08-05-2008, 03:42 PM
For these reasons Puna should and does have an appeal for back to the landers or at least semi-self sufficient types. I don't think anyone can be truly self sufficient these days but for example, as long as it rains Puna residents will have water, with some idea as to what its quality is. They can't suddenly lose that service or have it contaminated as people in town can. I have a friend in Eden Roc who put up a pole intending to hook up to HELCO but is now feeling out whether solar panels would work for him. If he can make it work, that's another utility he doesn't have to rely on Big Brother for. There are downsides of course, like gas to get anywhere, but as already noted, for some, Puna's isolation is attractive.