The US is at a turning point in its development. The mercurial cost of fuel and its inevitable link to geopolitics make any discussion of power complex. We need it, and with the continually growing world population we’ll always want and need more. A rechargeable battery, or any battery technology for that matter, has the guise of freedom—it seems to free you from dependence on an external power. But all power comes from somewhere and uses energy on its way to the consumer—batteries must be manufactured, ditto with solar panels, oil must be transported across great distances. The only foreseeable solution is for humanity to collectively use less energy, and to use it more wisely. Use less, gain more. A personal sacrifice can directly translate to a philanthropic act for the world that although not tax deductible, makes simple sense.

Think of the power of Google which runs from a simple, lightweight text input box in your web browser to access Google’s vast network of computers and databases. You are spared having to house your own massive racks of computing equipment required to process a Google query. More appears like less by simply moving it far, far away. Thus an experience is made simpler by keeping the result local, and moving the actual work to a far away location.