Infrastructure
Do you know where your electricity comes from? Where your electrical substation is located and the route the wires come all the way to your house?
Do you know where your tap water comes from? Where the well is that draws the water and where the pumps are located that brings water to your house?
Do you know where the sewer water goes? When you flush the toilet, do you know where “it” goes?
Do you know where your telephone Central Office is located? The route of the wires? But if you have “moved beyond” wires, then where is your cell phone tower?
If you live in a rural environment, you certainly do know the answers to those questions, because you are likely responsible for much of your own infrastructure. Water wells, septic tanks, pumps and what-not are part of the rural life.
But if you live in a city or a suburb, you may not know. It’s like asking a little girl where does milk come from? And she, quite reasonably, replies, “From the store.”
Another issue that is widely excluded from conversation in polite society (along with sewage and garbage) are streets. We all use streets even though we don’t know where they came from or how they are maintained.
We all have decided that infrastructure should be left to “others.” And believe me, if you challenge the “others” (usually government employees) as to their policies, they will not be happy with you.
The internet has made it possible to carry on decent conversations with people that are used to being left alone. You don’t need to have studied calculus to understand what these engineers tell you and you may even catch them when they try to BS you. And they will try to BS you, because it is in their nature.
But you should ask and find out what is going on. Because it is apart of being an informed citizen.
Study it. Become familiar with it. Learn how it works and how fragile it is. And figure out how to make it cocktail conversation so others will give it more than a passing thought.
If you want to get a good handle on what is likely to be going on under your feet, check out On The Grid: http://www.amazon.com/Grid-Average-Neighborhood-Systems-World/dp/1605296473