SUSTAINABLE LIVING

AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS GUIDE

© 2005 The Golden Rule Organization

First Printing
 SUSTAINABLE LIVING AND EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS GUIDE

Table of Contents

Section 1: Overview

Introduction/Description of the Guide

What Are We Preparing For?

Making Plans

Sharing

Section 2: Emergency Prep

Water Storage

Food & Seed Storage

Sprouting

Clean Air

Nose & Mouth Protection

Other Barriers

First Aid Kit

Medical Supply List

Supply Checklist

Things That Would Be Good to Have

Portable Kit List

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Section 3: Personal Preparations – Body & Mind

Meditation/Discipline

Fasting

Sleep

Self-Defense/Defense of Others

Section 4: Long Term Preparations - Sustainability

Sustainable Housing

Soil less Agriculture

“Off The Grid” Energy

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Section 1

Introduction

As you can imagine, writing this guide elicits a mix of emotions. It is deeply
saddening that the world has come to the point where we find it necessary to
compile and share this information. It is unpleasant, to say the least, to spend
time thinking about and preparing for terrorist attacks, chemical warfare or
cataclysmic natural disasters. We all want to feel safe in our country, our
communities, and our homes.

But, let’s face it. It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark.

While it is difficult to think about events like these, our U.S. Federal
Government through the Homeland Security office has advised that we
prepare ourselves for many such “national emergencies”. Ironically, taking
time to think through and prepare for the possibility of these events actually
helps alleviate our fears by empowering us with both the knowledge and
supplies to protect our loved ones and ourselves.

Now seems like a good time for a quick paraphrase of a great, very old fable.
It’s very old (lasted so long) for a very good reason:

The Ant and the Grasshopper:

The ant works hard all summer long in the sweltering heat,
building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The
grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and
plays the summer away. Come winter, the ant is warm and well
fed. The grasshopper has no food or shelter so dies in the cold.

Fairly blunt, but it’s true. And given that you are reading this guide right now,
we suspect your instincts compel you to follow the ant’s lead. Better safe than
sorry, right? We agree.

Along those lines, we are pleased to share this guide with you. Our guide is
divided into four main sections.

Section 1 (where you are now) provides an overview of why we’ve prepared
this guide, what you can expect to find inside, as well as overall planning
information.

Section 2 covers emergency planning in detail. This section, along with the
information on the Homeland Security site www.ready.gov, offers volumes of
practical information i.e. supplies lists, emergency plans, etc., to help with
your preparations. This section reiterates much of the logistical information
contained in the ready.gov website, with the addition of our comments on

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those topics, as well as some stand-alone contributions of ours, which are
noted in green.

Section 3 deals with a different type of preparedness, mental and emotional.

In addition to lists, supplies, plans, etc., we cannot stress enough the effect
preparation of the mind will have in a crisis. Since the tragedy of September
11th, there have been volumes written about the different emotional reactions
and coping strategies people exhibit in a crisis. We now know more than ever
how much the state of our minds affects not only our physical survival, but
also our emotional state, and our ability to help others around us. Section 3
covers these unique, yet timeless ways to prepare your mind and body for
uncertain times. We think this is a “bonus” section for sure, since these
practices will pay off big in your day to day life, whether there is a national
emergency or not. Good stuff all around.

Section 4 discusses long term planning and preparedness. It covers

sustainability and earth-friendly ways to live, which provide survival methods
in the event a national emergency runs longer than the government
preparedness standard of three days. (Hmmm, what are the odds of that?) In
the event your three days of supplies run out, what then? How prepared are
you to live “off the grid” and get by with no electricity, running water or
phones? There are volumes to cover on this topic alone, and our guide only
skims the surface of this subject. But we think even an introduction is helpful
and consider it time well spent to think about living under those conditions.
Like we said, this is just the tip of the iceberg, and you’ll probably want to
spend some time researching more in depth on your own.

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What are we preparing for?

This is the hard part. Having to think about the variety of emergencies we
face as a nation and as a planet due to the choices we, the “human family”,
have made. There are some natural forces already set in motion which are
irreversible. And make no mistake about it; we have irreparably damaged the
earth, our environment and our atmosphere. At the risk of sounding like the
voice of doom and gloom, for these threats, it’s not a matter of if, but when.
As far as man-made threats like wars and terrorist activity, we can’t be as
certain. But let’s face it; things don’t look good there either.

Obviously, some preparations such as determining your family

communications plan, collecting supplies and preparing emergency kits are
the same for any type of emergency, whether natural or man-made.
Regardless of the crisis, your priorities are always the same - shelter, clean
air, water and food. However, as you can imagine, there are differences
among potential threats which affect the choices you will make, and the
actions you will take. We understand this is very hard to think about. But take

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heart; with a little planning and common sense, you can be fairly prepared -
even for the unexpected.

Man-Made Threats

The ready.gov site discusses the differences in planning for nuclear, chemical,
biological, radiation or explosion threats. Of course, much of your emergency
plans will be the same, but there are a few differences which are worth
reviewing. There will be critical choices to make, such as whether to stay put
or evacuate, which may differ by the specific crisis. A biological or chemical
threat, for example, is harder to detect and respond to than an explosion.
There might also be times to seek fresh air vs. sealing off external air sources.
Since the government site covers these emergency plans in detail, we won’t
repeat it all here, but strongly recommend a read of the site for more
specifics.

Natural Disasters

As far as preparing for natural disasters, the first step is finding out what the
greatest threats in your area are. If you’ve lived in your area any length of
time, you probably already know. But if you’re new to town, some of the risks
in your community might surprise you. Flooding for example is actually
considered the nation's single most common natural disaster and occurs in
every U.S. state.

Related to flooding and many times the cause of severe floods, are hurricanes.
A hurricane is a severe tropical storm that forms at sea then rolls onto land
with incredible winds and rain, wreaking havoc and destruction on cities and
towns in its path. Fortunately, thanks to advancements in science, hurricanes
are rarely a complete surprise anymore. Scientists can now predict their
movement with reasonable accuracy - enough to at least give people living in
coastal communities time to evacuate. But when the evacuation order comes,
do you really want to be in line at home depot with everyone else in town
getting duct tape for your windows? Always better to plan ahead and beat the
crowd to the highway.

Earthquakes are another of Mother Nature’s dramatic performances. Most

people think of earthquakes as a predominately West Coast threat, but it
might surprise you to learn that 45 states and territories in the United States
are actually considered at moderate to high risk for quakes. Is your state
among them? And like earthquakes, tornados are another type of sudden,
violent event. While there are specific states at highest risk considered part of
“Tornado Alley,” tornados can occur anywhere.

The list of threats goes on and preparations and responses vary among
potential disasters. Regarding natural disasters, the best defense is awareness
and preparation. In addition to asking local authorities and community
service centers for the most likely disasters in your area, we recommend the

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following link to information provided by FEMA, (Federal Emergency
Management Agency) for information on earthquakes, extreme heat, fires,
floods, hurricanes, landslide and debris flow (mudslide), thunderstorms,
tornados, tsunamis, volcanoes, wildfires and winter storms, extreme cold, etc.
http://www.fema.gov/hazards.

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Making Plans

An important first step in preparedness in putting together and

communicating a comprehensive family plan. It is critical that all members of
your family understand exactly how to communicate with each other, and
where to meet in the event of an emergency.

There are many factors which contribute to your plans. You need to consider
the variety of different threats we face, as well as the fact that your family may
not all be in the same location when a crisis occurs. In general, the following
are key factors to consider in developing your plans.

1) Deciding Whether to Evacuate or "Shelter in Place"

The nature of the attack affects this critical decision, and of course, you
should be prepared for either. You will have to use whatever information
is available, as well as your common sense and intuition to make this
critical decision. Be sure to check any radio and TV stations if available to
get an idea of what is happening “out there” and whether or not there are
specific instructions from officials to stay put or evacuate. On the off
chance you unable to even communicate with loved ones who are away
from home at the time of an emergency, be sure everyone in your family is
familiar with the factors to consider regarding evacuation vs. staying put.
(Note: See Other Barriers in Section 2 for more specifics on “sheltering in
place”.)

2) Arranging Meeting Places

For an evacuation, have a pre-arranged meeting place in case you are in

different locations when trouble breaks out. Be sure you have several
destinations selected (both inside and outside of your immediate area),
since it is possible there will be barriers or roadblocks to one or more of
them. Again, communication is critical in the event you can’t reach each
other by phone. Make sure your family thoroughly reviews these plans in
advance.

3) Selecting a Contact Person

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 Select an out-of-town contact and be sure you contact this person as to
your whereabouts if you are evacuating. This contact could be critical in
case long distance calls are easier to get out than local calls and you need
to confirm the safety of other family members. Be sure everyone in your
family keeps this contact information on them at all times and has a cell
phone and pre-paid phone card in case it is needed to place the call.

4) Knowing Plans of Schools, Daycares, Work Places, etc.

Check into the emergency plans at these places. Be sure you have a way to
communicate with your loved ones at all times, especially your children.
Make sure you understand what the school’s or daycare’s policies are, and
how you will be able to reach your children in an emergency. What are
their emergency communication plans? Do they store extra food or
supplies? Are they prepared to “shelter-in-place”? Do they have vehicles
for an evacuation? Having these questions answered is important, but at
the same time, don’t rely on these institutions and their staff to protect
your family. Take responsibility to make sure your children understand
what they should do if they are at school, or anywhere away from home.
Be very specific regarding whom they should call, where they should go (if
anywhere) or whether they are to wait for you there. Preparing your
children can be done without frightening them. Just imagine how much
LESS frightened they’ll be in an emergency if they have talked extensively
about these scenarios with you in advance.

