<![CDATA[Charlie’s Substack]]>https://www.charliepellerin.comhttps://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Flop!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff66ce5f4-f701-409d-bc7e-b8ba5ee37fad_1280x1280.pngCharlie’s Substackhttps://www.charliepellerin.comSubstackSun, 31 May 2026 20:43:12 GMT<![CDATA[Long-Term Electrical Energy Resilience]]>https://www.charliepellerin.com/p/long-term-electrical-energy-resiliencehttps://www.charliepellerin.com/p/long-term-electrical-energy-resilienceThu, 02 Jan 2025 16:44:40 GMTThis document details the author's experience building a highly resilient home power system to withstand extended power outages, motivated by concerns about climate change, geopolitical instability, and potential societal collapse. The author contrasts a prepared "ant" mindset, emphasizing proactive, systems-level preparation, with a complacent "cricket" approach. The system integrates a natural gas/propane generator, a large battery bank, and solar panels to provide months of off-grid power. Detailed cost estimates and technical specifications for the system components are provided, along with step-by-step guidance for readers interested in creating their own resilient power solutions. The author argues that such preparation is prudent given the increasing likelihood of prolonged utility disruptions.

Electrical Energy Resilience
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]]><![CDATA[How We “Baked-in” Our Extinction]]>https://www.charliepellerin.com/p/how-we-baked-in-our-extinctionhttps://www.charliepellerin.com/p/how-we-baked-in-our-extinctionMon, 30 Dec 2024 16:56:34 GMTThis document argues that humanity faces imminent extinction due to climate change, exacerbated by self-reinforcing feedback loops and unsustainable economic growth. The author, concealing their identity to avoid threats, presents a pessimistic outlook, asserting that mitigation efforts are futile and focusing instead on preparing for the consequences. The text details several contributing factors, including rising temperatures, melting Arctic ice, and methane release, projecting a catastrophic near-term future. It also explores humanity's historical trajectory, linking the shift from hunter-gatherer societies to agriculture and industrialization as the root cause of the crisis. Finally, the author offers practical advice for individuals to prepare for the coming societal breakdown, emphasizing emotional and physical resilience in the face of unavoidable disaster.

How We “baked In” Our Extinction
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]]><![CDATA[There Are No Great men]]>https://www.charliepellerin.com/p/there-are-no-great-menhttps://www.charliepellerin.com/p/there-are-no-great-menMon, 30 Dec 2024 16:48:30 GMTCharlie Pellerin's manuscript details his life experiences, emphasizing his decision-making processes and career in physics and NASA. He contrasts reasoning by analogy with reasoning from first principles, illustrating these methods through various career choices, including leaving military school and joining NASA. Pellerin recounts his instrumental roles in the Hubble Space Telescope's repair and the development of NASA's Great Observatories, highlighting moments of high-stakes decision-making and emphasizing the importance of 100% commitment. The narrative concludes with reflections on mortality and the significance of living in the present moment.

There Are No Great Men
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]]><![CDATA[Wildfires – Coming To You? – Be Prepared]]>https://www.charliepellerin.com/p/wildfires-coming-to-you-be-preparedhttps://www.charliepellerin.com/p/wildfires-coming-to-you-be-preparedSun, 08 Dec 2024 17:50:50 GMTThis document details the author's experiences with wildfires in Colorado, highlighting two devastating fires that destroyed his home. The author emphasizes the inadequacy of current wildfire mitigation strategies, arguing that they focus too much on removing nearby flammable materials and not enough on preventing ember infiltration. He proposes solutions focusing on ember-resistant building materials and modifications, including specialized vents and fire-retardant paint. Ultimately, the text advocates for a greater understanding of wildfire dynamics and a shift in preventative measures to address the increasing threat of ember-driven fires fueled by climate change.

Photo by Caleb Cook on Unsplash
Wildfires Coming To You Be Prepared
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