Citizen Power

Could you survive really tough times if you had to? If you have ever gone camping you know a little bit about survival skills. I don’t mean camping in an RV where you pull up on a slab of concrete and watch a tiny TV for a few days while you cook in a tiny kitchen. That’s not camping! I mean the kind where you bring a tent into the woods and have to build a fire with wood you gather yourself. You could go further than that and some people do, even living off of whatever edible stuff grows nearby, but that’s not really necessary to know (yet) if you are a good planner, even if something unexpected comes up, which I’m sure at this point you can easily imagine yourself. Maybe it will be caused by an economic disaster or a man-made climate disaster. Either way, it does no harm to plan a little.

Some day people might have to get used to living completely differently than they do now and that’s where some camping skills will be useful. A survival scenario might include eating lots of dried food, hiking long distances, carrying heavy packs, dealing with bloodthirsty insects, etc. If you have ever had to go a week or more without a shower and feel your back will never be the same from sleeping on a rock, you know what I mean by real camping. I have been to lots of state parks and camped in relative comfort, but I’ve also camped in places with no trace of civilization– including hearing wolves at night, being attacked by bats, and I’ve gotten very lost and dehydrated too. I also camped in the Badlands of S.D. last summer in a place with 65mph wind gusts which nearly tore my tent apart. I was literally inside holding up the walls while hoping to be able to sleep at some point. You have to be ready for anything, especially with potential wild weather coming due to climate change. Living outside, even for a little while, is not something to take lightly.

What if the worst case scenario hits and we all have to fend for ourselves somehow? That might include getting out of the city or leaving the area of where you live. I’m not the only person thinking about this, there are many groups and clubs devoted to survivalism, and there are also podcasts like Radio Ecoshock (and Civilianism) that have talked about how people should learn some basic survival skills. This is from Radio Ecoshock’s broadcast last week — some good tips no matter what happens, or doesn’t.

“Tools for Tough Times” is simple gear for an emergency, Depression or system breakdown. You may need these tools, due to a storm, civil disruption, banking failure, flu outbreak, or just a lost job and looming poverty on government hand outs. Get your gear.
Here is a short list!

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