Personal Resilience: I am a Green Witch

I am Pagan. I consider myself a Daughter of the Rose, Gaia. I am not into “spells”…but I am into survival. But, let me start with a bit of an explanation.

In 2010,writer and Druidic leader, John Michael Greer, author of The Long Descent: A User's Guide to the End of the Industrial Age (New Society Publishers, September 2008), wrote an article at his blog, The Arch Druid Report, with the intriguing title of “Merlin’s Time”.

Here is what piqued my interest;

“I don’t know how many of my readers know this, but my most recent publication is a translation of a very strange book from the Middle Ages. Its title is Picatrix, (PEEK-A-TREECKS) and it is one of the sole surviving examples of that absolute rarity of medieval literature, a textbook for apprentice wizards.

Those of my readers who grew up on stories about Merlin, Gandalf et al. take note: those characters, legendary or fictional as they are, were modeled on an actual profession that flourished in the early Middle Ages, and remained relatively active until the bottom fell out of the market at the end of the Renaissance.

By "wizard" here I don’t mean your common or garden variety fortune teller or ritual practitioner; we have those in abundance today. The wizard of the early Middle Ages in Europe and the Muslim world, rather, was a freelance intellectual whose main stock in trade was good advice, though admittedly that came well frosted with incantation and prophecy as needed. He had a good working knowledge of astrology, which filled roughly the same role in medieval thought that theoretical physics does today, and an equally solid knowledge of ritual magic, but his training did not begin or end there.

According to Picatrix, the complete wizard in training needed to get a thorough education in agriculture; navigation; political science; military science; grammar, languages, rhetoric; commerce, all the mathematics known at the time, including arithmetic, geometry, music theory, and astronomy; logic; medicine, including a good knowledge of herbal pharmaceuticals; the natural sciences, including meteorology, mineralogy, botany, and zoology; and Aristotle’s metaphysics:

In effect, the sum total of the scientific learning that had survived from the classical world.”

I sat and pondered that for a while. I think we can truly understand how well educated and/or knowledgeable men AND women could have been seen (and feared) in ancient times as the practitioners of magic. Of course in a massively superstitious and patriarchal world the men would have been sought out for advice and council far more than women would have been…we all know that history well. Men were good, women were evil. But the KNOWLEDGE was much the same. The difference is how that knowledge was applied.

Women kept their learning more practical and day to day. While they may have watched the stars and studied astrology, theirs was a more practical down to Earth application…the changing of the seasons, and the ideal time to plant crops was their main purpose. How to heal the sick and injured… It was more about survival of their families and their villages, rather than answering the philosophical questions of the day….

Mr. Greer’s ideas on “Appropriate Tech” stem from his work with that movement in the ’70. He stresses the importance of conservation. i.e. better insulated homes, reducing electrical use, etc. And while I agree that conservation IS important…I have my own thoughts on “appropriate” tech that includes MUCH more than what Mr. Greer outlines.

I come from a background in Occupational Safety, Security, and Emergency Management. But my true love in my professional life was and remains, Emergency Management. With that said, I have to tell you… I am truly worried, as I am sure you all are, about the future of Humankind, our planet, and indeed, all life as we know it. Some may even call me a “Doomer”.

But they would be wrong. I see myself more as a realist. Bad things happen. We cannot always control them. But, like our ancestors, we can be prepared for emergencies and we can be self-reliant and self-sufficient. One thing I know as an Emergency Manager is this. Government is ALWAYS effected by disaster too. Roads may be closed…or their resources destroyed by the very disaster they are trying to respond to. In MANY instances, we may find ourselves on our own.

We only have to look at the recent tsunamis, the wars in the Middle East, and hurricanes Sandy and Katrina. All are disasters for the average citizen…but those who survived or are surviving did or are doing so on their own, within their own communities…sharing what they have and helping one another.

Exercise

Imagine you are a survivor of a disaster. Let’s say a terrible storm has devastated your town. Something on the scale of Katrina or even worse…say like this.

flood.png

You have lost pretty much everything to the storm, but thankfully you are not hurt. What are the three most important things you will need right away?

1. Water - 3 days.
2. Shelter – Depending on the environment/time of year. Snowy winter weather – perhaps 3 hours. Warm summer weather – several days if you have enough water to prevent severe dehydration
3. Food – Though it won’t be fun, people can survive several weeks without food.

So water is a priority, right? Look at that picture….would you want to drink that water? No? So what do you do? Even if you had stockpiled bottled water for emergencies…the tsunami washed it all away.

water still.gif

water still.gif

A survival still, and/or water filter, could be the difference in surviving or not. IF you know how to make one.

KNOWLEDGE = SURVIVAL. And if we have the knowledge, then we have value to others. And we have a purpose.

What I am about to say can be depressing and overwhelming…These are things I think we all instinctively “know”…but don’t talk about because they are too horrible to even contemplate…but in order to be of help to future generations, we must. We must be prepared….

Over the centuries Humankind has witnessed numerous advanced societies, or empires, rise, reach a peak, and then fall apart. Throughout human history there have been at least 166 societies that more or less meet the various definitions of an “empire”. And each time one fell, it plunged the population into some measure of chaos.

It is my belief that today we are once more faced with the decline of our society. Not ~just~ the North American society or Western society, but the global society.

There are two contributing factors to this decline…. First is the depletion of our resources…from peak oil (oil is now being consumed 4 times faster than it is being found) and other energy supplies, to land, water, and food.

The second one is Climate Change.

Singly these two things are disastrous. Together, IMO, they will be catastrophic.

One of my deepest concerns is disease. From the flu to the plague, we are seeing a resurgence of diseases we long thought eradicated. Measles has recently been in the news…as is/was the Ebola outbreak. H1N1 is still out there…and drug resistance is growing… TB, MERSA, SARS., Further, insect resistance to pesticides is allowing the spread of disease too.

It does not matter who’s fault it is. It is happening and bickering about the cause is pointless. What matters is what to do about it. And, IMO, there are many ancient remedies that Mother has provided that were discarded by modern medicine in the pursuit of profit. And they may still work in some cases.

For example…it is proven that elderberry syrup, which can be easily made in the home, is very effective in fighting the flu virus. So much so that the pharmaceutical companies are now marketing non-concentrated forms of it for nearly $20/8 ounces.

