Preparedness for when

pineapple

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

Of course it would be possible to fathom out how to do things again, but we have one maybe two generations who have no skills and only a sense of self and self interest in general, no interest in anything beyond fashion, make up, celebrity ,instant fame and getting lots of money for no effort on their part. It would be very difficult to motivate the young and even more difficult to give them a sense of responsibility towards the rest of the population that would make them participating adults in whatever civilisation we evolve in the future.

What we are seeing - even on this site - is a sense of stolen 'entitlement' with anger and blame aimed at immigrants, older people (baby boomers) etc etc and I do fear that the aforementioned could be targets. Especially as I'm in the latter category! Which is another reason to build up stocks - so you can keep your head down for a while and minimise getting caught up in it or being the target..
Longer term I think the future is in community. Finances are already pushing people together - living arrangements, group purchase of food and fuel - even alternative barter systems. Living as a single householder is becoming increasingly expensive. I think 'sharing' is where we are headed - ultimately. It could be a rocky road in the meanwhile.
I saw this coming a while back and collected some 'community' links. But as I'm a procrastinator and not be nature a happy clappy, sharing sort of person, I didn't act on it.

BTW, with my conspiracy hat on I'm not alltogether sure this latest talk of an energy crisis isn't as much to do with getting the public to accept things like fracking and nuclear power as well as another excuse to impose carbon taxes!

GreyQueen

I'm lurking in various places on the blogoshere interested in peak oil and what is referred to as the Long Descent (inception 1974) by which is meant the descent down from the current industrial civilsation powered by fossil fuels, into a scrabbling salvage-type of culture for a few decades where we cannibalise what we already have, until we bottom-out at roughly the tech level of the mid-late 19th century.

I find that entirely plausible, a lot more plausible than the blind faith so many people hold that They will make it all safe and happy again once the oil runs out.

Our current level of comfort and sophistication is an historical anomaly and there are people alive today who were born in the nineteen teens and nineteen twenties (I talk to them fairly regularly and there are plenty out there with all marbles intact). They saw the beginning of the modern era and their great-grandkids will be seeing the end of it.

I prep for smoothing over life's bumps, particularly to hold some stuff as tangible consumables rather than cash, as the so-called inflation figure is a mockery and savings are devaluing as we speak. I'm carefully-converting some of the folding stuff into useful tangibles such as a kelly kettle and few other bits and bobs of the preptastic kind.

If I had to put my thinking cap on and counsel someone much younger than myself, with perhaps 60-70 years ahead of them, as opposed to my 30-ish (if I'm lucky), I would suggest the following;

Cultivate as much strength and fitness as you can. Certainly avoid harmful habits such as smoking, excess alcohol and drug-taking. Be aware that there may not be a health service when you get older. Realise that societies in hardship tend towards conservative social values. Perhaps it's not too clever to be heavily-tattooed or have ear gauges; they may count negatively in the future.

Train in useful things, especially those which enable a modicum of independance from buying in all your needs. Learn to grow food, and to hunt and to fish. Know how to forage. How about trying to get skills in carpentry, home repair, mechanics, homestead level engineering? Think about what the world might look like in 30+ years. Will you be calling on your rickshaw repairman or the gal who isn't scared of heights to repair your domestic wind turbine?

Think carefully about where you live. How far are you from the resources you need to support your life? Are you close to your family, in both senses of the word? Would you want to consider pooling family resoureces to like in a multi-generational larger home rather than be bled white to fund individual boxes? Or to buddy-up with friends for those whose family is either missing or not sympatico.

Look out for the stabilty of the land. Are you on the floodplain or a marsh, an eroding coastline, an area prone to landslippage or other catastrope? Can you relocate to somewhere more stable? Will you be like a woman I know who went shopping for the biggest south-facing garden she could find in the city at her budget and not worry too much about the house which came with it? Her veggies are to die for.

If you're going into further study, don't be distracted by the glamourous stuff. Civil engineering is likely to be more in demand than theatre studies and there's a limit to how many media wallahs are needed in this world.

Think about taking yourself to market and flogging your skills in a world gone all pragmatic. Can you shear a sheep or deliver a calf? Do you know how to dig a ditch or make a fence? Can you do boatbuilding or fix a car? Bake a loaf or make/mend a garment? Do you know how to do double-entry book-keeping the old style pen and paper way, because you can bet your last zlotny that the tax man, like the 'roach, will be one of the last survivors.

