By now, we are all aware of the energy crisis that is evolving in the United States. It appears that again, big business is thinking only of the bottom line that we all know is profitability and not consumer interest. California it appears is the test- state. What happens in California can well effect all in the USA. It can be easy for people in other states to simply say, "hey! California deregulated their energy prices and now they have to pay. That’s their problem." I think this should be everyone’s problem. If it is not worked out now, it will effect everyone in the USA and no one group harder than the disabled community.

The fact of the matter is that the energy crisis hits the disabled community especially hard. How, you might ask? Let’s look at the obvious first. Many in the disabled community are on SSI or a fixed limited income. Having energy bills increase 2-3 times what they were has drastically effected the quality of life for the community in California and if this spreads, will effect all of you too.

Simple things that we take for granted especially because many of us are not mobile may be taken away from us. Things like TV and radio long since removed from the list of luxury items and taken for granted, as an every day necessity, may have to be limited. So are heat in the winter, air conditioning and fans in the summers (electricity pigs), they may have to be limited or eliminated in some cases just so individuals can eat and maintain their household. It’s pretty scary ha!

The above is for people in our community who don’t live under special circumstances. Individuals who need electricity to operate powered medical equipment in their homes so that they can survive. What do they do? How much of your standard of living do you give up? With the limited income, what do you give up? These are all very valid questions that at least in California may need to be answered in the months to come.

What about the environment that we live in? For those of you in the community who live in apartment buildings or assisted living centers, the energy crunch will surely effect you in other ways. Lighting in the hallways, or vestibules will probably be dimmer because the owners more than likely will use bulbs with less wattage. How will that effect the mobility of those who are visually impaired or an older individual who is trying to negotiate a wheel chair around the hallway corner?

In California, and maybe some other states, the state government is preparing us for rolling blackouts this summer. That is scary because individuals who depend on elevators only to get out of their home will be held there on whatever floor, a prisoner in their home. For the lucky people who live on the first floor, if the front door to the building is electric, they too will be confined if they are not able to manually open it themselves. Also, if you owned an electric wheel chair, let’s hope that it doesn’t need recharging during a blackout.

If a blackout occurs during a medical emergency, I guess many will simply be out of luck. Also, because the blackouts will most likely occur, I guess we all should have on hand a regular old fashion phone. Why do I say this, because the bases of the portable phones need electricity to work? Without electricity, your phone won’t work. The old fashion phones simply connect into the phone line. They will continue to work even in a blackout.

Also, I guess many of us need to start reading more because with the impending blackouts coming, we won’t be able to use the computer as much.

More than likely, if the energy crisis continues, our neighborhoods will change also. Small local business whose profit margins are not that great may be forced out of business simply because of their electric bills. How horrible is that? There goes the convenience of getting milk down the corner or buying the newspaper. If that happens, you will then have to go on a journey to buy simple things. Accessibility to simple basics has been taken away from you.

For your information, most electric companies have some sort of discounts for those individuals who medically rely on energy. Will it be enough? I don’t know.

I apologize for painting such a bleak picture. I’m not doing so to make you feel bad. I’m doing it you become proactive in this fight. As a community, we need to be heard. We need to let the powers to be (no pun intended) know that we are not going to sit around and let them dictate our fate. We, the disabled community need to be figured into this equation. We need to send letters to our local representatives on both a state and federal level letting them know that we want them to fix this problem first in California and secondly not to let it happen anywhere else in our country.

On a federal level, go to www.senate.gov. And www.house.gov. Surf through these sites and you will find the Senators and House Representatives respective to where you are living. On a State level, try www.50states.com. Follow the site to your state and to the State Senate and House of Representatives and find out who represents you there. Send each of them letters telling them that the energy crisis frightens you, as it will challenge your basic way of living. Tell them that you want them to fix the problem before it becomes a nationwide concern. Tell them that when they are trying to fix this problem that they shouldn’t forget the disabled community. Tell them that because our community is one of special circumstances and therefore we should be foremost in their minds. Please, tell them. Become active or we are all going to suffer.