However, a batch that yields 16 oz. can be made and bottled at home for $10 or less. There are recipes for a concentrated formula that is mixed with hot water and drunk as a tea that are even more cost effective. And if you were to grow your own elderberries (and they grow as far north as Zone 3 or 4), and had a neighbor who kept bees and could provide you with the honey, and you shared the production, you would not only have a product to treat your families with, but a product you may be able to sell or barter with.

For years I have carried around two quotes that sum up my take on Emergency Management and Green Wizardry/Witchery.

“Chance favors the prepared mind,”
Louis Pasture

“The significant problems we have cannot be solved at the same level of thinking with which we created them.
Albert Einstein

I think we can all agree that our way of life is totally unsustainable. And no politician, no corporation is going to allow any substantial change to the capitalism that is killing our Planet and everything living on Her, including us. They will push it for all it is worth until it too collapses under its own weight.

If we are going to survive and do so without too much pain, then it has to be done from the bottom up…the grass roots MUST take the initiative to adapt to the coming changes.

All that said, I have begun a project that will last the rest of my life. In a way this is my Book of Shadows AND Grimoire all wrapped up in one…. I am a gatherer of “Appropriate Knowledge”. And yes, I decide what is “appropriate” for my library.….and what guides me in those decisions is the simple maxim,

“Do as little harm as is possible.”

There is no way to live and do NO harm to the environment. But we CAN work WITH our environments to limit the damage we do and to repair what we can.

My other guide is practicality. I am not a physicist, an engineer, or a mathematician. The vast majority of people are not either. They will need practical guidance. Simple things that can be taught or found in books. And yes, even on the Internet.

To that end I have begun a library of information that I think could be useful to others in the future. What have I included?

Well, first I set some criteria.

• It must be practical.
• It must be fairly easy to understand and accomplish by the average person or small groups.
• Use recycled/recyclable materials as much as possible or use of sustainable resources.
• Easily printed out and kept in hard copy to be passed on to others.
• And it must not be ~just~ new knowledge…we must preserve old but useful knowledge that has been disregarded in our modern times.

Let me give you some examples first of old knowledge.

• Food preservation – Canning, drying and storing, and eating in season.
• Herbalism in medicine
• Small scale agriculture
• The use of wind and water for power

And some of the new…

• Solar ovens, water purification, and power for lighting up the dark.
• Aquaponics – growing fish and food together inside green houses in tanks.
• Permaculture - agricultural ecosystems intended to be sustainable and self-sufficient.
• Sustainable building techniques for homes and other buildings. (This could fall under old knowledge too as there are mud brick, “cob” buildings that are hundreds of years old still standing)
• Decentralized power production and distribution.

And the role of the Green Wizard/Witch? To preserve this kind of knowledge AND TO TEACH IT.

I can envision teaching children how to build and use a solar oven, which is basically a solar powered slow cooker. The average temperature during cooking is only about 200 degrees F. Or teaching young parents how to grow their own healthy food and how to preserve it for their families. I can see teaching how to build homes from sustainable materials such as straw bales or using recycled tires and dirt.

We must RE-learn to not depend upon government to take care of us. We must RE-learn to be self-sufficient and learn to do things on a smaller community sized scale. History has proven time and time again that governments fall. But, for the most part, neighbors and friends remain. Every culture on the planet has suffered from collapse. From the Anasazi and Mayan civilizations, to Rome, the Byzantine Empire and the Song dynasty. They all come to an end eventually, either through natural or man-made disasters, or a combination of both.

It is my thought that Humankind’s future is going to be labor intensive. We are not going to have the luxuries we have today. Globalization will be a thing of the past. I do not think we will go back to the stone age. NOT if we have Green Wizards and Witches to preserve and to teach practical technology to create a comfortable but simple lifestyle.

We learn, and then we teach the people around us ways that will benefit the community at large. Just some of the things we can offer are:

o Courses on herbalism and natural healing. Hell, how many of us know that the very basic medicine aspirin is found in willow bark, that has been used for thousands of years First Nation’s people?
o The use of passive solar power.
o Alternative economics.
o Food permaculture, production and preservation.

Today we know the relationship between bacteria and viruses and disease. In ancient times our ancestors knew which herbs cured illness but they knew nothing about the causes. But we do. And we need to keep both sets of knowledge alive.

This is what I see as Green Witchery/Wizardry. We cannot wait on The Powers That Be to save us….We must adapt to the coming changes to survive. We can live well. NOT as we do now. We will live smaller, slower lives. Hard physical work will return. There will be less mindless paperwork. Less living to work, and more working to live.

And that may not be such a bad thing.

And I see women once more becoming important living resources for the people. The keepers of the knowledge they will need to survive well. Can you think of other ways we can each in our own way become Green Witches or Wizards? What would be your passion to learn AND to teach?

What would your library look like?

Share
up
0 users have voted.

Comments

detroitmechworks's picture

I totally get where you're coming from. I joke that I've been surreptitiously teaching my kids this kind of thing for years. We killed our TV long ago, I taught them how to cook from an early age, we discuss why we don't go to the doctor for the flu, rather we treat it simply and holistically... Stuff like that. Tiny things, but they do add up to a mentality of "Doing it on your own."

Military Field manuals are a great resource, if you can get past the formality. Ones detailing camp sanitation and weather proofing are vital, as are basic Combat Life Saving techniques. One of the great things about Combat vets is that we do tend to have a pretty broad idea of what is necessary to make a improvised shelter livable in the short term. Long term, well that requires more knowledge, but heck, we can work on that.

The only thing really missing from your list, IMHO, is literature. I'm not talking about the "Book of the Month" literature that tells an important message about modern society/injustice. Rather I'm talking about classics that help you learn BASIC truths about the human condition. The Iliad and The Odyssey come to mind right off the bad. Shakespeare, Sappho, Thucydides... The "Classics". Reason being that while we NEED basic and hard work to live, it is only the insight and aspirations of the arts that give life meaning, IMHO.

On the plus side, I envision community theater making a HUGE comeback in a scenario such as you envision. Which, as a total theater nerd, makes me very happy.

up
0 users have voted.

I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

Jazzenterprises's picture

a concept that could use a strong revival today.

Thank-you.

up
0 users have voted.

Progressive to the bone.