5) Planning if You’re in a Car

If you are in a moving vehicle when trouble breaks out, be sure you can
stay in control of the vehicle, and if not, stop and pull over. Listen to the
radio for instructions on routes, crisis details, evacuation orders, etc. Also,
stay away from power lines, as well as questionably stable bridges,
overpasses, etc. You’ll need to decide which action is safest, to continue
driving, or get out of the car and “shelter” somehow. We also strongly
recommend you keep your gas tanks nearly full and a portable supply kit
in your car at all times, so you will always be ready. To consider the
importance of something like this, imagine being on your way home for
work, turning on the radio, and an emergency breaks out. You’ve got a
plan to head for the hills. It’s a 200-mile drive, but you’ve only got a
quarter tank of gas. The lines at the gas stations are backed up into the
street. And, by the time you get to the front of that line, there’s no more
gas. Wouldn’t you rather be the one skipping town while all the other cars
are trying to get gas? Again, every minute counts.

6) Planning if You’re in a High Rise Building

If you work in a high rise, be sure you have familiarized yourself with
multiple exit options. Even if you are only in one periodically, it is still
wise to take a minute to learn exit routes. Depending on the nature of the

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 threat, you will need to decide whether to stay put or evacuate. Be sure
you stay away from glass that could break, and objects that could fall on
top of you, like bookshelves, file cabinets, etc. And always stay away from
elevators since the electricity that powers them is likely to go, and you
could easily find yourself trapped inside.

There are more considerations in developing your family plan like handling
pets, accommodating illness, religious preferences, etc., which vary with
individual families. We can’t begin to address them all here (or we will never
finish this resource, which is long enough in the making already ☺). Our hope
is simply to provide an overview of the factors for discussion within your
family, and get you on your way to achieving the sense of security in these
insecure times which only good planning can provide.

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Sharing

We decided many years ago that we wanted to be able to help our rural
neighbors, in the eventuality of them losing their homes, farms or businesses
from natural disasters like tornadoes, ice storms, drought, etc., or man-made
problems like energy blackouts, etc., or whatever reason. We wanted to be
able to have emergency supplies on hand for ourselves, as well as other good
people who deserve help. That became impossible at the time, but it’s still
something we’re hoping for and working on. Of course, that doesn’t apply to
scum like looters, and those who were aware they should have some things
saved for hard times, but chose to ignore it over spending money on “good
times”. We recommend that you decide ahead of time if you want to share
your supplies with good friends, family or neighbors, or deliberately
insufficiently prepared people (like those who laughed and made fun of Noah
when he was building his ark), looters, raiders, thugs, etc., or if you want to
hide and defend your family’s supplies – which may be the only things that
will keep them alive. Don’t wait to make such a decision until you are
panicking. Living in isolated, wide-open areas, lessens the amount of extra
supplies and food for neighbors.

In addition to sharing with your neighbors, make time to plan together in

your community for potential threats. Working together with your neighbors
in advance of an emergency can have great advantages when crisis hits. For
example, find out what specialized equipment your neighbors might have that
could benefit everyone. Also, it is a good idea to consider elderly or disabled
friends nearby. Who will be able to look in on them or help them evacuate?
Consider if your kids or your neighbor’s aren’t home at the time of a breakout.
For example, if they were on their way home from school, it might be easier
for them to get to a neighbor’s house until you can come for them. Talking
with neighbors and planning together as a group is a positive, productive idea

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that will benefit everyone in the long run and encourage good will in your
daily lives now.

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Section 2: Emergency Preparedness

This section is all about details. The logistics, supply lists and suggestions
here are very specific. Beginning with the header, “Water Storage”, this
section is primarily a compilation of government advice from www.ready.gov
(in black) with our comments and additional advice in green (unless
otherwise noted).

The info from the ready.gov site is actually very good news in several ways.
For one, it’s advice that includes the recommendations of minimums
regarding emergency and food ideas. The "at least" minimums appear to
contradict rumors of previous laws that make it illegal to store things for
more than a certain number of days (calling it "hording"). We’ve heard (not
from a totally reliable source) that during the Carter administration, an anti-
hording law (what allegedly amounted to an anti-emergency preparations
law) was passed, limiting the legal amount of food to have on hand for
emergencies, to either 3 or 5 days (can’t remember the exact number). This
law was supposedly passed along with the presidential emergency powers.
You will need to do a lot of your own research work here, to determine the
truth. We don’t have the links, but if you search Google or such, you might be
able to find them easily. One thing this alleged presidential emergency
powers act did (which allegedly is similar to what going from code orange to
code red would do – but it’s hard to get specifics), was not only give the
government through FEMA or whatever, the right to take anything you have
and “redistribute”, but even “redistribute” people, even family. It’s not
reading for the weak of heart.

The government recommendation for quantities of on-hand supplies is

generally based on having at least a 3-day supply of items. We stress the at
least part, and feel strongly that it is wise to prepare for far longer than that.
While there are plenty of items that would be “nice” to have on hand, your top
priorities are always shelter, clean, breathable air, fresh water and food.

Water Storage

One gallon of water per person per day, for drinking and sanitation.
We believe that a person needs more than that just for drinking per
day, let alone for sanitation, and growing food or sprouting. So we
believe it’s wiser to store more, or have a source of purifyable or pure
water that is not reliant on anything other than independent resources.
For instance, your own wells. While sanitation can also be
supplemented by Betadine, a special iodine that also kills HIV (if it has
nonoxynol 9 in it – some don’t), Betadine cannot be used for water
purification; it may kill you if you ingest it.
There are special types of iodine tablets (that can even be kept in your
car) for purifying water and helping prevent radiation from getting to

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 your thyroid glands – I believe that it’s called potassium iodide. We
use a brand called IOSAT. It is available from www.nukepills.com, and
other places if you search Google or Yahoo!.
Some of our sources have indicated that there will literally be “water
wars” in the future. Everything on this list is serious, but think about
how vital water is to your life, and think about what you can do to
cleanly store it. If you are storing water in jugs (see below), make sure
you rotate it out every 30 days or so. Reason being, it can get mold or
other contamination from sitting there for long times.
Children, nursing mothers, and sick people may need more water.
If you live in a warm weather climate more water may be necessary.
Store water tightly in clean plastic containers such as soft drink
bottles. We use the clear 5-gallon polycarbonate jugs that are typical
“Water delivery company” bottles, rather than the “cloudy” type of
plastic often found in stores.
Keep at least a three-day supply of water per person. Yeah, just in case
there is only a 3-day disruption, rather than a week, month or years.

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Food & Seed Storage

Make sure you have proper nutrition.

Store at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food. Again, note
the “at least” part.
Select foods that require no refrigeration, preparation or cooking and
little or no water.
Pack a manual can opener and eating utensils.
Choose foods your family will eat. Nice to think about, but we think
they will get over being “picky” pretty fast.
Ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits and vegetables
Protein or fruit bars
Dry cereal or granola
Peanut butter
Dried fruit
Nuts
Crackers
Canned juices
Non-perishable pasteurized milk. If you avoid dairy in your diet, you
could try stocking up on non-perishable boxed milks such as soy, rice,
almond or oat. Although this can get a little pricey and bulky, these are
readily available at any grocery store and are a good alternative to
inorganic powdered milk or other foods that may contain “mad cow”.
High energy foods
Vitamins

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 Food for infants. This doesn’t mean you should have stockpiles of jars
of pre-fab baby food. Many household foods can provide infants over
3-4 months old healthful and easily digestible meals (especially since
infants less than a year old still derive much of their nutrition from
breast milk or formula anyway.) Simply by mashing with a fork and
properly straining for the age of the baby, most canned fruits, veggies
and cooked grains will provide all the solid foods an infant needs.
There is no question that breast milk is nutritionally ideal for infants.
But in this scenario, breast-feeding is even more optimal. In addition
to knowing your baby is receiving a perfect nutritional balance,
offering the breast at mealtime is quicker and easier. There is no
mixing with water, finding the right temperature or
washing/sterilizing of bottles to worry about. And most important,
nursing offers the priceless bonus of much needed comfort to both
mother and baby during trying times.
Comfort/stress foods
Supplements - We use Oregacyn, garlic, Sambucol, Mivita mineral
creams and liquids and high quality multi-vitamins like Essentially All
“A to Z” from Alacer. We also use some products from the company
“Pure”. With all supplements, we also make sure we use veggie caps,
(not gelatin that are animal derived capsules) or no capsules at all.

Selecting and Storing Seeds (Although in black, this entire section from us,
not the ready.gov site.)

There are basically two kinds of seeds, hybrid, and non-hybrid. Many hybrid
seeds are ones you can’t grow a plant with, to make future plants or seeds
from it. Non-hybrids you can. Breaking it down further, there are genetically
modified and irradiated foods, seeds and seasonings (that you’ll need to
research for yourself). Then, there are organic, inorganic and “heritage seeds”
(from very old strains that have been hearty enough to be around for a long
time, and are rapidly disappearing). Other considerations include seeds that
grow well in the area you live in, as well as seeds that are able to handle more
extreme climates and altitudes. Another factor is hydroponics vs. soil growing
seeds. There is too much with the variety of seeds out there to explain here, so
we’ll send you to some books we’ve enjoyed like “The Secret Life of Plants”
and “Secrets of the Soil” for more reading.

Be sure you store your seeds or food in bug and rodent proof containers away
from extreme heat and cold. The cooler it is, the longer they will last. Also,
consider having seeds that can handle being packed in a nitrogen
environment, canned with nitrogen rather than air. But some need to be
stored in air. Many “Mormons” (LDS – Church of Latter Day Saints) have
their own canning and nitrogen devices, and can often tell you about good
deals on bulk food. Thus far, they have been helpful to us, even though we are
not part of their religion. But as hard times appear to get closer, they may

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restrict this. If you have friends, neighbors or family who feel as you, you may
be able to share costs of canning machines, buying bulk, nitrogen etc. But
remember to stay within the legal limits of what you are allowed to have.

