Another thing is that you can make your own electricity easily! Especially if you live in a reliably windy place like me. There's a site on the interwebs somewhere that documents a guy making his own wind turbine entirely out of wood (with the exception of the axel and the windings on the generator - everything else is wood). *edit
Found the URL!
Hell, if you're desperate you can hook a genny up to an exercise bike or other gym equipment and pedal away furiously for a few days...