Martha Pearce-Smith's picture

at my UU Church. The underlying idea is bringing back the reverence for the Divine Feminine... someone said once that there is too much "God" in the world and not enough "Goddess".... we are trying to balance that out in our community. Smile

up
0 users have voted.

Please help the Resilience Resource Library grow by adding your links.

First Nations News

detroitmechworks's picture

Sorry, couldn't resist. I actually have three goddess tattoos at the current time. Hera, Athena, and Artemis.

My daughter wants me to get Apollo next, but I'm leaning towards Aphrodite or Hestia.

up
0 users have voted.

I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

Martha Pearce-Smith's picture

Hestia would be a fine choice from what I know about you so far... very family oriented.. Smile

up
0 users have voted.

Please help the Resilience Resource Library grow by adding your links.

First Nations News

detroitmechworks's picture

I do love the Corvids, (My family and I adore Western Scrub Jays) but she's just a tad too violent for my taste. Yeah, I'm as ethnically Celtic as possible without being actually born in Ireland, but...

Was actually reading an interesting thing about the archaeological digs around Marseilles. Apparently there was a LOT of cross religion dialogue between the Celts and the Greeks prior to the rise of Rome. http://www.livescience.com/50069-celtic-prince-tomb-uncovered.html

Sorry, this is totally my area of Historical Fascination, so I apologize if it comes across as condescending in any way.

up
0 users have voted.

I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

Martha Pearce-Smith's picture

We are talking about sharing knowledge... and you have it...in spades!

up
0 users have voted.

Please help the Resilience Resource Library grow by adding your links.

First Nations News

but a friend of mine did a Let's Play series on YouTube with Civilization V, and was pretty proud of the fact that his Celtic society led by Boudica was able to trump Caesar's Romans.

up
0 users have voted.
detroitmechworks's picture

Europa Barbarorum can't be beat. Takes "Rome: Total War" and totally converts it to be historically accurate. Rome is no longer the unbeatable Military God army, and they can lose BADLY to other factions if they don't play to their strengths.

(In that Game I tend to play the Koinon Hellenon. An A-historical but very Plausible alliance of Athens, Sparta, and Rhodes against Macedonian Aggression. Essentially it assumes that the city states were able to take the "Long View" that Macedon was a threat to everybody and cooperation was essential. )

Nothing against the Casse or Averni, but they don't fit my style very well. (I like phalanxes...)

up
0 users have voted.

I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

up
0 users have voted.

Couldn't resist when I saw you write the name of one of my favorite goddesses. My 12 year old car is named Hestia Honda.

Appreciate this essay. Fascinated by the pagan life, witches abound where I live, western MA.
Would you please suggest some good books to read - knowing not possible to amass the information, wisdom you already have, but would love to learn more. Books are my closest friends, companions.
Thank you.

up
0 users have voted.
Martha Pearce-Smith's picture

If it is about Paganism... you should know up front that I follow a Path of my own creation. A combination of Native American/First Nations and European Wicca. When I first started learning I was what we call Solitary. Living Pagan in the US is not really a good option if you have a corporate career... so I started with Scott Cunningham. He wrote a series of books for the Solitary. And since I had responsibilities in physical security I also read a lot of Kerr Cuhulain. He is a Law Enforcement Professional from British Columbia... he wrote "The Law Enforcement Guide to Wicca".

From the First Nations side I have learned a lot from "The Hopi Survival Kit". Don't take the title as something silly. I think it was an unfortunate take on what the book contains. It details ancient spiritual teachings that we can all use.

If there are other topics, just ask, if I can I will make some recommendations.

up
0 users have voted.

Please help the Resilience Resource Library grow by adding your links.

First Nations News

and/or set of skills that have references, to perhaps set up "folders" in the resilience library (in addition to, or to expand the posts already there)? Does that make sense? Maybe in a separate section on the side, with titles like "tools", "cooking", etc? Would that be possible? (I'm sure it would entail more computer wizardry) It would be a yuuge resource, IMHO, and maybe easier to read/get to instead of scrolling through?

up
0 users have voted.
Muddy Boots's picture

When I have to deal with the word "god" I substitute "reality". It is gender irrelevant, universal, doesn't change, doesn't listen. But if you pay attention and learn from it and work with it you can have a good life.

By the way - this is not even a slight criticism of pagan rituals etc. That would require a full diary to explain, but I have deep respect for a good story line. Paganism is a delight to this nature boy. What I AM critical of is dogma - it is a great poison in this world.

up
0 users have voted.

"If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back" - Regina Brett

Martha Pearce-Smith's picture

And from my perspective at least too much "God" means too much testosterone, too little "Goddess" means not enough estrogen....

Too much aggression and not enough nurturing...etc...

up
0 users have voted.

Please help the Resilience Resource Library grow by adding your links.

First Nations News

Alison Wunderland's picture

Dose the Congressional weasels with estrogen.

up
0 users have voted.

and our fond nickname for neighbors was "the Wiccans with the chickens." We and others we know share thoughts like yours about trying to prepare for the falling apart of things. When we moved 18 months ago, a major consideration was a climate where, even with changes of unknown scope and timing, we thought we'd be able to grow food much of the year for ourselves, neighbors, the food bank. (We had elderberries in VT, but the birds always beat me to them; reminded me of the role of elderberry wine in "Arsenic and Old Lace.")

Factors seem to be converging for a perfect storm. We will be more dependent on each other and the communities we build. The knowledge of grandparents, practical survival skills, is being valued again (e.g., Mother Earth News, Grit magazine). Have you come across stories about this impressive urban farm on a small lot? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCmTJkZy0rM Here's a longer (15-min) video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IbODJiEM5A

This is an interesting and timely discussion to begin and add to. I hope we can revisit it as more people participate in this site. Thank you.

up
0 users have voted.

"It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society." --Jiddu Krishnamurti

Martha Pearce-Smith's picture

The Dervaes family (from the video about urban farming) are heroes in my eyes! Every single one of us could do something like they do to varying degrees depending upon our physical abilities. And I truly see their example as how to live in a city in the future.

Thanks for your kind words and I think we have the start of something here... we shall see how far we can go...eh?

up
0 users have voted.

Please help the Resilience Resource Library grow by adding your links.

First Nations News

Martha Pearce-Smith's picture

I was once going to be a Drama Teacher, but life got in the way...