One last piece of advice on this is that even large Tupperware® tubs can be
invaded by rats. Yep, it’s true. Those creatures can, and have, and will gnaw
right through thick, plastic tubs. So, canning and glass jars are a better
alternative. Other alternatives for food you need to access regularly are five
gallon plastic buckets that are available through many suppliers.

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Sprouting (Although in black, this entire section from us, not the
ready.gov site.)

Sprouting is a very interesting natural process. For the amount you can store,
you can make much more food, and live food that still has much nutrition and
enzymes. If you don’t want to eat sprouts, or you want to eat some but not all,
you can grow the plants to make more, or other types of food. For instance,
you can plant peas and grow them, or sprout them. Almost all seeds can be
sprouted. And many are delicious – like sunflower seeds, almonds, radish
seeds, etc.

If you don’t do it properly (or store properly), sprouts (and seeds/nuts) can be
contaminated with bacteria or mold, so make sure you know what you’re
doing.

Sprouting seeds does require water, but still provides much more living, raw
food than eating cooked grains. It’s like “baby produce” and if you think of it
that way, it is easier to enjoy it, since much of what we eat, and pay more for
at the grocery store because they are “baby” or “young” vegetables, more tasty
and tender, etc. So, one can “multiply” one can of dried seeds or beans, into a
bountiful mini-farm of live, nutritious, enzyme-rich “baby produce” that can
last far longer than many cans of food.

Sprouting information and free sprout making device plans are plentiful on
the internet, and some health food stores. For example, check out
http://www.sproutpeople.com http://www.sprouting.com, and also
http://chetday.com/sprouts.html Very small scale “supplemental” sprouting
accessories are also usually available at health food stores. While most people
are familiar with alfalfa sprouts and mung beans, you can make great salads
from most anything that has a seed, beans, lentils, etc.

If there is ever anything that causes the Sun to be blocked out for a period of
time because of dust in the air (like Volcanic eruptions or nuke war), plants

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will die and you won’t be able to grow anything. Some mushrooms and
sprouts can be grown in the dark. And when things “clear up”, you’ll need
seeds to start the life cycle of food and crops again.

While “easy” or auto-sprouting kits and supplies are nice to use, the
wonderful thing about sprouting is that almost any container will do in a
pinch. All that is really needed to sprout is seeds, a container, water and a
place to drain. We’ve often used just a Pyrex® bowl for lentils and mung
beans with great success. Of course, certain seeds are heartier and easier than
others. Mungs, lentils and almonds for example are among the easiest to
sprout. They also make great “stir-fried” oriental meals (although you lose
some of the nutritional value by cooking them. We believe that enzymes are
destroyed at about 110 degrees F).

Here’s a brief primer on sprouting properly:

Read “How to sprout” books or info.

Measure seeds and remove sticks, broken seeds, etc.
Rinse seeds in clean water.
Soak seeds for appropriate time (usually 8-24 hours depending on
seed type – see recommended websites for additional information)
Rinse seeds thoroughly using a colander if available or just by filling
the bowl/container with water, swishing your hand around gently so
every thing moves freely and drain by pouring the water through your
hand at the side of the bowl. Be sure you drain all the water out so the
seeds are not sitting in a puddle.
Repeat rinsing thoroughly every 8-12 hours until ready.
Allow sprouts to dry thoroughly before putting into a refrigerator or
cooler.

As we mentioned, you can sprout in something as simple as a glass dish, but

there are 2 recommended traditional methods: jars and cloth.

For jars, we recommend wide mouth canning jars that can be found at
Wal-Mart®, hardware and other stores (or the web). You will also need
mesh screens to allow water to drain through while keeping your seeds
intact.
Jar sprouting is simple. Put seeds in the jar, add water for soaking, and
put the lid on. After the soak and during draining every 8 hours or so,
simply invert the jar allowing all the water to drain out. After draining,
prop the jar up at a 45-degree angle (to keep leftover water draining)
and leave on a counter until the next rinsing.
For cloth sprouting first soak the seeds in a flat-bottom container.
When the soak is complete, rinse thoroughly using a strainer. Next,
line the flat-bottom container with a wet 100% cotton cloth. We
recommend unbleached, natural organic cotton cloth available at

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 health food stores. Spread the seeds over the cloth evenly and cover
with a second wet cloth. In place of underwater rinsing, simply
sprinkle water over the cloth to wet seeds. If very dry, you can remove
the seeds and thoroughly re-wet the cloths.

As you can see, sprouting is an easy, low-tech way to make volumes of

nutrition-packed living, fresh food during times when a trip to the local
grocery store simply might not be an option. Whether for emergency
preparedness or just vital living, we suggest you give sprouting a try. As with
anything, it is best to be knowledgeable before a crisis strikes anyway.

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Clean Air

Many potential terrorist attacks could send tiny microscopic "junk" into the
air. For example, an explosion may release very fine debris that can cause
lung damage. A biological attack may release germs that can kill or make you
very ill, especially if inhaled or absorbed through open cuts. Many of these
agents can only hurt you if they get into your body, so think about creating a
barrier between yourself and any contamination.

We use industrial strength ozone machines, that kill molds and germs on
contact (model pro-3600-5 by crystal air Canada, Inc.). I wouldn’t breathe the
air from it though, because it is so strong. Some units have remote controls so
you can turn them on and off without being in the room. We believe it can kill
all viruses, but obviously check with your doctor or experts. Industrial
strength ozone machines can also be used for anything that is “dirty” or
possibly contaminated with germs/mold. Ozone destroys rubber though, so
make sure you don’t use it around anything that has rubber parts. We’ve used
it in closed closets for things we buy out, or take out in airports etc., like
luggage, clothes, packages, etc. It can also be rotated or taken from
uninhabited rooms, to another room, etc., to ozone sterilize entire rooms at a
time. There is much disagreement about ozone’s effectiveness and safety, so
check with your physician before using them.

We also use Sharper Image’s Ionic Breeze (in particular, their model with
germicidal protection), 24/7. It puts out negative ions, safe levels of ozone (in
our opinion) to run on a constant basis, plus it runs the air through
germicidal UV light tubes. Using multiple units appears to be great for
helping keep colds/flu from traveling from person to person in a household.
Its only downside in our opinion is also one of its strengths – it barely uses
any electricity and is silent, because it draws air through it without fans. You
also never need to replace filters, just pop them out and clean them
periodically. They offer a satisfaction guarantee, a free mini-unit for
bathrooms, and if you buy two, you get the second at half-price.

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We also use the Oreck air cleaner (www.oreck.com), because it moves such a
high volume of air through it, uses negative ions, and a filter to trap tiny
particles.

For those who take their preparedness real seriously, a whole-house air
purification for CBR (chemical, biological, radiation) system can stop the
most insidious bio-terror attack when used properly, and your house is sealed
with plastic sheeting or whatever, to keep other outside sources of air from
getting in. Here are a couple companies who do this: www.casadavida.com,
www.americansaferoom.com.

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Nose and Mouth Protection

Facemasks are great, or in a pinch, dense-weave cotton material that snugly

covers your nose and mouth and is specifically fit for each member of the
family, is another way to go. This is also great for preventing spreading
airborne diseases to members of your family or others. Do whatever you can
to make the best fit possible for children. Snugly covering – in other words,
no air leaks, is very important. Also, check out special germ masks available
at most pharmacies, although, fit is often a problem. Some companies make
surgical-like masks especially for such problems. But the most effective, most
difficult to use, and one that requires replacement filters (other than military-
type masks) are called “HEPA filters”. We have found them online for as little
as $20 bucks each. Having extras in cars is smart too, if you have to be out
shopping or working.

Be prepared to improvise with what you have on hand to protect your nose,
mouth, eyes and cuts in your skin. Anything that fits snugly over your nose
and mouth, including any dense-weave cotton material, can help filter
contaminants in an emergency. It is very important that most of the air you
breathe comes through the mask or cloth, not around it. Do whatever you can
to make the best fit possible for children. There are also a variety of
facemasks readily available in hardware stores that are rated based on how
small a particle they can filter in an industrial setting.

Military gas masks and suits like those used by US and foreign troops (if they
are made for bio-agents, not just tear gas) are the ultimate protection. But the
filters have limited life before becoming inactive or clogged.
According to a military reserve MD, NOT rubbing your eyes or touching your
face is very important also. So is maintaining a strong immune system. One
MD we know said that in medical school they were shown that spraying
germs right in their nostrils, did not cause them to get the cold/flu germs, but
getting it in your eye, either directly or via touching something with the germs
and then later rubbing your eyes, did cause them to “catch” it.

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Another good daily sanitation practice is following the lead of the Japanese.
Taking off your shoes indoors, taking a shower when getting home, wearing
masks in public, and switching to indoor masks at home, can prevent passing
on many viruses. Remembering how bad colds and other diseases can make
you feel, the risks involved, the lost work time, etc., will help you take these
simple precautions seriously. They can just become as natural a part of your
daily routine as wearing clothes when you go out, or washing your hands after
using the bathroom, is.

Visualizing good health is a good practice also.

Given the different types of attacks that could occur, there is not one solution
for masking. For instance, simple cloth facemasks can filter some of the
airborne "junk" or germs you might breathe into your body, but will probably
not protect you from chemical gases. Still, something over your nose and
mouth in an emergency is better than nothing. Limiting how much "junk"
gets into your body may impact whether or not you get sick or develop
diseases. We agree, something is better than nothing, and everyone can afford
old clothes form Goodwill or the Salvation Army.

