It’s that time of year again. I’m not talking about returning holiday gifts or scooping up retail bargains. It’s rainy season in Hawaii.

Like most Decembers, 2008 did not disappoint. While everyone on the Mainland wonders if they’ll have a white Christmas, here in Hawaii residents wonder if they’ll have power. Recent deluges have flooded our roads and yards, leaving many–like a million people on the island of Oahu–without power for several days. Blackouts in December signal that our wet season has arrived.

(My street turns into a river this time of year. )

It’s also the time of year when I gloat. While Barack Obama rushed out the buy a generator, I remained comfortably plugged into my off-the-grid solar power system. Didn’t have to get my slippers wet or stand in long lines. Never mind that I can’t use a hair dryer or hot plate because of my system’s limitations. The fact that I don’t pay a power bill–ever–far outweighs such minor inconveniences.

Obama may be our president-elect, but he and others in line with him at the Mart can still learn a thing or two about sustainable living–like how not to be dragged into the mud by their reliance on unsustainable energy. This isn’t rocket science, Obama, just one decision: use alternatives to fossil fuels.