Repairing stuff will be more common. Cobbling will be making a comeback. Babies will still be born so there will be a need for midwives. People will live somewhere and those somewheres will need repairs and maintenance. Jobbing builder? Jack of all trades? Cob-house builder? Yurt maker?

I say to my hypothical young person, learn all you can. Do the first aid, train in a martial art, cultivate strong friendships with worthwhile people and learn to recognise wasters and keep them at arm's length in case they drag you down with them.

Ach, enough already. The hypothetical young person is yawning, texting and getting soooo bored.:rotfl:

katieclampet

What a very interesting and thought provoking post, GQ:)

I have been trying to improve my practical skills, I am not very good (not really interested) in cooking, but I can sew, knit and crotchet after a fashion. I am going to turn my hand to growing a few things in my small garden, aiming for a few things in tubs and on the window sill.

I have also spent some money on ensuring I have thermal underwear, spare boots, bits and pieces for the house that might come in handy when tshtf.

I am trying to "invest" in long term skills and equipment without spending too much cash.

Interestingly I heard 2 things on the radio today that gave me pause for thought, people are spending more than ever eating out, and of course the news that power prices are likely to get more expensive.

I suppose people in category A arent too worried about category B

katie

katieclampet

PS really need a wind up radio, can anyone recommend one?

katie

westcoastscot

I think this is part of my feeling a little unsettled just now - in my work I support people to get back on their feet, and the level that is considered sufficient is considerably less than I would find comfortable. Our life is just not sustainable though if we continue as we are - i'm fortunate to live with two of my grown children so our living costs are shared, as is the work of our home, so we're able to live a pretty self sufficient lifestyle, albeit we consume electricity etc. Something has to change, but it needs to involve everyone - a collective responsibility to get back to basics and share what we have. I well remember the 70's, life was hard but even when things were good life was not as easy as it is for many these days.

I was at a conference the other day about the national living wage (as opposed to the national minimum wage) and there was much interesting talk about a maximum wage also - that would help level the playing field!

eve13_2

Hi, never posted on this board before. GINNYKNIT our HA put solar panels on our roofs. Unfortunately a lot of us have prepayment meters which makes them less efficient (30-40%) Also they actually need electric running to convert/produce electricity so if there are power cuts they don't work. Hopefully TPTB will eventually iron out these problems for the next generation of solar panels!

Rosemary_Jane

I saw an interesting programme yesterday, (can't remember which channel) about volcanoes.
One of the most interesting parts was the geothermal energy being utilised in Iceland.
This is not the surface stuff used in ground source heat pumps, but really deep stuff. It is available anywhere, but of course much more cost effective where the magma is near the surface.
(From previous readings, two wells are drilled some distance apart; water is pumped down one and filters through the hot rocks and comes up the other as steam which powers the generators).

Iceland with it's thermal springs etc already heats inhabitants homes for very little or nothing, but in the programme they were saying that the geothermal electricity when properly underway, could theoretically power the whole of the northern hemisphere.
Given that we already get a lot of electricity from France via cable under the channel, might it be feasible to import from Iceland? Or, sod the initial expense, build our own, just have to drill deeper to get to the hot rocks? (Better, really, because otherwise the powere is at risk for political or natural causes, eg eruptions)

Food for thought, I do enjoy this thread, thanks to all contributors,
Rosemary

pineapple

katieclampet wrote: »

PS really need a wind up radio, can anyone recommend one?

katie

I've got this. Can't fault it!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Crank-Solar-Radio-Receiver-Flashlight/dp/B008VOODZK/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1361302284&sr=8-7
It's suspiciously similar to the John Lewis one (but cheaper).
http://www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-columbus-ii-am-fm-sw-solar-wind-up-radio/p231569501

pineapple

eve13 wrote: »

Hi, never posted on this board before.

Welcome to the Honorary Company of Batties.
It's all downhill from now on! :rotfl:

craigywv

eve13......they all talking serious today on here wait till they start about the zombies and almost forgot we have a talking dog on here goes by the name of Docky....................U HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1