It’s incredible what great buys you can find at your local thrift stores. That
goes for regular times too – you can get great looking clothes, linens, etc., for
pennies on the dollar. You’ll save a fortune, too, which is important right now,
especially if you’re trying to put together a whole package of emergency
preparedness in all areas of your life. Some people have stocked up on extra
blankets, sleeping bags, sweaters, hats, gloves, boots (be sure to put some
anti-fungal powder or cream in them before you use them) and coats, and
spent maybe 5% of what we would have. You will also find odds and ends that
may come in handy. It’s great. Most towns have one, and major cities have
several, some being as large as a regular department store. You’ll find them
under “thrift” in the yellow pages, or sometimes under “clothing-used”.
There are of course, the well-known chains like Salvation Army, Good Will
and Savers, which we’ve seen in multiple states. I have noticed that Savers
runs quite a bit higher in general price-wise than Salvation Army. Take one of
your days off and go “thrifting”. This is another way that you can affordably
have extra items on hand for other people you encounter who are in need.

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Other Barriers

Heavyweight plastic garbage bags or plastic sheeting

Duct tape
Scissors

There are circumstances when staying put and creating a barrier between
yourself and potentially contaminated air outside, a process known as

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"shelter-in-place," is a matter of survival. You can use these things to tape up
windows, doors and air vents if you need to seal off a room from outside
contamination. Consider precutting and labeling these materials. Anything
you can do in advance will save time when it counts.

Use available information to assess the situation. If you see large amounts of
debris in the air, or if local authorities say the air is badly contaminated, you
can use these things to tape up windows, doors and air vents if you need to
seal off a room. Read more on the ready.gov preparedness site: Deciding to
Stay or Go.

HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air Filtration) Filter Fans

Once you have sealed a room with plastic sheeting and duct tape you may
have created a better barrier between you and any contaminants that may be
outside. However, no seal is perfect and some leakage is likely. In addition to
which, you may find yourself in a space that is already contaminated to some
degree. Hardware stores like Home depot carry some stuff for blocking
certain fumes and sanding, etc.

Consider a portable air purifier, with a HEPA filter, to help remove

contaminants from the room where you are sheltering. These highly efficient
filters have small sieves that can capture very tiny particles, including some
biological agents. Once trapped within a HEPA filter contaminants cannot get
into your body and make you sick. While these filters are excellent at filtering
dander, dust, molds, smoke, biological agents and other contaminants, they
will not stop chemical gases. They also won’t work unless your electric power
is working. Some people, particularly those with severe allergies and asthma,
use HEPA filters in masks, portable air purifiers as well as in larger home or
industrial models to continuously filter the air.

Remember, portable HEPA filters are a great idea, so are ozone machines
which kill many things on contact, but both require electricity. Secondly, you
will need fresh air. In the 1950’s, Bio/Radiological/Chem Vent Filters were
plentiful. If you know of any now, please pass on the info to us, so we can
pass it on.

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First Aid Kit

In any emergency a family member or you yourself may be cut, burned or

suffer other injuries. If you have these basic supplies you are better prepared
to help your loved ones when they are hurt. Remember, many injuries are not
life threatening and do not require immediate medical attention. Knowing
how to treat minor injuries can make a difference in an emergency. Consider

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taking a first aid class, but simply having the following things can help you
stop bleeding, prevent infection and assist in decontamination.

Having a copy of “Where there is no doctor” by David Werner with your first
aid kit is also a great idea. It covers basic care that can be done by people
without any medical training.

Also, here are some tips from an MD that everyone should be aware of:

Blood loss from an injury can be far more dangerous than the injury itself.
Firm steady pressure on a bleeding wound, using sterile pads, can control the
bleeding enough to save a life. If the pads get soaked through, add more on
top and keep pressing (don’t remove the soaked ones or you can disturb the
forming clot).

Infection of wounds can be reduced by using only sterile dressings, and

cleaning your hands thoroughly with a sanitizer or soap and water before
touching the wound. Of course, take into account how much time you have to
do this. Stopping major bleeding immediately is the first priority.

Shock is what happens when the circulation isn’t delivering enough

nutrients and oxygen to the body. Knowing the signs of shock and what to do
when you see it can be a lifesaver. A person in shock looks pale or gray, with
cool, moist skin, rapid, weak pulse, and fast, shallow breathing. If a person
seems to be in shock, lay them down comfortably, and stop any external
bleeding. Elevate their feet slightly, and turn their head to one side in case
they vomit. Cover them lightly to keep them warm. Get help as soon as
possible.

If someone is unconscious, think "ABC". A = airway. Check the mouth and

throat for anything blocking the breathing passages. B = breathing. Is the
person breathing on her own? C = circulation. Is the heart beating? If an
object is blocking the breathing passages, you can use the Heimlich maneuver
to pop it out. If you know CPR you can support their breathing and
circulation using that. Even if you don’t know these techniques, checking
airway, breathing and circulation will help you understand the situation
better and give that information to emergency workers.

There are often free or low cost classes put on by townships, fire departments
or Red Cross, which teach CPR and resuscitation. It’s definitely a good idea to
have these skills, and they’re so easy to learn. Even children can learn certain
things and should be taught. This will empower them and insure that they can
help someone to the best of their ability if the need arises and there’s no adult
around to help in an emergency.

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Medical Supply List

Basic Supplies

Two pairs of Latex, or other sterile gloves (if you are allergic to Latex).
Sterile dressings to stop bleeding as well as dress wounds.
Cleansing agent/soap and antibiotic towelettes to disinfect. There are
also new antibacterial and antiviral sanitizing lotions in some hospitals
that have replaced part of the hand scrubbing routine that surgeons
do. Isopropyl alcohol and hydrogen peroxide are also useful for
cleaning and sanitizing.
Antibiotic ointment to prevent infection.
Burn ointment to prevent infection.
Aloe Vera plants are the best we’ve found for external burns externally,
and many internal problems (don’t internally consume the part close
to the inner skin though, unless you want to vomit.)
Adhesive bandages in a variety of sizes.
Eye wash solution to flush the eyes or as general decontaminant. Be
sure to have an eyecup or syringe along with the solution. The eye
wash solution can be used to wash wounds also.
Thermometer (Read more: Biological Threat)
Prescription medications you take every day such as insulin, heart
medicine and asthma inhalers. You should periodically rotate
medicines to account for expiration dates.
Prescribed medical supplies such as glucose and blood pressure
monitoring equipment and supplies.
Scissors
Tweezers
Tube of petroleum jelly or other lubricant
Numbing agents, like Eugenol, Clove, “Hurricane” (a benzocaine
dental numbing gel), etc., often included in another important product
– emergency temporary dental kits available at most pharmacies.
Castor oil, also known as Palma Christi from ancient times. That
translates to ‘Palm of Christ”. The reason for this is that it was revered
for its amazing healing properties. Other than the well-known laxative
effect it has, it’s been used for ages on bruises and sore muscles. It was
also used in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s for ringworm and other
annoying skin eruptions. You can read more about it online also, and
it’s a useful and inexpensive addition to your first aid kit.
Thieves Oil. This aromatic oil blend is a centuries old formulation,
containing clove, rosemary, citrus and other extracts, is said to kill
many organisms on contact. As the story goes, it was concocted during
the great Plague of the 1500’s and used to help prevent thieves from
becoming ill. It’s touted as a great sterilizer, and some say, it can help
protect you from airborne organisms too. You’ll find many links online
for it.

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 Betadine for preventing infection. See Water Storage section for more
information, and remember, you CANNOT ingest Betadine.

Also for preventing infection, there is a company that makes silver

impregnated bandages that says it prevents infection, (we just saw some at
Wal-Mart too) even without any other treatment. It is an old folklore, and
likely to be true in our opinion that silver coins can be placed directly on a
wound, and taped on to prevent infection. In the old days, some people would
throw silver coins into their well to keep it pure from bacteria.

For radioactive decontamination there is also a product just approved by the

FDA called radiogardase. You take it orally, and it binds to certain radioactive
chemicals found in “dirty bombs” and helps your body clear them out faster.
You will need a prescription for this, though.

Non-prescription Drugs

Potassium Iodide (Read more: Nuclear Blast) To help prevent your

thyroid from absorbing radioactive iodine, there are a few online
companies selling “potassium iodide” tablets, some individual packets
so you can keep some in a car or backpack. We also use a Cayce
formula called Atomodine (one company we know of that sells this is it
919-844-9402), for that and thyroid problems. But it is much more
perishable. It may be used for water purification also.
Aspirin or non-aspirin pain reliever. Ibuprofen (brand named Motrin
and Advil) or available in bulk by generic name also. Aspirin can help
for heart attacks and strokes, because it thins the blood, but blood
thinning could also make bleeding from a wound worse.
Anti-diarrhea medication. It’s important to note that diarrhea is very
dehydrating, so if you or someone in your party has it, you must be
sure to re-hydrate by drinking pure water.
Antacid (for upset stomach)
Syrup of Ipecac (use to induce vomiting if advised by the Poison
Control Center)
Laxative
Activated charcoal (use if advised by the Poison Control Center)