You are right about military field manuals. I own several on various topics.

I have collected a lot of fiction that are mainly for my own purpose...books I have come to love... but I have to make decisions on how to spend my limited funds, and buying the book "Where there is no Doctor" takes president over say, the collected works of Shakespeare.

up
0 users have voted.

Please help the Resilience Resource Library grow by adding your links.

First Nations News

detroitmechworks's picture

Of the collected works of Shakespeare which is approximately the size of a bible. (Onion skin paper, etc.)

Got it for 3 dollars. Used book stores are a Bounty that should never be overlooked. (I joke that my zombie apocalypse survival location is a Library)

up
0 users have voted.

I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

Martha Pearce-Smith's picture

I LOVE used books... Check out Thrift Books.com

up
0 users have voted.

Please help the Resilience Resource Library grow by adding your links.

First Nations News

detroitmechworks's picture

I have ever seen, in the world. And That is NOT an exaggeration or hyperbole.

Powell's City of Books, here in Portland is a real treasure, and I have never been happier to go there. (In Fact, I promised the kids we're going again tomorrow... Smile )

up
0 users have voted.

I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

Bisbonian's picture

and yes, a treasure!

up
0 users have voted.

"I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” —Malcolm X

lotlizard's picture

up
0 users have voted.

Turned friends into estate sale junkies on the strength of books alone (and St. Vinnie's half-price book sales!). Find a bookshelf-laden estate sale, and I can spend hours scanning titles, dust jackets, and pages and filling a bag while my library card calls to me unheeded from my purse.

up
0 users have voted.

"It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society." --Jiddu Krishnamurti

one of the older Boy Scouts manuals might have some useful information as well, thinking of what you can find in the used book category. Guides on wilderness camping could also be useful, especially with how to deal with human waste. (For that matter, water filtration tablets like those used by back-country hikers could be more useful than bottled water -- if you have to evacuate they'd be easy to keep in your emergency bag.)

up
0 users have voted.
detroitmechworks's picture

On Camp Sanitation. Rather formal, but GREAT information, and doesn't rely on high tech tools.

https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/ref/FM/PDFs/FM21-10.PDF

up
0 users have voted.

I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

pfiore8's picture

my family laughs at me when i ask: could any of you start a fire? if you had to, would you know what kinds of leaves/grasses you could eat?

i don't have a problem coming to grips with what is happening. My problem is the lack of will of others to acknowledge it.

The one place were we diverge is knowing how and why this decline is happening: it is essential to understand it because we must consciously evolve using this knowledge. you are right: this is ALL about survival. but not just short-term.

Stephen King's The Shining was one of the best novels of the 20th century, imo. Why? because it brilliantly portrayed good and evil for what they are: forces that will never destroy one another... our power in that mix is choosing which we feed (from that wonderful Indian saying).

We must have in us the Death Star wish and maybe it has to do with energy never being totally fit into flesh and bone... maybe we are trying, without consciously realizing, to break these mortal bonds.

On the other hand, I could not imagine consciousness without touch or smell or taste. anyway, getting off topic here.

Anyway, great piece and I'm sure I'll refer to it many times.

up
0 users have voted.

“There are moments which are not calculable, and cannot be assessed in words; they live on in the solution of memory… ”
― Lawrence Durrell, "Justine"

Martha Pearce-Smith's picture

"my family laughs at me when i ask: could any of you start a fire?"

That is a PERFECT example! The few times I have watched "Survivor" they struggle with starting a fire with or WITHOUT flint... meanwhile several of the participants are wearing glasses...

up
0 users have voted.

Please help the Resilience Resource Library grow by adding your links.

First Nations News

TheOtherMaven's picture

The lenses curve the wrong way, and diffuse light instead of focusing it. A small magnifying glass is far more reliable than whatever's on the end of your nose.

up
0 users have voted.

There is no justice. There can be no peace.

On the other hand, I could not imagine consciousness without touch or smell or taste.

That is what I thought toward the end of Arthur C. Clarke's Childhood's End (haven't seen the recent television series of it).

up
0 users have voted.

"It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society." --Jiddu Krishnamurti

front paged.

up
0 users have voted.
Martha Pearce-Smith's picture

Thank you! Blush

up
0 users have voted.

Please help the Resilience Resource Library grow by adding your links.

First Nations News

Martha Pearce-Smith's picture

Give rose

up
0 users have voted.

Please help the Resilience Resource Library grow by adding your links.

First Nations News

I'm glad we're not going back to the Stone Age, but I'm not up for a return to the Middle Ages either. Like that 1999 episode of "Dilbert" when technology suddenly collapsed and overnight everybody reverted back to medieval times.

Self-sufficiency is good, but realistically if disaster strikes we're going to need help. Lots of help. From each other and the government. The victims of Superstorm Sandy weren't totally abandoned, though aid came too slowly. Salt Lake City is expecting a major earthquake, but if it happens I do not plan to start a new career in subsistence agriculture or take up wizardry. We'll rebuild, with government help.

I reject the right-wing YOYO (you're on your own) philosophy. I think it's kinda weird that some people are so willing to ditch modern civilization as soon as something goes wrong. We'd be blogging on scraps of paper, if we could make our own paper.

up
0 users have voted.

"We've done the impossible, and that makes us mighty."

detroitmechworks's picture

A series of obligations about how long people can be ordered to fight, etc.

I don't see this as an embrace of that mentality. I see it more as a realistic observation about what can and may happen. When your house is burning, you don't sit tight and wait for the fire department. You get the hell out of the house. Yes, if they show up and solve the problem, GREAT. Even if they do, you need to be thinking about where you're going to be sleeping tonight.

And I could think of worse states to be in than that of a City-state. As least you have local and responsive government. And who needs a blog when you've got a community forum? Smile

up
0 users have voted.

I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

Martha Pearce-Smith's picture

But what do you do if "the government" does not come? If it cannot.

up
0 users have voted.

Please help the Resilience Resource Library grow by adding your links.

First Nations News

"The government" is all of us. We're a society, and that's much stronger than isolated groups or individuals. This isn't "Mad Max." It's the real world. Seriously.

up
0 users have voted.

"We've done the impossible, and that makes us mighty."

detroitmechworks's picture

Our government is responsive to a smaller and smaller subset of the population. Where their interests and the greater good collide, the vast majority get shut out repeatedly.

