Prepping is a refined skill, an art form of survival. Those who engage in prepping recognize the potential limitations of their skills, experience, and time, should our societal infrastructure crumble. Having a stockpile of supplies at the ready not only provides immediate security but also affords them the time to devise a sustainable long-term survival strategy. Preppers are typically pragmatic individuals, keenly attuned to the shifting political landscape and well-versed in identifying warning signs.
The art of prepping incorporates a wide array of components, from the storage of essential supplies and commodities to the mastery of generative crafts such as fabrication. Trapping skills also feature prominently in the prepper’s repertoire. Welcome to my blog, where we delve into the intricate world of prepping.
Our philosophy on Survival Prepping is different.
Distinctly different from mainstream prepper blogs, our unique perspective serves as our hallmark. Rather than blindly accepting the established prepping principles and lessons that are often propagated by well-known survivalist influencers across various digital platforms, we courageously venture further. We delve deep, meticulously scrutinizing these norms and narratives, and consistently offer hands-on, practical experience.
We Prove our Strategies in the Real World
For instance, during our comprehensive exploration of starvation prevention, we ingeniously developed a simple-to-replicate snare trap, utilizing easily accessible materials. With a keen eye for detail, we meticulously documented each step of our fascinating journey, from the thrilling capture of a 263lb wild hog, through its careful slaughter and preservation, to the eventual rewarding act of cooking.
Subsequently, when we found ourselves pondering the feasibility of food cultivation in a potentially grim post-apocalyptic scenario, we diligently crafted an effective process. This process, aimed at creating a nutrient-rich black bean fertilizer, relied solely on the might of our bare hands and the bounty of resources from our surrounding environment. Our efforts didn’t stop at mere theorizing – we actually cultivated those beans, diligently harvested them, and realistically calculated the practicalities of feeding a small community through our innovative method.
What is Wrong with the Prepping Community
Unwavering in our commitment, we prioritize authenticity and practicality. This often leads us to voice opinions that contradict some of the more prominent figures in the prepper community. Firmly rooted in our belief system is the conviction that there are elements within this sphere who unscrupulously profit from fear, and peddle bulky, unnecessary products, thereby trapping you in a web of suboptimal survival strategies.
So, apart from our warmly welcoming introduction, we strongly encourage you to delve into our thought-provoking article, “Don’t waste your money on Generators and Batteries,” as your very next read. This insightful piece will serve to further illustrate our unwavering commitment to reliable, tested survival strategies and our resolute defiance against fear-mongering and ineffective prepping methods.
3 Primary facets of prepping:
- Acquiring supplies that would enable survival if a catastrophe occurs.
- Getting survival skills.
- Building relationships with other preppers.
It all comes down to being able to take care of yourself.
The Dictionary Definition of Prepping
According to the fine people at “Oxford Languages” prepping is “the action or process of preparing something or preparing for something. I was going to use the words “stored” or “stocked”, but I like their use of the word “stockpiling” because it sounds extra dramatic and word choice matters!
We live in a stormy world right now
This new interest was sparked by recent events. When the pandemic happened and the world went into lockdown I started to think more about essentials we should have on hand for survival. Let’s face it, the frantic mass-buying of toilet paper was slightly alarming. I started asking the big scary questions like what would we do if we had a massive power or grid failure? Could I actually survive without the internet? Our environment is changing and the world is definitely heating up. I have noticed that the summers have been hotter than ever and the extremes have become even more extreme. As we deplete the world’s natural gifts and resources, what is our plan for the future?
Reels or Real issues | Distractions from the actual issues?
Life has been condensed into reel form. You can learn how to do just about anything in a 30-90 second reel and it can become addictive to learn how to do everything right from our office chairs. Is this really living and learning or is this just a distraction from REAL issues?
The war in Eastern Europe is heartbreaking and I can’t imagine what those families are going through. It hurts to be so powerless and unable to help them from this side of the world. It also makes me wonder what would we do if we had a war here on US soil? I think that it is fairly unlikely because the government taxes us so heavily to make sure that our arsenal of weapons is over the top stocked. At the same time, I’m concerned about day-to-day survival. What would we do? And what should we do to prepare?
