Where’s the gas? Its not here. The accompanying photo shows our local Shell station with vehicles lined up in all directions with drivers waiting to top of their tanks. Why? Because the Colonial Pipeline which provides much of the eastern seaboard with its fuel is shut down due to a cyber attack three days ago. Three days. Doesn’t sound like a long time but in this day of “on demand” and “just in time” delivery, its a big deal.
We are so accustomed to having everything we want or need at a moment’s notice that we easily forget how quickly our normal routine can be disrupted, and not just by a little but by a lot. Military planners call what happened an “asymmetrical attack”, meaning a small, anonymous operator likely with zero military budget just created a major loss to the world’s leading superpower. Despite all our billions of military spending and security, we couldn’t stop someone who could be sitting in his mom’s basement from disrupting the lives and economy of millions. That is what asymmetrical means.
All the more reason to be prepared for sudden surprises. We live in a world so dependent on electricity and interconnected systems that one bad actor can shut down the entire system. Don’t think this is the last time or the only method of disruption. I wrote on this blog in 2016 about a similar sudden shortage when Colonial’s pipeline suffered an accident. Having a sustainable living property here in the mountains of wester North Carolina is one way to help protect your family from such events. Going off-grid is becoming more and more popular with our clients as they recognize the frailty of these systems. Call us today to discuss how we might be able to assist you.