Example: Single Payer. Good for EVERYBODY, except large corporations. Somehow, it's not "Realistic" to want to do the right thing.

And roving gangs of bandits do exist in the real world. Mostly in countries the US went into to spread Democracy. The question isn't whether people need this kind of knowledge, it's whether our society can continue to insulate us from the need to have this kind of knowledge.

up
0 users have voted.

I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

Maybe I misunderstand where this is going, but there seems to be an implication that some people look forward to the collapse of civilization. That seems weird to me. Why would you want that? I note that people are leaving Syria by the millions because they lost their civilized way of life to ISIS and other barbarians (not to mention Syrian, US and Russian bombs).

I love wilderness recreation, backpacking and river running in the middle of nowhere for a week or more. Taking a break from my job and the need to deal with people constantly. But the flip side of that is coming home and appreciating the standard of living that we have.

Worldwide, more people are living better than ever before. There are limits, and challenges. Climate change is happening, we'll have to adapt and mitigate. The answer is not to give up on representative democracy, forget modern technology, and go back to the Middle Ages.

I think we'll get single-payer health insurance if enough of us work for it. 55 million Americans already have Medicare, and 71 million are enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP. To say these are popular programs would be an understatement. Plus you get to visit a medical doctor when you are injured or sick, not a wizard. Wink

up
0 users have voted.

"We've done the impossible, and that makes us mighty."

detroitmechworks's picture

Feel it's a VERY real and scary possibility? Yes. I've lived in these kind of conditions before, for 15 months. Wasn't fun at all.

BUT, at the same time there needs to be a sea change in the way we view and respond to technology. It's useful, but far too many people use it as a crutch rather than a tool. I've had many talks with my kids about how their peers cannot navigate a town without an electronic map in their hand. As I joke, the best way to learn a location is to get lost a few times.

And while I do like seeing a doctor, it's not necessary for far too many ailments. Over prescription of drugs is rampant in our society when something holistic can do the job easier and better. I use my own example of Cannabis being the best cure for PTSD out there, rather than the random and unpredictable effects of psychotropic big pharma medications. Yes, Single Payer is a great thing. Something we could have RIGHT NOW. We shouldn't have to fight for years to get it, infrastructure improvements that are long overdue, and numerous other projects that we just can't seem to find the money for, in favor of bombing the crap out of some enemy du jour.

There's only one government I can think of AS obsessed with war, and that's Feudalism. So, if anything, we're almost there now. I want us to go BACK to Democracy.

up
0 users have voted.

I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

I actually make digital maps as part of my job, and I'm the first to admit that the advantage of a paper map is it doesn't need batteries. So yeah, don't get too dependent on electronic devices.

I'm glad we agree on having more democracy, and more freedom. Nobody forces you to go to a doctor, but if you need medical help it should not be "your money or your life." The rate of medical bankruptcies is down, but it's still around 18% to 25% of all personal bankruptcies.

up
0 users have voted.

"We've done the impossible, and that makes us mighty."

thanatokephaloides's picture

There's only one government I can think of AS obsessed with war, and that's Feudalism.

Sparta, which wasn't feudal, was pretty obsessed with it as well.....

Wink

up
0 users have voted.

"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar

"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides

detroitmechworks's picture

the closest thing we had to Fascism in the ancient world. (Sorry, am NOT a fan of theirs. Much prefer Athens and Rhodes. Smile )

up
0 users have voted.

I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

address the problems encountered. Assuming they're able to reach the people and places in need. Will we?

The nature of disasters is that systems we rely on--often suddenly--don't work: food and water, shelter, transportation, communication, medical care. Neighbors taught me how to can food. I have an electric food dehydrator, but we need to build a simple solar one. Tinctures and herbal remedies are valuable and may become invaluable. (And now I'll see about adding elderberries to the yard, thanks to this essay.) But at base, I think, we must consider community-building and sharing, very much including whatever knowledge we have that may be useful, as our Green Witch did here. Smile

up
0 users have voted.

"It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society." --Jiddu Krishnamurti

Haikukitty's picture

I'd love to see you do a whole series of diaries on practical knowledge like this one.

I have also been collecting knowledge, books about how to do things without modern technology. Of course, if all my books are washed away in a flood, I'll be in trouble. Smile

up
0 users have voted.
Martha Pearce-Smith's picture

Just not sure how to go about it.

Books can wash away yes...I keep mine up as high as I can and have some stored in plastic sealed bins. I also have a lot of stuff that I have down loaded and are on thumb drives. Of course if we have not power they are useless...but we can only do what we can. Plan for the worst and hope for the best.

up
0 users have voted.

Please help the Resilience Resource Library grow by adding your links.

First Nations News

Haikukitty's picture

You've probably seen his post on Clinton - but as his writing is always so incredibly relevant and cogent - I'm posting it here for others to enjoy:
http://thearchdruidreport.blogspot.com/2016/02/the-decline-and-fall-of-h...

up
0 users have voted.
Martha Pearce-Smith's picture

up
0 users have voted.

Please help the Resilience Resource Library grow by adding your links.

First Nations News

New source to me. Read and passed on.

up
0 users have voted.

"It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society." --Jiddu Krishnamurti

lotlizard's picture

up
0 users have voted.

DIY Solar Phone Charger

Something like this could be put together and stored in an emergency kit. Looks like there might be some off-the-shelf ready options as well for those of us who are all thumbs when it comes to putting stuff together.

up
0 users have voted.
Martha Pearce-Smith's picture

up
0 users have voted.

Please help the Resilience Resource Library grow by adding your links.

First Nations News

AcresUSA.com - a soil-focused organic farming site
Motherearthnews.com
Permacultureactivist.net
Chelseagreen.com - 35% off homesteading books through 3/31
Garrettwade.com - well made hand tools

up
0 users have voted.
Alison Wunderland's picture

Adding...

Anything by Rodale Press

up
0 users have voted.
Martha Pearce-Smith's picture

I would add; Square Foot Gardening

up
0 users have voted.

Please help the Resilience Resource Library grow by adding your links.

First Nations News

up
0 users have voted.

"It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society." --Jiddu Krishnamurti

Makes me wish I still had all the books which seem to have wandered, or were bartered to different places.
Do wish I still had The Whole Earth Catalog.
Dates me, I know....miss those days, when we were so excited to find that book...

up
0 users have voted.
Martha Pearce-Smith's picture

not sure where it went!

up
0 users have voted.