I used to think it wasn’t very cool…
I grew up in a place that was very new-agey. A place in the woods where people belonged to cults, worshipped crystals and practiced witchcraft and magic. There was a town nearby where the folks were known “preppers” they had cellars and bunkers and a surplus of food and supplies stockpiled for the “end times.” Back then, we thought those people were a little out there and maybe a little coo coo. A little bit “oh yeah, so that thing in the air is a UFO?” and “by the way I love how shiny and fashionable your tin hat is.” You made it? Yes! Please send me the recipe ??. Maybe I’ll try to “DIY it.”
I could get used to this
In all seriousness, maybe these people were on to something. I really couldn’t hurt to have the proper supplies in the event of an emergency. Wouldn’t it be nice to know how to access clean drinking water? The best way to get food. What supplies to take and what supplies are not worth stockpiling? I feel like this is all practical information that could come in handy especially during these uncertain times.
So you and I are going to go on an adventure! You just read the full extent of my current knowledge of prepping, but I’m about to change that. I will research, learn, and share my findings with you here and together we shall learn how to survive! Let’s learn how to prepare for whatever life throws at us!
*INSERT WAR-CRY HERE*
How can we prepare if we are unaware? | Knowledge is power
I have to be honest. This type of material used to freak me out. As much as I would love to remain in a state of “blissful innocence (or ignorance),” time on this earth has taught me that our lives are delicate and the world can be volatile. I think that it is important to be aware of the types of crises that can happen. I am not writing this to freak you out or cause you stress, rather, I believe that knowledge is power. If we are aware and educated about the factors that can affect our lives we will be better equipped to deal with uncertainty. Let’s be brave and press on. I think that learning how to properly prepare for any situation can be empowering.
What is prepping?
The topic of prepping has become even more popular than before. Many people rely on the complex economic system to support their needs, but some people are opting out of this system at varying degrees and are taking matters into their own hands. Prepping is the process of preparing for the known and especially unknown events that happen in life. It is the mindset of learning to take care of yourself, your family, and your community. This type of mentality used to be common sense, but now it is sometimes seen as a fringe sub-culture. Major society-altering disasters are extremely common in the world’s history and large scale disasters are more common than we think.
Preppers focus on acquiring and producing the things they need to survive and storing these supplies for potential breaks in the system.
Why are we preparing?
Life is full of uncertainty and a crisis can happen at the most inopportune time. If we are aware of the risks and dangers that may threaten us we can be more prepared. Let’s take a look at some of those risks. Again, this is not to push you into a state of panic, but to empower you with the knowledge and foresight you may need to prepare for the future.
I have to be honest, right now I feel very unprepared and vulnerable. In about a half hour I am going to need to do my hula hoop workout and some yoga to clear my mind. I am actually very thankful that we are learning about these things.
I plan on writing fuller, more in-depth articles on each kind of crisis, but here is a little something to get us started.
Types of Crises:
- The Carrington Event
- EMP- Electromagnetic Pulse
- Economic / Financial Collapse
- Civil Unrest
- Peak Oil
- Martial Law
- Polar Shift
- “Natural” Disasters
- World War
Carrington Event 1859 | Most intense solar storm in history
Extreme solar storms can wreak havoc with earth’s technology. The Carrington Event was history’s most intense geomagnetic storm that wreaked havoc with technology.
This event took place a few months before the solar maximum of solar cycle 10. In August 1859, astronomers including Richard Carrington (an amateur sky-watcher near London) observed the number of sunspots on the solar disk increase.
A Sudden White Flash of Light
On September 1st, Carrington was sketching sunspots when he was suddenly blinded by a white flash of light. This event lasted for about 5 minutes. This flare was a coronal mass ejection (CME.) This CME traveled over 90 million miles (150 million km) in 17.6 hours, from the sun to Earth and unleashed its force on the planet. According to NASA, it usually takes several days for CMEs to reach Earth.
