Preparing for the worst (short term and long term emergencies)

[anna.]

We do that as well, but principally as a defense against wildfire. We also have an emergency evacuation list (meds, cash, important papers, dog bowls and food with leashes, etc.). The most important rule is to evacuate at the first news of fire. Don't get caught in gridlock, which occurs when others feel the threat is imminent. Beat them out of town. No loss if it's for nothing.

Agree, being caught in gridlock has had fatal results in wildfires, (Maui and Paradise, CA come to mind), but I also recall how many cars were abandoned during the blackout because people drove to work on fumes assuming they'd buy gas as usual on the way home, but because of the blackout no gas pumps were operable. There was literally no way to fuel their cars enough to get home.

That attitude is part of the problem. It leads to complacency:

• "We don't have to protect the environment, the Second Coming is at hand" - James Watt, Secretary of the Interior under Reagan (note his position and responsibilities)
• "My point is, God's still up there. The arrogance of people to think that we, human beings, would be able to change what He is doing in the climate is to me outrageous." - Sen. Inhofe, R-Okla
• "The Earth will end only when God declares it's time to be over. Man will not destroy this Earth . . . . I do believe God's word is infallible, unchanging, perfect." - Rep John Shimkus, R-Ill.

Just an FYI: The rhetoric James Watt created echoes through the MAGA even today, and while I think that quote attributed to him is apocryphal, the spirit of it is a problem I don't know if we'll ever get past. Something else attributed to him:

Watt once joked privately that his rhetoric was not to speak of Republicans vs Democrats but “liberals and Americans.”

Isn't that right on the money for the way the extreme right thinks, speaks, and reacts today... they really don't see liberals as American enough.

 

[Koldo]

I remain ever so slightly optimistic that humans will wake up, be honest about ecological overshoot, and take the hard steps necessary to actually save the planet and civilization. I think it's a long shot, but what else is there to do, but work towards saving the planet and society?

With that said, I've thought a lot about the "prepper" approach to facing the future. I've come to the conclusion that we all ought to be ready to deal with mid-length emergencies, i.e. a loss of services for a couple of weeks, maybe a month. It seems to me that if we lose services for much longer than that we'll quickly be living in a mad-max world. At that point, your bunker - no matter how elaborate - won't save you from the starving hordes for very long

The only possible solution I've come up with for surviving in a mad max world is to have some rare and indispensable skill(s) that the local strongman sees value in.

So long story short I'd propose:

- be ready for a loss of services of a couple of weeks.
- learn so useful skills for a mad max world
- in the meantime, it's probably good to work towards being a bit self-sufficient, things likes productive gardens, first aid skills...

How wide would this loss of service be? Are you talking about a whole city, a whole state, a whole country... ?

 

[Balthazzar]

I remain ever so slightly optimistic that humans will wake up, be honest about ecological overshoot, and take the hard steps necessary to actually save the planet and civilization. I think it's a long shot, but what else is there to do, but work towards saving the planet and society?

With that said, I've thought a lot about the "prepper" approach to facing the future. I've come to the conclusion that we all ought to be ready to deal with mid-length emergencies, i.e. a loss of services for a couple of weeks, maybe a month. It seems to me that if we lose services for much longer than that we'll quickly be living in a mad-max world. At that point, your bunker - no matter how elaborate - won't save you from the starving hordes for very long

The only possible solution I've come up with for surviving in a mad max world is to have some rare and indispensable skill(s) that the local strongman sees value in.

So long story short I'd propose:

- be ready for a loss of services of a couple of weeks.
- learn so useful skills for a mad max world
- in the meantime, it's probably good to work towards being a bit self-sufficient, things likes productive gardens, first aid skills...

I don't think it's up to us to save the planet, but it is our decision how we choose to live and we do sometimes have at least a little control over the condition of our environment. Not always, and not mostly, and not very often, but a little, so ... I'll agree with your prepper mindset, but I fall short on viewing this as a duty or obligation. It's more about how I want to live in this crazy little world.

 

[icehorse]

How wide would this loss of service be? Are you talking about a whole city, a whole state, a whole country... ?

I think the people who have studied this think that brown outs and black outs will slowly grow in frequency and in length.

 

[icehorse]

I don't think it's up to us to save the planet, but it is our decision how we choose to live and we do sometimes have at least a little control over the condition of our environment. Not always, and not mostly, and not very often, but a little, so ... I'll agree with your prepper mindset, but I fall short on viewing this as a duty or obligation. It's more about how I want to live in this crazy little world.

Interesting take. For me, however slim the chances are, I think it IS up to us to try to save the planet. I think life is amazing and I don't like thinking that my inaction might deny future generations a chance to experience this wonderful party.

 

[icehorse]

I don't think it's up to us to save the planet, but it is our decision how we choose to live and we do sometimes have at least a little control over the condition of our environment. Not always, and not mostly, and not very often, but a little, so ... I'll agree with your prepper mindset, but I fall short on viewing this as a duty or obligation. It's more about how I want to live in this crazy little world.

Thinking about this some more...

To me I think trying to save the planet is just a variation on the Golden Rule, correct?

 

[Balthazzar]

Interesting take. For me, however slim the chances are, I think it IS up to us to try to save the planet. I think life is amazing and I don't like thinking that my inaction might deny future generations a chance to experience this wonderful party.

I think we play our part, but also that it isn't up to us. She's a big girl and we are her children.

 

[Koldo]

I think the people who have studied this think that brown outs and black outs will slowly grow in frequency and in length.

Okay, but I am asking how localized those events would be. Here in Rio de Janeiro, we would necessarily need the government to step up and take charge over the situation if it lasts for more than a few days. There is no other way I could imagine it not becoming an apocalypse scenario.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

I think we play our part, but also that it isn't up to us. She's a big girl and we are her children.

I think one of her first and most important lessons is for us to not crap in our own beds...something that so far we're not as a species very good at...

 

[Balthazzar]

I think one of her first and most important lessons is for us to not crap in our own beds...something that so far we're not as a species very good at...

I think she recycles but I also think it a good idea that we don't let our home get too toxic. The thing is, if we do for ourselves, we end up doing for her. There's a learning curve to our own salvation and she meets us where we need to be met.

 

[icehorse]

Okay, but I am asking how localized those events would be. Here in Rio de Janeiro, we would necessarily need the government to step up and take charge over the situation if it lasts for more than a few days. There is no other way I could imagine it not becoming an apocalypse scenario.

I think that power grids in general are not as resilient as we'd like to believe. So we can hope that the power companies and/or the government would keep things running, but the reality is that's probably going to get harder and harder to do. In the US many people have experienced a loss of power in the summer that sometimes lasts for days. And I agree, it wouldn't take too many days before things could get really ugly.

 

[icehorse]

I think she recycles but I also think it a good idea that we don't let our home get too toxic. The thing is, if we do for ourselves, we end up doing for her. There's a learning curve to our own salvation and she meets us where we need to be met.

I'm sorry, but that sounds like magical, wishful thinking to me. We've already seen many examples of humans destroying parts of the planet, and the planet being incapable of meeting us where we need to be met.

I'm afraid we're our only hope.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

I'm sorry, but that sounds like magical, wishful thinking to me. We've already seen many examples of humans destroying parts of the planet, and the planet being incapable of meeting us where we need to be met.

I'm afraid we're our only hope.

...We're doomed!!!