Energy fears looming, new survivalists prepare

[Etta Place]

This goes along with Powerman's post in the Design thread. I read this last week and thought it was interesting. I was surprised not to see it posted here somewhere, although maybe I missed it. Guys here seem to like to talk about this kind of thing.

Energy fears looming, new survivalists prepare
By SAMANTHA GROSS, Associated Press Writer
Sat May 24, 2:12 PM ET

A few years ago, Kathleen Breault was just another suburban grandma, driving countless hours every week, stopping for lunch at McDonald's, buying clothes at the mall, watching TV in the evenings.

That was before Breault heard an author talk about the bleak future of the world's oil supply. Now, she's preparing for the world as we know it to disappear.

Breault cut her driving time in half. She switched to a diet of locally grown foods near her upstate New York home and lost 70 pounds. She sliced up her credit cards, banished her television and swore off plane travel. She began relying on a wood-burning stove.

"I was panic-stricken," the 50-year-old recalled, her voice shaking. "Devastated. Depressed. Afraid. Vulnerable. Weak. Alone. Just terrible."

Convinced the planet's oil supply is dwindling and the world's economies are heading for a crash, some people around the country are moving onto homesteads, learning to live off their land, conserving fuel and, in some cases, stocking up on guns they expect to use to defend themselves and their supplies from desperate crowds of people who didn't prepare.

The exact number of people taking such steps is impossible to determine, but anecdotal evidence suggests that the movement has been gaining momentum in the last few years.

These energy survivalists are not leading some sort of green revolution meant to save the planet. Many of them believe it is too late for that, seeing signs in soaring fuel and food prices and a faltering U.S. economy, and are largely focused on saving themselves.

Some are doing it quietly, giving few details of their preparations — afraid that revealing such information as the location of their supplies will endanger themselves and their loved ones. They envision a future in which the nation's cities will be filled with hungry, desperate refugees forced to go looking for food, shelter and water.

"There's going to be things that happen when people can't get things that they need for themselves and their families," said Lynn-Marie, who believes cities could see a rise in violence as early as 2012.

Lynn-Marie asked to be identified by her first name to protect her homestead in rural western Idaho. Many of these survivalists declined to speak to The Associated Press for similar reasons.

These survivalists believe in "peak oil," the idea that world oil production is set to hit a high point and then decline. Scientists who support idea say the amount of oil produced in the world each year has already or will soon begin a downward slide, even amid increased demand. But many scientists say such a scenario will be avoided as other sources of energy come in to fill the void.

On the PeakOil.com Web site, where upward of 800 people gathered on recent evenings, believers engage in a debate about what kind of world awaits.

Some members argue there will be no financial crash, but a slow slide into harder times. Some believe the federal government will respond to the loss of energy security with a clampdown on personal freedoms. Others simply don't trust that the government can maintain basic services in the face of an energy crisis.

The powers that be, they've determined, will be largely powerless to stop what is to come.

Determined to guard themselves from potentially harsh times ahead, Lynn-Marie and her husband have already planted an orchard of about 40 trees and built a greenhouse on their 7 1/2 acres. They have built their own irrigation system. They've begun to raise chickens and pigs, and they've learned to slaughter them.

The couple have gotten rid of their TV and instead have been reading dusty old books published in their grandparents' era, books that explain the simpler lifestyle they are trying to revive. Lynn-Marie has been teaching herself how to make soap. Her husband, concerned about one day being unable to get medications, has been training to become an herbalist.

By 2012, they expect to power their property with solar panels, and produce their own meat, milk and vegetables. When things start to fall apart, they expect their children and grandchildren will come back home and help them work the land. She envisions a day when the family may have to decide whether to turn needy people away from their door.

"People will be unprepared," she said. "And we can imagine marauding hordes."

So can Peter Laskowski. Living in a woodsy area outside of Montpelier, Vt., the 57-year-old retiree has become the local constable and a deputy sheriff for his county, as well as an emergency medical technician.

"I decided there was nothing like getting the training myself to deal with insurrections, if that's a possibility," said the former executive recruiter.

Laskowski is taking steps similar to environmentalists: conserving fuel, consuming less, studying global warming, and relying on local produce and craftsmen. Laskowski is powering his home with solar panels and is raising fish, geese, ducks and sheep. He has planted apple and pear trees and is growing lettuce, spinach and corn.

Whenever possible, he uses his bicycle to get into town.

"I remember the oil crisis in '73; I remember waiting in line for gas," Laskowski said. "If there is a disruption in the oil supply it will be very quickly elevated into a disaster."

Breault said she hopes to someday band together with her neighbors to form a self-sufficient community. Women will always be having babies, she notes, and she imagines her skills as a midwife will always be in demand.

For now, she is readying for the more immediate work ahead: There's a root cellar to dig, fruit trees and vegetable plots to plant. She has put a bicycle on layaway, and soon she'll be able to bike to visit her grandkids even if there is no oil at the pump.

Whatever the shape of things yet to come, she said, she's done what she can to prepare.

Energy fears looming, new survivalists prepare - Yahoo! News

[Son of Norway]

Yah know, someone's always going to over-react. I think becoming more versed in alternative modes of transportation, supporting your local growers, and learning how to get along without modern convenience is something everyone should be dabbling in.

Are we heading towards a "Road Warrior" world? Not as far as I can tell but I don't fault anyone for preparing for the worst.