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Supply Checklist

Basic Supplies

Flashlight and extra batteries. Check online for LED flashlights,

including the ones that use no batteries (have internal kinetic energy
power sources.)
Battery powered radio and extra batteries. Also a crank powered radio,
so it works if you run out of batteries. One that includes short wave is
great too.
Plastic garbage bags, ties and toilet paper for personal sanitation
First aid kit. There are books made for sailors like “When there is no
doctor”, and “when there is no dentist” that give more first aid advice
than most other resources.
A whistle to signal for help
Dust mask or cotton t-shirt, to help filter the air
Moist towelettes.
Map of the area for evacuation or for locating shelters In addition to a
traditional road map, a great idea is to get a hold of forest service maps
in your area showing forest service dirt trails. Think about what you’d
do if you had to drop everything and run at a moment’s notice. Where
would you go? A forest service map can give you a great resource to
plan for such an event, as opposed to just “winging it”. Consider this
analogy. People who use firearms, like the police, need to practice all
the time so that when they are in a life-and-death situation, using the
firearm is like second nature to them. It’s the same in an emergency.
You’ve got to be realistic and consider the level of panic that will be
going on inside you, and everyone around you, in a crisis. If you’re
unprepared, that will only add to your panic, and potentially cause you
and others more harm. But if you know where you’re going, have
maps, and have spent time walking the trails in advance, you’ll be calm
and confident like the police officer who practices with his/her firearm
daily or weekly. Also, it is important to have contingency plans. I.e.,
what if the dirt trails you are familiar with have been blockaded? Time
for plan B. Here are a couple of websites that can direct you to the
forest service maps you would need for your area ($8-12 apiece):
http://www.omnimap.com/catalog/usfs.htm,
http://rockyweb.cr.usgs.gov/forestservice/regional_listing.html
Auto supplies like a backup can of gas, fix a flats, chains if you're in
snow country, as well as keeping a full-size spare in the car (as opposed
to the “donut” spare) are good ideas. You can get an extra full spare
tire and wheel pretty cheap at your local tire shop.

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Clothing and Bedding

If you live in a cold weather climate, you must think about warmth. It is
possible that the power will be out and you will not have heat. Rethink your
clothing and bedding supplies once a year to account for growing children
and other family changes. Check for a book called the “$50 and Up
Underground House Book”. It tells you how to use the earth to at least buffer
severe temperatures.

Have at least one complete change of warm clothing and shoes per
person including:
A jacket or coat
Long pants
A long sleeve shirt
Sturdy shoes
A hat and gloves
A sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person.
Backpack

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Things That Would Be Good to Have

Cell Phone
Ham radio and GMRS radios for close range inter-family
communication
Tools A Leatherman or similar multi-tool is great. Although it may be a
bit more expensive, make sure it is high quality and won’t break easily.
Emergency reference material such as a first aid book or a print out of
this information
Mess kits, or paper cups, plates and plastic utensils
Cash or traveler's checks, change
Non-electric can opener, utility knife
Paper towels
Fire extinguisher: small canister, ABC type
Tube tent
Pliers
Compass
Matches in a waterproof container
Aluminum foil
Plastic storage containers
Signal flare
Paper, pencil
Medicine dropper
Shut-off wrench, to turn off household gas and water

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 Tradable items like cigarettes, chocolate, salt, batteries, old silver and
gold jewelry, gum, socks, gloves, or extra canned foods could come in
handy.
Eye protection - To protect your eyes we recommend swimming
goggles, or nice ski masks. Make sure you test them on the kids to see
that they actually fit and seal. Good quality ones have closed cell foam
around the contact points to seal tight.
Kid Stuff - If you have kids, you should have a backup of quiet
activities they can do to pass the time more constructively and
remember to do encourage physical activity daily. Physical activity has
an overall good affect on your mental/emotional well being also.
Hardhats - If you’re in an earthquake zone, this may be really pathetic,
but keeping hardhats handy wouldn’t be a bad idea
Real silver and gold coins for trading - see our comments below

(The following is only our opinion, and not any sort of “professional”
financial advice, so please do your own research and make your own
conclusions.)

In our opinion, it is important to distinguish between “numismatic” coins

and bullion coins. Essentially, numismatic coins are considered
“collectible”, and like antiques, therefore have an additional value over
and above the raw value of the metal. So, an ounce of gold bullion may go
for $400, while a “numismatic” gold 1-ounce coin (like a 1904 rare St.
Gaudens coin) could go for $525. While collectables are nice, in a
nationwide emergency, most likely, an ounce of gold is an ounce of gold.
Anyway, you’ll notice when dealing with coin dealers (you can find them
in the yellow pages where you live under “Coins and Collectibles” or “Coin
Dealers”). They will try to push the numismatics onto you because there is
more profit in it for them, so watch out for that.

Also, while it seems that gold gets most, of the press these days, we feel
that silver will most likely be a far more valuable commodity to have in the
coming times. Gold is currently priced right around the $400/oz., while
silver is in the $6/oz. range. Some think that the current market dynamics
for silver could easily take it to $50/oz, or 8 times its present value. Gold
on the other hand, could possibly triple to $1200 per ounce, but looking at
sheer profit potential, if you invested $10,000 in gold vs. $10,000 in
silver, the silver investment would more likely grow faster and higher,
giving you more bang for your buck. Again, that’s only an opinion; please
use your own judgment if you’re considering investing any of your funds.

Another very important factor to consider here. Suppose gold does in fact
grow in value to $1000 per ounce. What are you going to do with that 1
oz. coin? Trade it in for…15 billion slices of bread? You get the picture.
With silver, if it explodes to $50 per ounce, you have a lot more flexibility

25
 with 1-ounce coins that are worth $50, as opposed to $1000, especially if
you need to barter/trade something of value. Another option is melting
down the coins to smaller denominations. There are places where you can
bring them 1 oz. coins and they can melt it down and turn it into 10 1/10th
oz. pieces. Speaking of this, one item that may pay off big would be what’s
called “silver bags”. This is basically a bag full of old quarters, dimes, half-
dollars, etc, and the coins are all 90% silver. The point here is that the
coins are obviously recognizable, which would give them credibility, but
they are also made out of silver. Again, the smaller denominations would
be real valuable in a time of crisis where you need something to barter or
trade.

There are many who think that all paper money (like the dollar) has
nothing of real value behind it and will soon become worthless – this has
happened repeatedly throughout history. In those times, people turned to
metals like gold and silver, knowing that these are accepted almost
everywhere as something with inherent value.

For more on this topic, try http://www.gold-eagle.com, (click on “top

analyst research archives” on bottom right for some great articles), and
also http://www.kitco.com.

Sanitation

Toilet paper, towelettes

Feminine supplies
Personal hygiene items
Plastic garbage bags, ties (for personal sanitation uses)
Plastic bucket with tight lid
Disinfectant
Household chlorine bleach. You can use bleach as a disinfectant
(diluted nine parts water to one part bleach), or in an emergency you
can also use it to purify water. Use 16 drops of regular household liquid
bleach per gallon of water. Do not use scented, color safe or bleaches
with added cleaners.
Port-a-potties or toilet seats used over those large plastic seal able
buckets.

Important Family Documents

Keep copies of important family records such as insurance policies, personal

identification and bank account records in a waterproof, portable
container. Fireproof isn’t a bad idea either and include birth records among
your papers.

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Special Need Items for Baby

Formula
Diapers
Bottles
Powdered milk
Medications
Moist towelettes
Diaper rash ointment

Adults

Ask your doctor about storing prescription medications such as heart

and high blood pressure medication, insulin and other prescription
drugs.
Denture needs
Contact lenses and supplies
Extra eye glasses

For Seniors

Plan how you will evacuate or signal for help.

Plan emergency procedures with home health care agencies or
workers.
Tell others where you keep your emergency supplies.
Teach others how to operate necessary equipment.
Label equipment like wheelchairs, canes or walkers.

Additional Supplies for Seniors

List of prescription medications including dosage in your supply kits.

Include any allergies.
Extra eyeglasses and hearing-aid batteries.
Extra wheelchair batteries or other special equipment in your supply
kit.
A list of the style and serial numbers of medical devices such as
pacemakers in your emergency supply kits.
Copies of medical insurance and Medicare cards.
List of doctors and emergency contacts

People with Disabilities

Create a support network to help in an emergency.

Tell these people where you keep your emergency supplies.
Give one member of your support network a key to your house or
apartment.

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 Contact your city or county government's emergency information
management office. Many local offices keep lists of people with
disabilities so they can be located quickly in a sudden emergency.
Wear medical alert tags or bracelets to help identify your disability.
If you are dependent on dialysis or other life sustaining treatment,
know the location and availability of more than one facility.
Show others how to operate your wheelchair.
Know the size and weight of your wheelchair, in addition to whether or
not it is collapsible, in case it has to be transported.

Additional Supplies for People with Disabilities

Insulin for diabetics, angina medications, etc.

Prescription medicines, list of medications including dosage, list of any
allergies.
Extra eyeglasses and hearing-aid batteries.
Extra wheelchair batteries, oxygen.
Keep a list of the style and serial number of medical devices.
Medical insurance and Medicare cards.
List of doctors, relatives or friends who should be notified if you are
hurt

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Recommended Supplies to Include in a Portable Kit

In putting together supplies, it is important to think in terms of 2 separate

supply “kits”. In one, collect everything you might need to “shelter” at home,
stay where you are and make it on your own. The other should be a
lightweight, smaller version you can take with you if you have to get away
quickly, a portable or “car kit”. Regarding the portable kit, you may want to
create a supplemental one and keep in a closet near the front door to grab
quickly on your way out. For example, you wouldn’t want to keep originals of
important documents like birth certificates, social security cards, etc. in your
car at all times (though copies are a good idea.) These would be best kept
safely at home, but easy to find as you are running out the door. You wouldn’t
have to bother with the rest of your supplies, though because they are already
in the car. The “car kit” is also great in case you are in transit when an
emergency breaks out - you are fully stocked. The “car kit” is a good idea to
implement immediately if you don’t already have something like it. Especially
for people who live in colder regions where getting stuck in a snowstorm isn’t
all that unlikely. Who wants to be on the side of a highway with no water,
food or blankets until help can reach you?