The Aftermath / An Uncommon Light Show
The day after Carrington’s alarming observation, earth experienced its most intense geomagnetic storm. It caused sparking, fires, and failures in telegraph stations cutting off communications around the world. According to NASA, it created auroral displays even visible in the tropics that were normally confined to polar latitudes.
The Northern Lights (aurora borealis) were seen as far south as Honolulu, Hawaii and Cuba. Meanwhile, the southern lights (aurora australis) were witnessed as far north as Santiago, Chile, according to National Geographic. This was the very first time that people around the world had witnessed the aurora.
What would the Carrington Event do today?
If a geomagnetic storm of that magnitude occurred today, it would cause widespread electrical disruptions, blackouts, and extensive damage due to the prolonged outages of the electrical power grid.
Our world is way more dependent on electricity than it was when the Carrington Event took place. If a similar solar flare that was pointed towards earth were to explode, it would cause severely unprecedented damage.
There could be years of power outages | It would be serious
Loyd’s of London conducted a 2013 study and estimated that electrical outages from a Carrington-level event could lead up to $2.6 trillion in lost revenue for the Northern American power industry alone.
Multiple year global blackouts could occur because an event of this magnitude could simultaneously destroy multiple extra-high-voltage transformers that are very difficult to replace.
This kind of event would cause major disruptions to:
- financial markets
- banking
- telecommunications
- business transactions
- emergency and hospital services
- the pumping of water and fuel
- food transport
Let’s take a moment to let this all sink in…
If the Carrington Event happened today essentially all the electronics in the entire world would have a real chance of failing. And the reason that they would fail is because electromagnetic energy at unprecedented levels would fry the circuitry.
This event happened over 100 years ago when we barely had any technology. There was so much power that the telegram systems were turning on when they weren’t connected to a power source. With the fine intricacies of today’s electronics, that level electromagnetic energy could take down the Chinese banking system.
Why does this matter?
China’s banking system operates off of a central financial database which has very little geographical redundancy much like the World Trade Center in 2001. No one stressed the importance of protecting this system from electromagnetic storms. That would be a huge problem because logistics could fail everywhere. Farmers need supplies to till their fields and need to know what to make.
The whole world probably wouldn’t starve overnight, but it would make everything a hell of a lot more difficult. Vehicles need an ECU (engine control unit) and many other electrical components to run. If the circuitry got fried by a Carrington level event then vehicles would stop functioning.
If it was just a nuclear EMP it would only affect a small area and the consequences would be comparatively minor. Let’s look at those next!
EMP – Electromagnetic Pulse
An Electromagnetic Pulse or EMP is an intense burst or electromagnetic energy caused by the rapid acceleration of charged particles (usually electrons.) The origin of an EMP can be natural or artificial, depending on its source. This pulse can occur as an electromagnetic field, electric field, magnetic field, or as a conducted electric current. An EMP can cause an electromagnetic interference that disrupts communications and damages electronic equipment.
A lightening strike is an EMP that gives rise to large electrical currents in nearby wires. A current surge can damage hardware such as computers and peripherals. Surge Protectors, AC outlets, and modem jacks should offer limited protection against EMPS that occur during thundershowers. However, the best mode of protection is to unplug modem lines of computers and AC cords when they are not in use.
Any nuclear bomb detonated in space can cause an EMP that will disrupt the unprotected infrastructure in a country. This induces destructive electrical currents in wireless antennas, telephone lines, and utility wires.
An EMP has no known effect on living organisms, but it can temporarily or permanently disable electrical and electronic equipment. Most electronics will not be affected by EMPs. As a whole, EMPs are NOT a serious threat.
Solar Flares
You probably remember that the Carrington Event was an example of a solar flare. I decided to bring it back here to share another lesser known example.
Solar flares are large explosions from the sun’s surface that emit intense bursts of electromagnetic radiation. These flares can last several minutes and be visible as bright flashes. These outbursts are linked to the (approximately 11 year) solar cycle driven by the sun’s magnetic field.
