Phil Err-Uppe had been sitting patiently, but when she came in he burst out. “Ya gotta help me Doc. I can’t keep living like this.” Penny scanned Phil’s chart and reviewed his driving habits. “Yup, you’ve caught it too,” she said, “another case of Hormuz-itis. You’ve gotta replace that gas guzzler of yours. I want you to start looking into hybrids and EVs. Meanwhile, no more needless idling or driving for short trips when walking or biking would suffice. And consider taking the train for cross-country jaunts.”
Electra Bills waited in the adjacent room. “Every month it costs more!” she cried when Penny stepped in. “I just can’t keep up!” “Hmm… Hormuz-itis is spreading fast,” the good doctor thought to herself. She prescribed replacing all old lightbulbs with LEDs, bumping up the AC a few degrees and arranging for a free assessment from an area solar contractor.
Fern S. Phuell was pacing in the examination room as Penny opened the door. “We barely made it through last winter,” she began. “I’m already worried about how we’ll cope come fall.” Doc Earned patted Fern’s hand and gave her the Wisconsin Focus on Energy (FOE) website (https://focusonenergy.com/). “They’ve got a bunch of resources and rebates to help you insulate and weatherproof your home. FOE can also advise you on servicing or replacing inefficient appliances.”
That evening, Penny sent an email to all her patients. “I’m so sorry that you’ve been bitten by this pandemic. This year it happens to be Hormuz-itis, but honestly, there’s always going to be something pushing energy costs higher and draining your pocketbook. Remember, efficiency is always the low-cost winner. What’s that old saying? ‘A penny saved…’ Together, we CAN beat Hormuz-itis. The International Energy Agency estimates energy efficiency measures could deliver two-thirds of the oil demand reduction and half of the natural gas demand reduction necessary to meet net zero energy sector emissions by 2050.
“Why not save some cash, help reduce the bickering over energy sources and practice good stewardship at the same time? After all, this is the only home we’ll ever know. It’s where we’re all forever… Earthbound.”
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