[street cruiser]

What's interesting to me is the amount of people I hear talk about how there seems to be a mounting tension, as if something is about to happen. I feel the tension myself and have begun to take interest in the subject once again. I remember about 10 years ago the miltia groups around the country sounding the alarm. They were basically assualted by the media as some type of racist anarchy group and they quietly faded away. Fast forward to today and some of what they said is becoming reality. One hears of domestic preparedness through 'official channels' and you have to wonder if there isn't some substance to people resorting to survivalism. For me personally I've always been a big fan of having a plan 'B' because you never know.

[AZXD]

Plan "B" is always a good thing to think about.

Here's a good book that I've owned for many years. It's full of valuable information about living a simpler more self sufficent lifestyle.

Amazon.com: Back to Basics: Reader's Digest Editors: Books

If you're into magazines ... Backwoods Home is pretty good and has a variety of useful information.

Amazon.com: Backwoods Home Magazine: Magazines

[Frenchy]

The Foxfire books are also a good choice.
Amazon.com: foxfire books

[street cruiser]

Thanks for the info. BTW Frenchy when did you stop by the house and kidnap my cat? My cat and yours could be twins or clones.

[switchfoot]

I have been interested in a lot of this stuff since Katrina. I remember being irritated with the people of NO and their automatic assumption that the national government was obligated to take care of them. After a few weeks, it dawned on me how much I relied on government and quasi-government organizations for my survival. If scores of people can die of dehydration in a major city in the US because of a natural disaster, what happens if the economy collapses, or some sort of disaster stops the infrastructure?

For a while, I wondered if I was being prudent or if I was being hysterical. Then it dawned on me that as a conservative, I believe in self-reliance. As a Christian, I believe in being a steward of our national resources, and I found a way to examine self-sufficiency without feeling like I was being manipulated by an agenda or fear.

I believe that a man should be able to provide for his family. I have enjoyed the process of ensuring I am that man. It is a shame that pre-concieved notions of what a "survivalist" is might keep people from experiencing all the side benefits that can come from the change in mentality.

[AZXD]

Originally Posted by switchfoot

I have been interested in a lot of this stuff since Katrina. I remember being irritated with the people of NO and their automatic assumption that the national government was obligated to take care of them. After a few weeks, it dawned on me how much I relied on government and quasi-government organizations for my survival. If scores of people can die of dehydration in a major city in the US because of a natural disaster, what happens if the economy collapses, or some sort of disaster stops the infrastructure?

For a while, I wondered if I was being prudent or if I was being hysterical. Then it dawned on me that as a conservative, I believe in self-reliance. As a Christian, I believe in being a steward of our national resources, and I found a way to examine self-sufficiency without feeling like I was being manipulated by an agenda or fear.

I believe that a man should be able to provide for his family. I have enjoyed the process of ensuring I am that man. It is a shame that pre-concieved notions of what a "survivalist" is might keep people from experiencing all the side benefits that can come from the change in mentality.

I agree!!
Many people here the word survivalist and automatically think of some John Rambo wanna be who has a bomb shelter, 100 years of food, and is armed better than our military.

Those same people are probably gonna be the ones who will be dead on the third day of some major catastrophe ... Because StarBucks is closed.

Survival is about 90% mental, IMO. I can't remember what numbers the Navy quoted when I went through various survival courses, but it is absolutely a major mental game that many are not able to play.

[jmichna]

Originally Posted by AZXD

... Survival is about 90% mental, IMO. I can't remember what numbers the Navy quoted when I went through various survival courses, but it is absolutely a major mental game that many are not able to play.

I recall reading about investigations the British Navy did during WWII regarding survival rates of seamen who's ship had been sunk in battle, and were adrift at sea.

The gist of their investigation was the opposite of what they expected, the younger, healthier sailors actually had survival rates much lower than the older (less fit) shipmates. The conclusions were that the older fellows had been in tough scrapes repeatedly in life, and had survived many tough situations, they did not lose hope. The younger men had not been through such situations, they tended to succumb to exposure.

I'll see if I can find where I came across this, but it was years ago that I read it.

[AZXD]

Originally Posted by jmichna

I recall reading about investigations the British Navy did during WWII regarding survival rates of seamen who's ship had been sunk in battle, and were adrift at sea.

The gist of their investigation was the opposite of what they expected, the younger, healthier sailors actually had survival rates much lower than the older (less fit) shipmates. The conclusions were that the older fellows had been in tough scrapes repeatedly in life, and had survived many tough situations, they did not lose hope. The younger men had not been through such situations, they tended to succumb to exposure.

I'll see if I can find where I came across this, but it was years ago that I read it.

I can easily understand this.
Cool head prevail ... Is very true.

It reminds me of a favorite quote. "Houston, we have a problem".

I can just see some young kid with a StarBucks in one hand and an MP3 player in the other ... Shorting the capsule out as they pi$$ in their pants.

But to be clear, it has nothing to do with age. It is purely an individual thing that IMO is related to maturity and mental preparation.

I guess that's why I like these threads. You may not write it, but you probably think it, and that is the key to survival.

I don't even know how many crash scenarios I played out while on flight status. But I know what my job is 20 years after the fact. The pilot crashes/ditched and everyone is looking to me for answers. No exceptions! They out-rank me, but it is now my mission until help arrives.