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 Water, amounts for portable kits will vary. Individuals should
determine what amount they are able to both store comfortably
outside the home and be able to transport to other locations
Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food Power bars
are good because they are both high-carb and high-protein, as well
have as an exceptionally long shelf life
Battery-powered radio and extra batteries Actually, crank-powered
radios are becoming more readily available and may be a better choice.
Flashlight and extra batteries. Same here, have both battery operated
and shake or crank-style if you can find it.
First Aid kit
Whistle to signal for help
Dust mask or cotton t-shirt, to help filter the air
Moist towelettes for sanitation
Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities Leatherman multi-tool would
suffice here, again don’t go bargain hunting with these. They are
useless if broken.
Can opener for food (if kit contains canned food) May even be part of
your multi-tool.
Plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
Unique family needs, such as daily prescription medications, infant
formula or diapers, and important family documents We recommend
you keep only a copy of these documents in your
Garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
Additional winter supplies – boots, disposable hand/feet warmers,
kitty litter or sand for icy roads, emergency blankets (these can be
found pre-packaged as tiny foil blankets that fit in your pocket), extra
sleeping bag/blanket, gloves, hat, ski mask, etc. Of course, quantities
will vary based on how many people you usually travel with at one
time.

Well, that’s it for the ready.gov stuff folks. It may sound ridiculous to prepare
so much, but if you do, you’re out a little money (not really because it is an
investment, not a waste), and prepared like an ant or squirrel. But if you
don’t, what are you and your family, friends or neighbors out?? Remember
the story of the grasshopper and the ant. Share the story please (not
necessarily this guide, but you can give others the ready.gov link.)

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Section 3: Personal Preparations – Body & Mind

Meditation/Discipline

Meditation is an ancient, time-proven way to calm the mind, experience inner

peace, and enhance awareness. It also develops greater concentration,
allowing deeper, more creative thinking and problem solving.

Sounds good, but what does it have to do with surviving a crisis? Actually,
quite a lot.

Since September 11th, there has been much said about the connection between
someone’s mental state during an emergency and the degree of emotional
trauma and long term recovery time. An individual’s ability to think clearly,
evaluate a situation and devise a survival plan rationally and calmly amidst
complete chaos is critical. This ability not only provides a deeper sense of
internal peace and comfort, but also directly results in a person’s physical
survival as well as that of the people around him or her. Meditation directly
affects your ability to control your mind and thoughts, enabling a deeper
sense of internal calmness and clarity despite external influences.

There are many different ways to meditate, and different methods including
breathing, chanting, concentration, contemplation, sub-conscious
integration, energy, transcendental, Zen meditation, etc. Meditations are
from different cultures and spiritual paths, including Zen, Buddhism, yoga,
etc. Some traditions/religions insist that they have a certain meditation
technique that is "it", the one and only, or the greatest. In our opinion, that
isn't true. Some techniques work better for some people, and not for
others. Everyone is different.

People find their own "best meditation technique" that works best for them.
It's best to stick to a variety of techniques to start with, even ones that don't
seem to work well for you. Sometimes what will eventually be the most
effective meditation technique for you, will be one that doesn't seem to work
that well, or is difficult for you, at first.

During beginning meditation practice, you will find that your mind will
wander and thoughts will "pop in" to your head. Those thoughts will try to
distract you. Your mind "chattering" with thoughts is a common occurrence
when learning mediation. At first, your mind is like an undisciplined child
and the "monkey mind" (as we sometimes call it) will hamper your training IF
you let it bother you. So what can you do about it?

Don't get frustrated! That is vital. As soon as you notice a lapse in attention or
concentration, simply re-focus. Immediately redirect your mind back, and
continue or begin again. Be patient with your self rather than falling into the
trap of blaming or getting angry with yourself, or getting frustrated - which
can lead to giving up.

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Unlike drugs, devices, or possessions of any kind, once learned, the wonderful
peace and mind control meditation techniques give you, can never be taken
away. Also, the ability to meditate can never be lost, never break, and never
let you down.

How long it takes to notice that it is really working or "doing something”

varies with every individual. It can be partially effective relatively soon but it
takes time and practice to reap the full benefits and become a master of
meditation techniques. Once learned, however, the rewards are far more than
worth the effort.

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Fasting

We’re including fasting among our preparedness topics because training your
body for survival times is critical. Fasting reassures the body on deep, primal,
cellular levels that its typical intake of food is not necessary for survival. It is
one thing to read an article or book about someone who was lost in the
wilderness for 2 weeks without food, and another to experience it first hand.
Reading about going without food during hard times is not the same as the
body, in addition to the mind, really knowing it can survive.

Even in “times of plenty”, there are countless benefits to fasting. Interestingly

enough, according to many health practitioners, the cause of disease and
aging is simply the biochemical suffocation of cells, which is a slowdown of
the natural process of cell regeneration. During fasting, the body burns up
and eliminates waste and toxins, including dead and diseased cells.
Elimination of these old, dead cells leads to accelerated new cell production,
and an overall healthier body. This happens because during a prolonged fast,
the body begins to burn and digest its own tissues (a process called autolysis)
– and in all its wisdom, turns to the diseased, damaged and aged cells first!
And during fasting, the cleansing capacity of the eliminative organs – liver,
lungs, kidneys and the skin - is greatly speeded up since these organs aren’t
preoccupied digesting food.

Contrary to the classic form of fasting, which is water fasting, the safest and
most beneficial method of fasting is juice fasting. By helping to normalize the
body’s processes, fasting on fresh, RAW organic fruit and vegetable juices,
plus vegetable broths and herb teas, leads to faster recovery from illnesses
and more efficient elimination, cleansing and cell rejuvenation than water
fasting alone. (Before beginning any fasting program, we recommend first
consulting your health care provider.)

We’ll provide some general tips and fasting guidelines here, but for a
thorough understanding, we recommend reading Paavo Airola’s How to Keep
Slim, Healthy and Young With Juice Fasting. When undertaking a juice fast,

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be sure to keep in mind that your body is eliminating and needs help to
efficiently remove the waste.

Here are some guidelines/tips:

1) Purchase/juice only organic fruits and veggies – the last thing your
body needs right now is additional pesticides
2) Consume 6-8 servings of juice, broth or herbal tea throughout the day.
3) Make juices fresh, immediately before drinking
4) Drink lots of water
5) Perform 1-2 enemas each day (morning and night are best)
6) Stay away from drugs, vitamins, smoking, drinking or coffee (Of
course, if you have a serious medical condition that requires
medication, by all means check with your health care provider first!)
7) Stay busy – feel free to work, don’t lie around in bed, and get lots of
exercise to help elimination
8) Herbal teas – Good ones for fasting are peppermint, rose hips, and
chamomile
9) Take daily baths – skin is a major elimination organ
10) Keep a positive attitude – the first 3 days are the toughest until your
body switches gears into autolysis. You’ll be amazed at the change after
that point – lack of hunger, renewed energy, mental clarity, etc.
11) Break the fast slowly and carefully – Start back with a slice of apple or
veggie soup instead of broth. Avoid shocking your system with loads of
proteins and fats.
12) Remember to check with your doctor before fasting, as it can be
contraindicated for certain people, such as diabetics and others.
13) Probiotics are a good item to add to your diet in general, and are also
helpful while cleansing your body during a fast. They’re friendly
bacteria which reside in your bowels, and they are responsible for
assisting in digestion and assimilation, and some say that they help
your body deal with toxins of certain kinds. You can get them at the
health food store, with different strains of organisms.
14) Garlic is an age-old folk health booster and remedy for a variety of
afflictions. It has long been used to enhance cleansing and immune
function. It is thought to have antimicrobial properties also, and many
people take it when they’re fighting a cold or flu. It’s possible that
eating garlic can help you keep certain infections at bay, not to
mention vampires. When on a fast, it may facilitate the removal of
toxins from your system (If you can handle garlic. We know of some
people who get an upset stomach from it.) It’s important not to cook it
if you want to get the full medicinal value of it.
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Sleep

Sleep is a necessary and important thing. It is vital for physical and

emotional/mental health and healing. In fact, people can’t live without it –

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after a certain number of days of not getting sleep (sleep deprivation), a
person will die. Sleep deprivation has also been used as a method of torture,
“breaking” someone’s will for interrogation or other reasons.

Sometimes sleep is used to “escape” from unpleasant things going on in a

person’s life, or a miserable life in general. Sleep-time also brings about
dreams, which can be helpful in many ways, such as giving us important
information in the form of dream symbology. There are many books about
what various symbols mean in dreams, but I believe it is to individualized to
generalize too much about. So it’s best if you eventually learn your own
personal “symbology”. A good way to accomplish that is by keeping a dream
diary/log, and reviewing it once in a while.

Lucid dreaming is also a great “tool” of sorts – once developed, you can be
“conscious” that you’re dreaming while in the dream state, and thus use it to
work out problems, contemplate things, make important decisions, etc. It can
allow you to consider many factors at one time, and to go through mental
simulations. For instance, you can think through all the details of making
various decisions at different “forks in the road”, and see the various
outcomes. More details about that, and integrating the conscious and
subconscious mind can be founds in a book called “The Children of the Law of
One and the Lost Teachings of Atlantis”.

Sometimes sleep is a luxury we can’t afford. From time to time, life requires
more of us than we would like. Thus learning to be in control of your sleep
and waking state of mind, is not only very helpful, but sometimes a necessity
that can make the difference between how well we function in life, and even
life and death.

