Mexico is full of a lot of things cheap booze, pirated videos, burritos and of course Mexicans. However what I didn’t realize was that Electricity Bills in Mexico are 3 times what they are in Canada. My parents are snowbirds, and they live in their newly purchased home for 6 months out of the year. So do a lot of other people. Other people such as a man I wish I had a chance to meet.
After nearly a week of positive stories from my mother and a promise to meet this amazing man at a local Hanukah Party. I never did meet him. However I do have stories!
It turns out this man (I never did remember his name) lives in Mexico along with his wife. They, like my parents, live in their home for 6 months out of the year. Seeing as how electricity prices are so high, and half the year the home isn’t even occupied. This man thought of a great idea to put solar paneling on the mirror door (roof) of his home so that when he and his wife were back in America the home would store energy. During the 6 months of store time he was able to have enough solar powered energy to live for the 6 months and still have some left over. NOW! You may be wondering what he does with the leftover energy before he departs home. He sells it back to the Electric Company and in turn gets money. He then leaves for another 6 months and the process starts over again.
Before I tell you he takes his pesos and goes laughing to the bank, I’ll let you know that this man has also started a chain reaction amongst other full and half year residents in the area. They realize that the fee of setting up the Solar Panels and changing their lives will not only have a positive long term effect on their wallets BUT also the environment.
I wonder if a positive difference in Toronto could snowball as much as in Mexico.
I wonder why Mexican made electronics are more expensive in Mexico but sold for much cheaper in America and Canada.
I wonder why children and people generally look and feel happier although bare less physical items and deal with a lot more life struggles in Mexico then that of America or Canada.
I wonder why Mexicans have this open willingness to help out even if their situations don’t support it.
I wonder why the days go by quicker but I feel like I’m accomplishing more in Mexico than that of Toronto.
I wonder why I still live in Toronto.
That guy’s story is awesome!
Do you know whether other people have started to put solar panels on their roofs yet?
Didn’t you also say that he drove an electric car?
I had no idea that the electricity was that much more expensive. It’s weird how you can go to a new place and get a totally different perspective on the same items that are also available in the place where you left from: Cheap beer and food…but expensive electronics.
I can’t think of a reason why they can sell what is sourced and made in Mexico at a higher price except because the company can. Fewer competitions? Different customer expectations?
But as for them seeming to be happier despite having less materialistic things, it might be because we are always surrounded by media, advertising, commercials and such that keep telling us that we want more stuff… that what we have isn’t enough, that we should always strive for more and more, and we never have enough… maybe it’s not quite like that where you were in Mexico? Different culture, different values?
Thank you for another great post. Looking forward to more