Alfred Dickie's Utility Bill

The 1915 utility bill of a lumber magnate gets energy economist Peter Tertzakian thinking about our relationship with our energy sources and the shared responsibility of consumers and producers. That unassuming piece of paper marks an important turning point in our energy history: the point at which we lost touch with where and how we get our energy — and sheds light on why people today are so distrustful of companies that supply our fuels.

To see the art for this story, visit energyphile.org/alfred.