Finally, a crisis has arrived, and I am belatedly stepping into the role I’ve prepared for all my life. So why is the heating on already?
During the fuel crisis of the mid-1970s my father became obsessive about lights and thermostats. The most serious violations of his energy-saving protocols were letting the heat out of the house and letting the cold out of the fridge. To this day I picture the contents of the refrigerator before I open it, so I don’t waste time browsing.
As a child this frugal regime appealed to me; the only thing I could see wrong with it was that I was not in charge. I imagined being a father myself, giving my kids stern lectures about not holding the front door open while the dog makes up its mind about going outside. That was the dream.
