No power, no water, no problem. Here's exactly what you need to stay clean and manage waste safely during any disaster. In this post, we’re going to avoid getting our hands dirty while discussing the messy, but non-negotiable business of staying clean and using the bathroom at home in the absence of power and running water. As always, we’re going to discuss the supplies you need, how to connect the dots to set up your system and how to manage the remains. This essential daily

Preparing in an Apartment In talking to people, specifically those who live in urban settings, one of the most common barriers to prepping I encounter is the belief that apartment dwellers lack the space to store three weeks’ worth of food and water. It’s not a lack of space; it’s a lack of imagination and guidance. In this post, we’re going to identify places to store extra food and water when preparing for disasters in urban environments. No basement, no garage- no problem.

I’m going to indulge my inner nerd for a bit. Stay with me, though. It will all make sense in the end and build the case for how to survive a disaster regardless of whether you live in an affluent suburb or deep in the inner city. In comics, the universe is populated by animals, people, cosmic entities and abstract beings with abilities far beyond what humans can control or understand. Super strength, magic and energy projection, invulnerability, flight, elemental manipulatio

Preparing in an Apartment There’s no one size that fits all to becoming prepared. Prepping for disaster in a city apartment versus prepping in a 3,000 square foot suburban home is a matter of logistics. The same disaster, be it a flood or a tornado would look and play out different in a suburban setting than it would in a densely packed urban center. Even so, the process of preparing is the same; in the execution, specifically, the details matter most. This is the first of th

Guest Post by Tony C. We’ve all seen the ads. A rugged-looking bucket with a handle, promising "30 days of food security" for the low, low price of $249.99. It’s tempting. You click the link, look at the dehydrated "Mac and Cheese" or "Creamy Pasta Alfredo," and think, Is this what survival costs? For many, the sticker shock of professional prepping gear is enough to make them close the tab and hope for the best. But here is the truth the survival industry doesn’t want you to

In the prepping space, there’s no shortage of opinions on how to build a bug out bag and what to put in it. Bugging out is a regular and popular topic for both videos and podcasts alike. But the decision to bug out, to evacuate your home in the face of an impending disaster is far more nuanced. Such decisions shouldn’t be made quickly or lightly. Doing so can expose you to far greater risk than you’d have likely faced if you stayed home. In this post, I’m going to unpack some

In disasters, should you stay and die or, go and live? Is it really this simple? The decision to leave one’s home in the face of an...

In my last post, I highlighted the dearth of many practical and survival skills. Cooperages, blacksmiths, animal husbandry, hunting and...

Building a Community As the most social and successful animal on the planet, human beings are drawn to and comforted by the presence of other human beings. It’s pleasing to interact with those who are similar, sharing the same convictions, be they political, religious or cultural. Equally, opposites attract and people from different cultures associate amicably, marry and live happily ever after. However, sometimes it’s a bridge too far and try as you might, living alongside o

Guest Post by Michael H I am a fortunate man. Through hard work and some lucky breaks, I have arrived at the tail end of a long career in...

An Honest Assessment In the time since I wrote the original post, things have changed. I’ve also re-evaluated my positions on some of the...

People tend to think that preppers are preparing for an apocalyptic end of the world. Hollywood and popular culture put forth myths about...

In the nature of things, Life on earth can be broken down into a series of complex relationships we aren’t aware of and, in many cases,...

To my enormous disappointment, I missed the recent solar storm of a few nights ago. The light pollution from the massive footprint of...

How Do We Get There? The media, in sundry flavors, offers a plethora of confections overloaded with saccharine, high-fructose corn syrup...

As preppers, we tend to place a great deal of emphasis on food, water, and other supplies, as is appropriate. The third side of the...

I recently watched a prepper’s YouTube channel where he featured a video on surviving the zombie apocalypse in an urban environment. It...

Building a Community As the demographics of the country change, family dynamics are changing as are the activities of daily life. Families are reuniting as adult children move back home out of necessity. Increasingly, failing health and financial considerations are the most common factors driving this shift. People are living longer and this creates both opportunities and challenges for families as they adapt to provide care. My grandmother was retired for nearly thirty years

Operational Security or OpSec is another term bandied about in prepping circles. The term has its origins in the Vietnam War, and it...

Getting started on the road to becoming more self-reliant and resilient is a big step. For some, prepping is a hobby. For many others,...