What Will the Neighbors Say?

Over a decade and one residence in the past, I installed a dedicated generator in my house. I made the decision to do so after an evening reading Scientific American by candlelight. We silicon-based lifeforms do like our electricity! This generator came on during the many power failures suburbanites endure, made a modest racket, and provided lighting and comfort to me while my neighbors were without. I never once heard a comment, complaint, compliment, or even a consolation. It was ignored. However we never had a true emergency situation, such as an ice storm that denied us power and transportation for many days. There was no impact, either negative (too damn noisy!) or positive (help me - my ice cream is melting!) on the nabes.

The PriUPS has none of the environmental negatives of the fixed generator. Certainly running your car in your garage isn't a cause for complaint. But it is cause for jealousy and, in a real emergency, celebration.