could venture out into public to face the ongoing threat of COVID-19 wasn't enough, many, like myself, are now having to sit back and watch as our family members sit hundreds of miles away bundled up around a fireplace with no capacity for power or ability to travel.

I'd like to offer my perspective on the current state of catastrophe in Texas and to do that I'll start with some facts.

Some Facts:

- Over 100 million Americans along the southern border of the United States are being affected by this extreme weather (National Weather Service)

- Major cities in Texas like Houston and Dallas are under "boil water notices" (NPR)

- Governor Abbot is not happy as he consistently ridicules ERCOT and is recently quoted saying they "have been anything but reliable over the last 24 hours"

So, what does all of this mean?

Well to start let's talk about ERCOT, which stands for Electricity Reliability Council of Texas. They are the provider of the only electric grid in the state of Texas which provides energy to over 75% of Texas residents. Due to frozen machines, low fuel, and stoppage of wind turbines, they have been unable to provide enough power generation to support the increased demand since the start of the freeze.

People are frustrated because, ERCOT is the third largest energy power grid provider in the country as the only other two are supported by the national government. Texas wanted to be independent, as always, and decided that it would be a great idea for us to provide energy for ourselves and unfortunately, severely underestimated the potential for dangerous situations like the one we are in today. ERCOT initially said that Texans should expect "rolling blackouts" but have completely disregarded people in most rural parts of the state and left the commercial buildings that make up most of the Houston, Dallas, and Austin skyline with power while forgetting about the rest of the state.

Now, with power out in many parts of Texas, other problems begin to arise. Frozen power lines get weighed down by ice and can fall and spark fires. Pipes get frozen, burst, and then flood the surrounding buildings. Temperatures push people to fight for food and warmth within their 2-story suburban dream home while neighbors next door try to salvage what cell phone power they can while sitting in their Mercedes S-Class.

I'm lucky to be sitting here on a laptop in a room that has power to be able to share my thoughts. So when I say "we live in the dark" I'm speaking for my family back home in Orange, TX, my friends that have run out of food with no ability to travel, and all of those struggling with the horrific effects of what Governor Abbot coined - "the winter Hurricane Harvey."

While I tend to be someone who tries to see situations with the glass half-full, I'm becoming increasingly skeptical of our governments ability to protect us from some of the tragedies that the world has to offer. Whether it be a foreign virus coming from miles away or an ice storm destroying cities and leaving casualties along the way - our government has been progressively more absent.

While we live in the dark, it is up to us - the friends, the neighbors, and the strangers - to take care of one another. While we live in the dark, we should hold our loved ones tight. While we live in the dark, we should take time to engage in genuine conversation with our families. While we live in the dark - despite the current struggles - we should be thankful for having made it through 2020 stronger than before.

And finally...while we live in the dark, we should remember that we are humans, we are capable, and we are Texans. We're built to weather any storm.

Much love and stay safe.

Vin

Sources and images: Wall Street Journal, NPR, ERCOT, The Hill, The Economist, NBC, DNAINDIA