Please help the Resilience Resource Library grow by adding your links.

First Nations News

Alison Wunderland's picture

My "Anarchists' Cookbook" got lost or stolen, ditto "Steal This Book", ditto my "Little Red Book"

Ah well...

Wonder of wonders though, I still have my "Possum Living" by Dolly Freed.

up
0 users have voted.
Martha Pearce-Smith's picture

Oh yeah, now I wonder where THAT one went? *puzzled look*

up
0 users have voted.

Please help the Resilience Resource Library grow by adding your links.

First Nations News

Alison Wunderland's picture

...there was one I read in '69 or '70 called "The New Imperialism" by (can't remember and haven't since been able to find out -- Spanish-sounding name)

that pretty much predicted most of what's been going for the last few decades or more. The new imperialism would turn its attentions not toward foreign countries but inward and begin exploiting a far richer vein -- the American people themselves. Not to say that the old imperialism didn't/wouldn't continue its depredations across the globe simultaneously, but that it was time to subjugate the "home states" as well. Seems to have worked out marvelously for THEM, no?

up
0 users have voted.
Martha Pearce-Smith's picture

up
0 users have voted.

Please help the Resilience Resource Library grow by adding your links.

First Nations News

Alison Wunderland's picture

In paperback in '70, so possibly published in hardback in '69 or '68. Read it while in Italy in '70 while denying Uncle Sam my gladiatorial services.

up
0 users have voted.
Raggedy Ann's picture

He had to find a way to survive at a young age. He can find a way to accomplish anything. It's almost frightening, really. I call him super-McGyver (teevee show dude). He educated himself on solar/wind generation and converted our home. He grows much of our food (we don't eat meat). He also barters. We are not dr. people, much. When I got the shingles, I refused their poison and did acupuncture and herbs, instead. My medical doc said it was fine because the illness was going to run its course, regardless. That speaks volumes to me.

He wants to build a container home underground, "just in case." We have the acreage. We capture water and are getting ready to bring more tanks online. We feel the need to be prepared, too.

We are also moving to a new level of consciousness. The teapublicans, Drumpf, and HRC candidates, as well as supporters are classic examples of people not wanting to move to this new level. The millennials know, instinctively, that this is where we're supposed to go, and they've discovered Bernie has given their cause a voice. Those of us ready for the move are already moving - that's why we are gathered on this site. We are choosing to move to the next level. It's why we're so passionate about Bernie - we know he's trying hard to dragg us all into the future.

For the remainder of my "new agey" comment, let me just say that we've been going to this new level of consciousness for some time. We are moving from the Piscean Age to the Aquarian age. You remember the songs to prepare us, don't you? So, we've been on that track and on 12/21/12, we officially stepped over that line. The Mayan calendar stopped at the end of the Piscean Age. Simple.

The Aquarian Age will bring more peace, fairness, equality, care for our fellow living being for the next 300 or so years. We're the people witnessing and writing about it from the beginning. It's why I journal - to leave my writings for my descendants to come.

These are exclusively my beliefs. I work hard to respect others beliefs because I'd like the same consideration. This is what works for me. This is what helps me get out of bed in the morning.

I love your green wichery! I am so pleased to be surrounded by such diverse, interesting beings. Thanks for sharing your story.

up
0 users have voted.

"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11

Wonder how many people who saw Hair on Broadway, realized what they were really singing about ?

Cardinal Grand Cross of the past years, wish I understood more about astrology. Find the synchronicity ( have great respect for Carl Jung) of what is happening astrologically, what is happening here on the physical plane, quite startling. Used to have transit readings, but haven't in years.

There are so many sources of information if we are open to them.

Would really appreciate reading your series if you write it.

up
0 users have voted.
Raggedy Ann's picture

I'll post things as they are appropriate. There is evidence of it all around us, like something I read on Reddit that struck me as one form of proof. I'll do more research and keep the conversation going. We're all affected. No one escapes the change. This is where we choose to go willingly or kicking and screaming with destruction in its path. We're fixin' to find out!

up
0 users have voted.

"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11

Alison Wunderland's picture

But diaries are smoke in the wind. No offense, Martha.

Where's the reading list? I'll start...

The Essential Gardener by Freida Arkin

The New Seed-Starter's Handbook by Nancy Bubel

Identifying and Harvesting Edible and Medicinal Plants in Wild (and Not So Wild) Places -- Steve Brill & Evelyn Dean

Any or all of the The Foxfire Series

Any or all of these give the reader a bit more control over their circumstances. I'm not specifically suggesting buying thme at amazon, it's just a handy way for me to show them, their covers, and allow a brief read of their contents. I usually always buy them used from the various vendors to get the money into local hands.

Btw, we have a great used book store here in Philly. 200' long, 40' wide, piled to the rafters (which you can see) with used books. Probably close to half a million. A trip there turns into getting lost in the stacks for a couple of hours and never ends without (yet another) shopping bag full of books.

How to Stay Alive in the Woods: A Complete Guide to Food, Shelter and Self-Preservation Anywhere -- Bradford Angier

Edit: Mom called herself a White Witch.

up
0 users have voted.
riverlover's picture

I need to review my book collection. Foxfire, yes, wildedbles,yes, including mushrooms, edible. I have 4 logs inoculated.

I am attempting niche food crops from the woods.

up
0 users have voted.

Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.

Gardening When It Counts: Growing Food in Hard Times, Steve Solomon

Garden Way's Guide to Food Drying: How to Dehydrate, Store, and Use Vegetables, Fruits and Herbs, Phyllis Hobson

Four-Season Harvest, Eliot Coleman

up
0 users have voted.

"It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society." --Jiddu Krishnamurti

Martha Pearce-Smith's picture

I DID ask y'all what YOUR library would look like.....I will post mine in due course...it is rather large.

up
0 users have voted.

Please help the Resilience Resource Library grow by adding your links.