On March 13, 1989 the entire province of Quebec Canada suffered an electrical power blackout that was caused by a solar storm accompanied by a coronal mass ejection that hit earth. This event left millions without power and costed millions in damage. Substantial communications blackouts occurred as the burst caused short-wave radio interference. This included the jamming of radio signals from Radio Free Europe into Russia. The magnetic disturbance was so intense that the entire Quebec power grid lost power and sparked a 12 hour blackout. If we can learn more about the sun’s “space weather” then we can hopefully be prepared for the next storm.
Economic / Financial Collapse
Economic collapse is another key concern for preppers. When the economy of the United States spirals downwards, the value of the dollar goes down with it.
5 of the World’s most Devastating Examples in History:
- The Credit Crisis of 1772 This was a peacetime financial crisis that has been described as the first modern banking crisis faced by the Bank of England. It originated with the closing of two London banks and spread across England and Scotland and also Dutch banks. A dramatic rise in bankruptcies was observed after the crisis. This distressful turn of events is what gave rise to what we call the modern-day “American Revolution.” There’s more to it than this, but I wanted to sum it up as briefly as possible because we have a lot of material to cover. Please consult google for a more in depth description of “the credit crisis of 1772.”
- The Great Depression 1929 – 1939 This was the worst financial and economic disaster of the 20th century that was triggered by the Wall Street crash of 1929. Other causes of the crash were low wages, proliferation of debt, struggling agriculture, and an excess of bank loans that could not be liquidated.
- OPEC Oil Price Shock of 1973 This first oil crisis began when the members of OAPEC proclaimed an oil embargo. This embargo targeted the nations that supported Israel throughout the Yom Kippur War. By the end of the embargo in 1974, the oil price had risen nearly 300%.
- Asian Financial Crisis of 1997 This crisis started in 1997 in Thailand and rapidly spread throughout East Asia and its trading partners.
- The Financial Crisis of 2007-2008 This sparked the Great Recession which was the most severe financial crisis since the Great Depression.
Civil Unrest
According to Law Enforcement, civil unrest is typically defined as: “A gathering of 3 or more people in reaction to an event, with the intention of causing a public disturbance in violation of the law.”
Civil unrest involves damage to property or injury to people. Terrorism is a form of civil unrest.
The main causes of civil unrest are:
- Political grievances (including opposition to tyrannical governments.)
- Economic disputes
- Long-standing oppression
I plan on writing full article on “prepping for unrest,” so be sure to keep your eyes open for it.
The Rwandan Genocide which took place in 1994 is one of the most notorious modern genocides. During this 100 day period, nearly one million ethnic Tutsi and moderate Hutu were killed as the international community and UN peacekeepers stood by.
Peak Oil
Peak oil is the hypothetical point in time when the maximum rate of oil production is reached. It is argued that once this point is reached, production will be on an irreversible decline.
Martial Law
In the United States in the case of an emergency, martial law is a power that allows the military to take the place of the government and exercise jurisdiction over civilians. The unsettling truth is that “martial law” has no established definition. Across history, people have used the term ambiguously to describe actions, practices, or roles for the military.
Polar Shift (not likely)
The cataclysmic pole shift hypothesis is a claim based on pseudo-science. It claims that there have been recent geologically rapid shifts in the axis of rotation of earth. This shift may cause calamities such as rapid climate changes, floods, and tectonic events.
Geomagnetic pole reversals have taken place throughout earth’s history. Although they sound alarming, polar shifts take a very long time to occur and are not an immediate threat. The last polar shift took place 780,000 years ago.
“Natural” Disasters
A natural disaster is a large- scale geological or meteorological event that may cause the loss of life or property. These include:
- Tornadoes and Severe Storms
- Hurricanes and Tropical Storms
- Floods
- Wildfires
- Earthquakes
- Drought
- Heat Wave
- Tsunami
- Volcanic Activity / Super Volcanoes
The severity of the damage depends on the population’s resilience and available infrastructure.
The term “natural disaster” has been called a misnomer (since 1976)
In today’s modern world, it is difficult to draw the divide between natural, man-made, and man accelerated disasters. Human choices such as architecture, fire, resource management, and even climate change can potentially contribute to causing “natural disasters.” The combination of a hazard and the exposure of a vulnerable society can result in a disaster.