Reducing the need for sleep, and keeping someone awake and alert, has long
been vital for soldiers, or those needing to do an important task that requires
being alert, such as pilots, overloaded doctors (especially military), etc. Thus,
stimulants like coffee and tea have long been used, both for waking up or
getting more alert in daily life (morning, afternoon, pulling a late shift, etc.).
And in the last century stronger stimulant drugs were invented – initially to
help keep military personnel awake and alert. Side effects were discovered
that were both good and bad. They have been used for “diet pills”, and on the
down side, many things like “Ice”, meth, cocaine that can be smoked or
injected, can be extremely addictive and destroy lives via that, and other
effects like brain damage. One particularly harmful effect is damaging the
reasoning centers and the anger control areas of the brain. A criminal on Ice
thus is angrier, and is less likely to respond to reason – from within or
without.

Safer stimulants are caffeine-based things like coffee, teas, and other herbs.
We like Mate tea, which seems to have a unique type of caffeine called
“maffeine”.

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Certain types of mental training can be done, that is even more important
than stimulants. For instance, I’ve had someone wake me up in the middle of
sleeping, both during dream states, and in other states, and start a
conversation with me. It helped to train myself to become instantly alert and
aware, regardless of how tired I was. I also know of people who lived in high
earthquake risk areas, who did “earthquake drills” with their children, and
others who did late night “fire drills” to help them instantly be rational and
alert when they come out of their sleep state. That vastly improves their
ability to survive, help themselves and others, and make good decisions when
very tired. It also helps with the common “irritability” and “disorientation”
issues that surround waking up in the morning, having to wake up in the
middle of sleep, or being very tired when awake.

You can also use hypnotism and “power napping” to help. You can buy self-
hypnosis tapes and CDs or better yet, “vibrational sounds” CDs, that use
time-proven and new scientific principles to help with insomnia, and do
power napping. Taking short, yet deep sleep or meditation type naps have
shown to vastly enhance the ability to be more alert with less sleep. Power
naps are used by many people, from students, doctors and the military, to
make the most of “breaks”, and reduce sleep needs.

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Self-Defense/Defense of Others

This is a very sensitive topic, and not a pleasant one for most people, hence,
they just avoid thinking of it, hoping it will never happen. However, it could
be vitally important for you to think about what your stance is on this issue,
and be clear on it in advance of an emergency. No one wants to picture a
situation where they’re being attacked, someone they love is, or they are
watching a helpless victim be assaulted. And most people find the idea of
harming another human being objectionable. So, what would you do?

If it does happen, you wont have time to start deciding what to do.
Unfortunately, there is a possibility that in the event of a chaotic disaster,
there may be widespread or localized unrest and violence occurring, at least
temporarily. It’s best to be prepared for that mentally, emotionally and if you
choose it, physically. There could be anything from belligerent jerks to well
armed and trained killers running around on the loose. Heck, that’s true right
now, in our so-called peaceful times.

Some people are pacifists, which is a very beautiful and peaceful philosophy,
if it’s real, and not simply grandiose posturing which completely collapses if
you are ever attacked. If you truly are a pacifist, then you’ll be ok if you, or
others around you are being attacked and you simply “go with the flow” and
let it happen. That’s one way to deal with things. Just let go and give it to God.
(I promise you, that’s going to take some training.) Or you may lean the other

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way, toward taking action to stop the attacker, which can be a part of God’s
plan too.

It’s good to actually close your eyes and picture an attack of some kind to see
how you’re cut out. You’re walking down the street and someone grabs you
and starts attempting to beat you up, sexually assault you (that includes you
men, too) and strangle you to death, (or someone you love). What do you do?

If you feel the urge to take action to stop that attack, it’s wise to decide what
extent you’ll go to in order to protect yourself, and by what means you’ll do
that – within legal means, of course. The solutions range from non-toxic red
pepper spray (doesn’t always work), to fighting back with your body or
weapons. Windsor Hill will soon be selling a very simple hand-to-hand self-
defense video that is made for all of us regular folks – including those of us
who are non-athletes and don’t have the time or desire to become athletes.
You don’t have to be Bruce Lee to know a few easy to master basics that may
save your life or someone else’s. And, if you feel that you should have a gun,
then you should check with law enforcement and get the necessary training
and permits to do that properly.

Whatever you do, practice, be ready and have a plan, with the hope that you’ll
never have to employ it. Hopefully you’ll be, as Ben Franklin put it,
“Pleasantly surprised when you’re prepared for the worst and it doesn’t
happen.”

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Section 4: Sustainability

Sustainable Housing

As we mentioned before, when thinking about preparedness and planning,

there is immediate emergency planning, and there’s long term planning.
Homeland Security’s ready.gov site, and FEMA’s site both deal with
immediate action plans for a variety of situations - step by step. While we
cover much of that in this guide as well, we have expanded our scope to
include more information on how to prepare yourself and your family for
longer-term preparation.

In general, the choice to utilize alternative building methods for sustainable,

earth-friendly construction is a personal one. Often, people using these types
of construction hold a deep desire to live as a “harmless” resident of planet
earth, in harmony with nature. Some are motivated by the maintenance free
and natural disaster-resistant aspect. Others are simply thrilled at the notion
of a year-round comfortable temperature environment in their home for less
than $100 per year. (In particular, Earth-Sheltered housing, barns, root
cellars, and greenhouses require almost no energy to heat or cool!)

Regardless of the motivation, however, in the world of alternative building

and sustainable housing, there is a wide and growing variety of options. The
region in which you live will affect your choices for energy efficient,
environmentally friendly, practical, inexpensive housing. In some areas for
example, there is plenty of straw, and if not used, it will just be burned and
pollute the environment on top of it. In other areas, there is no straw. Some
areas have low cost concrete available. Almost everywhere there is
dirt. Suffice it to say, there are a variety of alternative habitats and methods of
building, including (but not limited to), Straw Bale, Earth-Sheltered, Ferro-
cement, Pumice-cement, Dirt/Clay Filled Bag, Domes, etc.

As you may have already realized, there is far too much information on
sustainable housing for just one section of an overall preparedness manual.
But, we’ll do our best to provide a brief overview and links to additional
sources to get you started.

Ferro-cement

Ferro-cement is labor intensive, but materials can be inexpensive, and very,

very, strong.

It is well known that cement gains tremendous strength if it is within one-

fourth to a half inch of some form of metal wire, mesh, even chicken wire (one
or several layers). It is far stronger (while lighter) even than standard steel
rebar reinforced concrete. It is great for water tanks, walls, roofing, making
free-form buildings, tables, chairs - you name it - everything INCLUDING the
kitchen sink.

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People used to call houses made with this type of construction "Chicken wire
& cement houses", which is pretty accurate. The primary difference between
"ferro-cement" and the old "Chicken wire" walls is the amount of chicken wire
used. With the old style, only one layer of chicken wire was used and its
purpose was simply to hold the cement to the side of the wall. With ferro-
cement, the number of layers varies based on where they are being used and
what strength is needed, but it usually ranges from 2 to 5 layers of 1 inch
mesh chicken wire. It works well because cement is the strongest when it is
less than one-forth of an inch away from steel reinforcing, and the many
layers of chicken wire IS the reinforcing. With the cement being forced to fill
in all the spaces of the several layers of chicken wire, the result is a very
strong cement structure. It sounds simple because it is - but it works.

For More Ferro-cement info -

www.ferro-cement.net (Paul Sarnstrom's site - also sells his custom
inexpensive light duty sprayers for cement or straw bale coating.) and
www.ferro-cement.com construction, construction info, parts, etc.

Earth Sheltered

Earth sheltering is probably the safest and most energy efficient. It uses the
Earth's under-layer temperature to moderate heat/cold, instead of insulation,
so it’s naturally cooler in summer, and warmer in winter. It will never freeze if
done properly.

If you are on a very low budget, search and read the "$50 & Up Underground
House" book. It also gives more upscale plans and ideas, and the author lives
in a simple house himself, near the Canadian border, grows tomatoes till
December, uses very little heat, etc.

Earth sheltered homes are similar to ferro-cement, but take a different

approach, using arches and hubs connected with rebar for the main structural
integrity. Costs to build are comparable to a standard wood-frame home, and
they don't require any specialized skills or quirky techniques to construct.

Here are some features:

No major maintenance for more than 100 years

Little or no heating/cooling needed - never worry about power/energy
outages
50 foot "free span" allows spacious Interior
Thin shell construction (four inches)
90% fewer pollutants & allergens than standard housing
Virtually impervious to moisture and insects
Tornado-proof, hurricane-proof, earthquake-proof
Estimated life span 200 to 1,000 years
Creates MORE green space (nature) instead of lessening it.

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 Lower power/heating/cooling needs reduce greenhouse emissions and
global warming
Never been denied a building permit in any state

Straw Bale

Straw Bale housing was even used by pioneers in Nebraska, and is still
standing today. They must be done right though, to prevent mold, cracks, etc.
There are various ways to go. Here is a link to a site with 50 already done
plans (many unique) you can look at and use, or pay a few hundred for full
detailed plans. http://www.balewatch.com/

Dirt Bags/Ceramic

If you're interested in truly "dirt cheap" sustainable environmentally friendly

clay, earth bag/adobe, super adobe and ceramic house construction methods
etc. http://www.calearth.org

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Soil Less Agriculture

Soil Less Agriculture may seem a bit outside what would normally be
considered a topic to cover in a preparedness manual, but we include it here
for several reasons. First, we think the concept is wonderful. It is extremely
useful in climates that don’t lend themselves well to the production of certain
veggies. For example, arid, desert or rocky climates aren’t ideal for certain
crops, but with hydroponics, you can grow, fresh, nutrient-rich crops for
yourself, anywhere, year-round. Plus, if there were a chemical, nuclear or
radiation attack of some kind, how would that affect soil? Great to have some
knowledge on alternative food production so you’re not left completely at the
mercy of radiated soil, right?