First Nations News

WoodsDweller's picture

Medical stuff:
"Where There is No Doctor"
"Where There is No Dentist"
Anything on midwifery
An EMT Basic textbook (basically more elaborate first aid)
A CPR course

Gardening:
"Seed to Seed"
"Four-Season Harvest"
Any information on underground greenhouses (this is one of the few things I think would help)

Food:
Solar ovens are one of the few actual advances that could be used going forward
Brick ovens (outdoor masonry ovens for baking)
Solar dehydrators

I spent many years pursuing these sorts of things. I no longer have any hope that they will help. I expect the die-off to be in full swing within 10 years. I have fully embraced the doom, but I won't burden the rest of you with it. While it lasts, living closer to the Earth and being more self-sufficient are a truly satisfying way to live.

up
0 users have voted.

"The greatest shortcoming of the human race is our inability to understand the exponential function." -- Albert Bartlett
"A species that is hurtling toward extinction has no business promoting slow incremental change." -- Caitlin Johnstone

Martha Pearce-Smith's picture

Your knowledge would be valuable to your community. I hope you stick around. It is my belief that those of us who do, will come out alright on the other side...

up
0 users have voted.

Please help the Resilience Resource Library grow by adding your links.

First Nations News

and maintaining health. I would add 'informed foraging' to your list, for both food and medicinals.

I would enjoy a conversation with you about this, but will try to keep this brief. Here are a few widely-availabe, easily recognizable 'weed' foods with tonic properties and lots of minerals: Chickweed greens have high minerals. Dandelion and burdock are edible top to bottom; dried ground roots make nutritious 'coffee', extra tasty if chicory roots are added; if resources allow, green can be sauted with wild onions or garlic, or greens and roots can be boiled for soup. Without other ingredients, won't taste like much, but will provide an array of minerals.

Could you show a link to your green water filter, or description? Living plants, I assume, but how do you harvest water?

If you set up a site for this info, please let us know here.

Thanks! CW

up
0 users have voted.
Martha Pearce-Smith's picture

Here is a link to one site that has several ways to diy filter/purify water.

http://all-about-water-filters.com/top-easiest-diy-water-filters-you-can...

up
0 users have voted.

Please help the Resilience Resource Library grow by adding your links.

First Nations News

WoodsDweller's picture

"Diet for a Small Planet"
Hydraulic rams
Windmill water pumps
Rainwater capture
Sand filters
DC LED lighting. Solar to charge controller to batteries to lighting without an inverter. Low amps, modest wiring requirements. Primitive lighting is dangerous and inadequate, and nights are long in the winter. LED flashlights with rechargeable batteries. Wind-up LED flashlights (these might be workable long-term, no batteries). LEDs should last a very long time. Home Power magazine used to have a FAQ about solar panels. "How long do they last?" "We don't know, none of them have ever worn out". One persistent myth about solar is that the panels die in 20 years. I've been off-grid for 20 years and mine are as good as they were when they were new. They came with a 20 year warranty to produce 90% of their rated power. Wind machines wear out, but could be repaired. Panels may not wear out for a century or more. Solar thermal might be repairable, either low-temperature for domestic hot water or high temperature for steam engines.
Blacksmithing tools, equipment, books (you can't really learn it from a book, but anything is better than nothing). Also leatherworking, woodworking, drafting, plumbing, carpentry.
Since you are talking about Greer, a few years back he wrote about learning to use a slide rule. Obviously, these will continue to work without modern tech. I'm old enough to have learned them back in the day, but don't remember how to use them now. I don't even know if they are still manufactured. I have a few cheap ones kicking around, my brother has some magnificent ones I keep trying to talk him out of.
Musical instruments.
Bicycles. Parts. Tools.
Picture the world around 1880. Look at photos of rooms and the things they had in them. It was a mature culture with solutions to pretty much every issue of living.

up
0 users have voted.

"The greatest shortcoming of the human race is our inability to understand the exponential function." -- Albert Bartlett
"A species that is hurtling toward extinction has no business promoting slow incremental change." -- Caitlin Johnstone

Nokero.com has solar light bulbs, which are quite bright. You hang them outside in the daytime to charge. They can be hung out in a rain, although you get less charging without full sun. The company developed them for rural Africa, to avoid the need for kerosene, and part of the price goes to that. Mine have held up for about two years now.

up
0 users have voted.
riverlover's picture

After 25 years it had a literal meltdown. It was snow covered in winter and there were issues with wind piling leaves on the windward side leading to ice dams and roof penetration. My 80 gal heater was ready to give up, too. I tore it off,getting too much shade from surrounding trees.

up
0 users have voted.

Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.

In VT my husband built low-cost, simple passive solar heating systems (thermosiphons)--all materials available from hardware store. Basic instruction from here: http://www.motherearthnews.com/renewable-energy/solar-air-heater-zmaz06d...

up
0 users have voted.

"It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society." --Jiddu Krishnamurti

Lenzabi's picture

Merry met, and merry meet when we meet again.

up
0 users have voted.

So long, and thanks for all the fish

WoodsDweller's picture

homemade inks, qull pens and the penknives to sharpen them, papermaking, bookbinding.

up
0 users have voted.

"The greatest shortcoming of the human race is our inability to understand the exponential function." -- Albert Bartlett
"A species that is hurtling toward extinction has no business promoting slow incremental change." -- Caitlin Johnstone

You can make really nice paper, but I like to have a stock of commercial paper, too.

up
0 users have voted.
detroitmechworks's picture

I should look into how-tos on making Hemp Paper. Hell if it was good enough for Jefferson...

up
0 users have voted.

I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

Martha Pearce-Smith's picture

That there are over 50,000 things that hemp can be used for?

Here are just a few.
hemp resource tree.jpg

up
0 users have voted.

Please help the Resilience Resource Library grow by adding your links.

First Nations News

mhagle's picture

Instructables - People post instructions on how to make things. Yesterday I read a post about how to make distilled water using ice. So much good information here!
http://www.instructables.com/

Other Power - They started as a group of folks who just wanted to live off grid. Now they go around giving workshops on how to build your own Wind Turbine. Here is a link to information on one coming up soon in North Carolina.
http://www.otherpower.com/homebrew-wind-north-carolina-2016

The Good Life Lab - Wendy Tremayne & Mikey Sklar have created a decommodified life that is less reliant on money.
https://www.youtube.com/user/sklarm

The Music Box shipping container - We took a shipping container and made it into a music studio/sewing room. Total cost for 450 sq. ft. = $5000. It has electricity, heat, air, wifi, wired, and a sink with composting toilet in the closet. We used reflective paint, which was pretty good for the summer - not much for the winter. Going to put on a metal roof that will also shade the windows, and insulation. I included this, because I believe recycling shipping containers into housing is a pretty good idea. They can be far less expensive, and much sturdier than mobile homes.