Some aggravating factors that contribute to natural disasters are:
- Climate change
- Inadequate building norms
- Marginalization of people
- Inequities
- Overexploitation of resources
- Extreme urban sprawl
The frequency and severity of disasters has escalated as a result of the rapid growth of the world’s population and increased concentration in hazardous areas.
Additional factors that make disaster prone areas more vulnerable:
- Tropical climate
- Unstable landforms
- Deforestation
- Unplanned growth proliferation
- Non-engineered constructions
If a region is adequately prepared and doesn’t have a vulnerable population then the adverse event is less likely to reach the level of disaster. Such an adverse event can have severe repercussions and leave lasting damage that takes years to repair.
World War
A world war is an international conflict which involves all or most of the world’s major powers. The past world wars were devastating in every way and I’m hoping and praying that we will not have another world war. At the same time, the sad truth is that it could happen.
Epidemic Vs. Pandemic
In survival circles the terms “pandemic” and “epidemic” are often mistakenly used interchangeably. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a pandemic refers to an epidemic that has spread over several countries or continents, usually affecting a large number of people. Does this sound familiar?!?! I’m stunned by how quickly we ran through the phases.
- Phase 1: Infections are limited to animals with no reported human infections.
- Phase 2: The animal virus has mutated and infected at least one human.
- Phase 3: Groups of humans in a single community have been infected. This may lead to an epidemic, but a pandemic may not necessarily happen next.
- Phase 4: Virus outbreaks have happened in multiple communities. At this point, it is still an epidemic and has not reached pandemic status.
- Phase 5: At least two countries within a region are reporting outbreaks. Most countries remain unaffected, but a pandemic is potentially imminent.
- Phase 6: Global pandemic is reached. At this point, government mitigation plans are underway with a goal stopping and preventing further spread of the disease.
Yikes! Even over 2 years later, I’m disturbed by the fact that we reached all of this checkpoints before we were fully aware of what was happening. When the world went into lockdown I felt completely unprepared and at the mercy of delivery services and the store’s limited hours.
It’s better to be in control rather than be controlled
Many people blamed various government agencies for failing to provide sufficient emergency response when Hurricane Katrina happened. While some of the blame was deserved, a fair amount of it was not. I don’t think that any government or agency would have been capable of handling a disaster of that magnitude without error.
As a prepper, you can take the responsibility for disaster readiness away from the government and agencies and put it into your own hands. This can be an empowering place to operate from. Control your own destiny rather than waiting around for someone else to control it for you.
Regardless of the severity of the disaster, resources are always going to be limited. I think that it is much better to prep for ourselves and our families and allow those limited resources to go to the people who really need them.
Would you rather be the girl who had the foresight to stock up on water and food and take care of your family or be the guy waiting in line for hours hoping that the resources and food don’t run out before his turn?
Prepping provides peace of mind
Being prepared for emergencies can provide peace of mind and self-assurance. As the supermarket shelves get cleaned out in anticipation of a coming storm; you don’t have to put yourself at risk to acquire supplies because you already have them.
Being prepared is Hot!
According to the pick-up artist community and a book by Neil Strauss called “The Game,” the #1 attractive trait in a man is survivability. I agree it is super attractive when a man knows how to survive, but as a woman I also think it is super important for women to have these survival skills too.
Thank goodness we are collecting these skills for our toolboxes. That way you won’t have to wait for your Prince (or Princess) Charming to rescue you because you can take care of yourself. And when you are autonomously independent and strong, just imagine how much more efficient you can be when you join forces with another strong person!
Let’s get prepping!
Moving forward we shall talk about strategies to prepare and mitigate the effects of both small and large disasters. We will talk about the essential emergency supplies to have on hand, acquiring food and clean water, how to create shelter in a pinch, and everything in between.
Have you ever heard of prepping? What does prepping mean to you? Do you have a survival plan in place? Comment below to share your thoughts!
Let’s learn and figure this out together!
-Alana
Very informational! Made me realized how unprepared I am. Thank you for sharing!
Thanks Lupe! I was feeling unprepared too, but I can tell that writing these posts will push me to continue to prepare for the future while staying present. We can learn together!