Hydroponics

Hydroponics is not a new scientific breakthrough. The concept and practice

have been around since the 1600s. Hydroponics (from the Greek “hydro” for
water, and “ponos” for labor or work) is literally the growing of plants in a
nutrient-rich water and fertilizer solution. Certain crops are particularly
successful with hydroponics such as lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and
peppers. Also, herbs, foliage plants, and flowers seem to do very well in this
environment.

A great site for information and materials for Soil less Agriculture is
http://www.cropking.com. They tout the main advantages of this type of food
production as:

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 Superior taste, quality, appearance, uniformity, and extended shelf life
of hydroponic vegetables.
No sterilization of growing media required and plant nutrition is easily
and completely controlled within the nutrient tanks.
No weeds, no cultivation, no soil borne diseases or insects. Allows for
uniform water availability to plants.
Closer plant spacing is possible and moveable plant channels allow
greater production from equal areas for some crops.
Less water is required and less fertilizer needed. Root zone heating,
known to benefit tomatoes and cucumbers, is feasible and practical.
Use of biological controls including beneficial insects and safe methods
of insect control are possible in a controlled environment system.

Aquaponics

Aquaponics is a terrific way to break into the world of aquaculture and

hydroponics; and extends the advantages of hydroponics even further.
Aquaponics duplicates the natural symbiotic relationship between fish and
plants. For instance, the water from a pond that contains fish waste is a great
fertilizer for the plants around the pond, and the plants filter the water for the
fish. Aquaponic systems mimic this natural environment and are simple to
construct and easy to maintain. The end result is both a hydroponic growing
bed full of nutrient-rich fresh veggies and herbs, as well as the addition of
fresh fish and a healthy environment for the grower, regardless of the change
of seasons outside or the climate you live in!

Tilapia is a fish species that grows well in an Aquaponic system. A standard

set-up includes around a 4’ x 8’ hydroponic growing bed and the ability to
grow around 100lbs of fish. The 4' x 8' hydroponic growing bed is ideal for
dozens of heads of lettuce and greens, as well as fresh herbs and a cutting
garden.

A search of the web will turn up many other sites in addition to the cropking
site we mentioned. Even if you don’t launch into hydroponics in your kitchen
right now, it is worth acquiring a better understanding that could prove
invaluable in days to come.

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“Off the Grid” Energy

“Off the grid” energy refers to maintaining a source of power for things like
electricity, heat, etc. without being dependent on public utility companies.
Independence from utilities which could be destroyed, damaged or tightly
regulated in a crisis is one motivation for turning to “off the grid” power.
Remember the California blackouts? Other people are excited about the idea
of using a cleaner, renewable, more earth-friendly source that improves (or at

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least doesn’t worsen) the environment like fossil fuels like coal, petroleum
and natural gas. Regardless of the motive, “off the grid” energy options are
important to understand if you’re thinking about long-term sustainability.

We’ll give you a brief overview of the key renewable sources here including:

Solar thermal: Allowing sunlight into a house (passive) or collecting

and pumping its heat into a house (active)
Photovoltaics: The sun collects upon and energizes photovoltaic cells
mounted on panels, whose size determines electricity collected.
Wind: Wind spins a propeller, which turns a turbine, generating
energy.
Hydroelectric: Water carried through a pipe turns a turbine, which
generates energy.
Biomass: Rotting vegetable matter produces gases that can be burned
as fuel, as can wood waste and vegetable oils.

Wind

Wind energy is currently one of the world's fastest growing energy sources.
Utilizing wind to generate power is by no means a new concept having been
used in Europe since around the 12th century and elsewhere in the world long
before that. Wind energy is enjoying a new surge in popularity today as a
clean and renewable source. Wind turbines now come in a range of sizes,
large and small, and produce electricity for utilities for rural homeowners and
even remote villages. Small mills can even be used to provide something as
simple as electricity for boats.

Wind Energy is energy harnessed from the wind. Windmills work by slowing
down the speed of the wind. The wind flows over the blades causing them to
turn. The blades are connected to a drive shaft that turns an electric generator
to produce electricity. A generator is a machine that produces electrical
energy from mechanical energy. Wind turbines need a constant, average wind
speed of about 14 miles per hour before the wind turbines can generate
electricity. For producing large amounts of electricity, many machines can be
installed together to form a wind farm.

Hydroelectric

Hydroelectric power is generated by converting the energy contained in

flowing water, like rivers and streams, into electricity. There are 2 categories
of hydro plants, low impact which produce less than 30 Megawatts, and high
impact. High Impact hydropower usage on a large scale may cause more
harm to the environment than the benefit it provides because dams can
change natural river flows, degrade water quality and block fish migration.
But, depending on your location and access to natural springs or rivers,
small-scale usage may be something to consider.

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Most machines that make electricity need some form of mechanical energy to
get things started. Mechanical energy spins the generator to make the
electricity. In the case of hydroelectricity, the mechanical energy comes from
large volumes of falling water. For more than 100 years, the simplest way to
produce the volumes of falling water needed to make electricity has been to
build a dam, which disrupts the environment. For making small amounts of
electricity without building a dam, the small-scale hydroelectric generator is
often the best solution, but you need some for of fast-flowing streams.

A small-scale hydro system usually consists of an enclosed water wheel or

turbine moved by spurts of high-velocity water. The water is taken from the
stream and moved down slope to the turbine through a long pipe called a
penstock. Water flowing through the penstock picks up speed, and is directed
at the blades of the turbine by nozzles. The turbine spins continuously, as
long as there is water to drive it. The turbine is connected to an electrical
generator, and the electricity is then available for running appliances or
charging batteries. The spent water is then returned to the stream. This kind
of system is called a "low-impact hydro", and is a fairly simple “off the grid”
energy option if an appropriate water source is readily available.

Solar

Solar energy provided by the sun is constantly replenished and does not
produce harmful pollution. Solar power is a very clean, renewable energy
source generated by harnessing the sun's emissions of heat or light. Solar
energy may be used passively, such as to heat and light buildings, or
technology may be used to collect the sun's energy and transform it to
generate electricity.

There are a variety of types of technologies associated with solar power which
can be divided into two basic groups. The first group is solar thermal
technologies and includes methods that use the sun to generate heat like solar
concentrator power systems, flat plate solar collectors, and passive solar
heating. Secondly, are systems that directly convert solar radiation into
electricity through the photoelectric effect by using photovoltaics (also known
as PV).

Group 1: Solar thermal technologies

Concentrating solar power systems generate electricity with heat.

Concentrating solar collectors use mirrors and lenses to concentrate
and focus sunlight onto a receiver mounted at the system's focal point.
The receiver absorbs and converts the sunlight into heat. This heat is
then transported by means of a heated fluid (either water or molten
salt) through pipes to a steam generator or engine where it is
converted into electricity.

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 Flat plate solar collectors are usually large flat boxes with one or more
glass covers. Inside the boxes are dark colored metal plates that absorb
heat. Air or liquid, such as water, flows through the tubes and is
warmed by heat stored in the plates. These systems are particularly
useful for providing hot water to households.

Passive solar heating is basically a process of designing structures

using such features as large south-facing windows and building
materials that absorb the sun's thermal energy to make the most of a
sunny day. These methods can greatly lower heating bills and using
natural ventilation can drastically help cool a building.

Group 2: Photovoltaics

The second main method for capturing the sun's energy is through the use of
photovoltaics. Photovoltaics (PV) utilize the sun's photons or light to create
electricity. Simply put, the reaction between the photons contained in the
rays from the sun and the panels create an electrical current, which can be
used for generating power.

Obviously, there need to be back-up systems in place for days when there is
no sun. The effect a period of little or no sunlight will have on a home using
solar power varies greatly depending on the physical location of a particular
home, and the nature of the system in place. Homes that are not connected to
grid power must either be able to rely on other energy producers, such as a
fuel cell, a wind turbine, a diesel generator, or on a supply of electricity stored
in batteries.

Biodiesel

Biodiesel doesn't release sulfur oxides into the air, and it cuts down on the
particulate matter released by diesel engines. Not to mention the fact that it
can decrease our dependence on oil. Think about it--farmers can produce
food for local restaurants, then use waste oil from those same restaurants
(used cooking oil) to power their farm machinery. In this loop, the farmer
produces the liquid fuels required for operation, increases local air quality,
and saves money in the process.

Biodiesel is made by means of a chemical process called transesterification,

which involves separating glycerin from vegetable oil. The process leaves
behind two products--methyl esters (the chemical name for biodiesel) and
glycerin (a byproduct). This is a crude, simplified description of the process,
but here goes. Basically, the used oil is strained to remove food particles, and
then heated. Meanwhile, a mixture of methanol and lye is places in a
processing tank and mixed for approximately 15 minutes. Once the oil heats
to 135 degrees, it's pumped into the processing tank that in turn catalyzes the
chemical reaction that converts the oil into biodiesel. It really is that simple.

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At the end of the process, you have usable fuel which can be put into any
diesel engine – as is – without any conversion or harm to the car.

This is by no means a comprehensive overview of sustainable “off the grid”

power options, but enough to whet your appetite. There are volumes of data
on this topic on the internet and encourage you to learn more. We find it a
fascinating topic and a good choice to consider both for personal security in
rough times, as well as a lifestyle change now if your personal habits and
resources allow.

http://www.energyconservationinfo.org/altenergy.htm
http://www.re-energy.ca

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FDA disclaimer: Please remember, this is not medical advice, the products
and comments are just from our own personal observations and are not
meant to diagnose, treat, or cure any medical conditions. Always consult
your doctor before taking any supplement or herbs (including our products),
using them, or doing anything that may affect your health.

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