The following video is an excellent example of someone successfully using shipping containers to build an off grid home.

up
0 users have voted.

Marilyn

"Make dirt, not war." eyo

Martha Pearce-Smith's picture

I love innovative ideas for housing.

up
0 users have voted.

Please help the Resilience Resource Library grow by adding your links.

First Nations News

I've collected books on what to do if there is no doctor, books on PRACTICAL use of plants and herbs for healing, gathering them, storing them preparing them, practical use. I've collected as many *first aid and second line treatment manuals as I can find and afford (fixed income now), I have saved and set aside specific tools and some *sterile packaging, secondarily packed as well, suture needles and suture material, medicinal items in alcohol and sealing those containers to last longer than anticipated. I even have a pair of manuals on dealing with what I consider to be combat or hunting injuries. I have no firearms, but I've begun setting aside money for a good crossbow, replacement line/filament (however it's called), all maintenance items needed and a supply of, oh, say 200 quarrels for hunting. They're recoverable, quiet, etc. they work when snares do not. I have books on snares. I have a selection of scissors and knives and sharpening equipment along with instructions on them. I have clean mineral oil, I have water filtration equipment, explanation and book on how to make other from things found in a house or the REMAINS of a house, as well as natural materials. I have a book on a solar oven.. and I collected a lot of classic fiction. We need storytellers as well as survival sharers. I have some basic cookbooks. I have 50 pounds of salt....

and all of this is listed separately, in a thumbie and on paper... and stored together in my home in a place out of daily use way but most likely to survive flood and be accessible or be removable in case of a series of fires.

it's going to take CAUTIOUS SHARING OF INFORMATION AND ITEMS. Cautious.

I have safe temperature for them frozen and ready to take with me seeds of items known to be growable nearby..

Don't laugh. I also have SOLAR charging panels that can be used to power notepads, lap tops, and should there be only partially damaged "infrastructure" somewhere, cell phones (though I wouldn't count on it). I've got thumbies of books, of a lot of the same items as the paper books on emergency medicine, surgery, herblore, identification, hunting, snares, and I have the low power notepads, etc., along with spare batteries for all of them and the tools to replace the batteries. Those won't last more than a generation, but ALONG WITH THE PAPER, THEY EXTEND THE LIFE OF PRINTED KNOWLEDGE.. AND THEY ARE VERY VERY LIGHTWEIGHT, CONSIDERING THE WEALTH OF INFORMATION THEY CONTAIN. I WISH I could get my hands on replacement batteries for Kindles or other E readers. A lot of what is on my thumbies could be read through them, provided I have access to convert their format to the Ereader. I have the program, and again, finding ways to store a lot of information on a very small and light weight item, AS WELL AS HAVING SOLAR CHARGING for the tech into which to access the information on those items.. I could carry an entire library as long as I had a solar energy panel like the portables I have which were developed for a lappie or notepad but which can be accessed by a lot of different items, depending on the plug.. and I have a shitload of those little guys in a couple of boxes, each labelled as to what they're found in and how much their equipment is intended to draw per hour/day.

I thought a bit differently. I am not all that "mobile" so I thought about what I could store, put in a couple of pullable "little red wagons" as it were, and get outof my house. I'd LIKE to be able to take my kitties, too, but that's impractical in many scenarios.

Oh, heartache. I can't deal with this 24/7. I've got this so that ANYONE who moves into my space or is given my stuff can use it and unerstand it. I'm not young and I'm not all that "survivey" (not likely to survive long after an a-fuckitall-a-lypse) because unless I can break into a pharmacy, I'll probably have had a coronary or a stroke or died screaming in pain within a year anyway.

Fentress

up
0 users have voted.

******************************

Muerte al fascismo. Muerte a la tiranía. colapso total de los que promueven tampoco. A la pared con el unico porciento%

ngant17's picture

if you're able to hit ground water in 15-20ft., you can get something started but you can't drink it, only use it for vegetable and plant gardening. shallow wells will depend on your location. manual pumps can do the work of a 120vac well pump but anything deeper than 20-25ft. you have your work cut out for you.

there are some good water filtration systems which can make ordinary ditch water safe to drink. you get what you pay for.

i've started moringa oleifera trees, easy to grow, but i'm not yet on a level that it would serve as a survival food. easy to grow in subtropical areas of usa like zone 9. currently trying my luck with some fruit trees.

right now it's the basics, like eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, brassica leafy green plants, ect.

then you got to fight fungus, insects, scale. don't know how organic i can go with that yet.

up
0 users have voted.
Haikukitty's picture

I, too, and a greeny pagan.

FYI: I've planted an elderberry plant, and my neighbor does raise bees. Smile

But yes, I'm collecting the best books on herbalism I can find, and am currently working on expanding the range of herbs that grow in my yard, trying to concentrate on those that will keep coming back each year without too much interference from me.

I've also bought the entire Foxfire series - don't know if you guys are familiar with them, but they are great. Its a series that involved students learning from the last generation that truly lived off the land and did things by hand. It has information like how to tan hides, wild plant foods, building a log cabin, even blacksmithing, etc.

Of course, like you say, if I am forced to evacuate, well, none of that will matter much. I can only grab so much in an emergency. I have several big carriers to shove the cats into, and that's about all I'd likely be able to grab. I should probably prepare an evac box, just in case, that I could throw in the truck along with the kitties. Kitties are impractical survival tools, but I just can't leave them behind. My husband says we can eat them to survive, but unfortunately they are all fixed so no future cat farming is possible. Sorry, macabre humor, but what can you do? When faced with terrible possibilities, you have to find something to laugh about.

My sister used to keep a box she could grab when she lived in Hawaii, in case they had to evacuate to higher ground during a tsunami. That's probably a good idea for everyone to have. The hope, of course, is that you can go back home once the crisis is over, but that may not always be possible, so having some basic things ready to grab is good planning.

I'd like to get a solar charger, too, for as long as my devices last - I have so many books on them. There are probably a few other small and practical devices I could store to grab if needed.

up
0 users have voted.