Electrical Dependency

It has occurred to me that from this disaster comes the absolute fact that we have become crippled without electricity (& gasoline), what the heck has happened to us as a nation that we can't 'get by' without it!!
How many people here can honestly say they would be ok after 1 week without power? Or for that matter once our fridges warmed & our food spoils?

Luckily we have a brook behind the house (pic in gallery) and a wood stove inside to heat up for whatever we would need hot water for.

 

probably not too damned many,,, cuz altho many on here like to think that they can n could,,, most undoubtedly cant,,, ceptin for of course those few that truly do liv n luv our hippy/ rainbow lifestyle,,,,,

 

dave and i are prepared. we're hunters with a good deal of knowledge about naturally available foods and ways of finding water. dave learned a lot of that stuff when he was studying relgion and lifestyle with some lakotas, as well as just being brought up close to the environment.

 

If i was in the middle of a water deluged area with filth all around and 'chaos' every where, i would want to get my hands on anything that helped..
Cutting down a tree, fashioning a boat and finding a nice spot to grow some cabbages..is very romatic.. but not practical in the situation that those people are in.

 

It had been quite awhile since I looked thru your site, so I glanced thru it today & WOW! someone is a computer whiz, the website is terrific....but even more so is your little homestead. Whoever first came up with the ideas, plans & knowledge to put all that together & make it work is brilliant!(I nominate them to be a Genius)
Seems like a year ago I had pm'd you or HHB about taking a trip there....but as usual my plans are always changing.

When I made this thread I wasn't thinking or saying what would ya do if stuck in MS right now....instead what if ya lost your power at home for awhile (where ever home is). I went without power for 12 weeks (10 yrs ago) when my son was 2 months old.

 

In southern Ohio, I would be a mess without electricity. Back home in Saskatchewan, I would be fine.

What is the difference? In the city or suburban sprawl, it's hard to live without electricty. But if you can get out into the country, then its just a matter of common sence.

 

I have also been without electricty in Kingman,AZ....which I wouldn't call some hidden away countryside spot. Only difference was there was no brook behind the house & kids trying to keep up with expectations from school (teachers & kids).

 

Icedteapriestess - I agree with you here.. I live in the country and last winter we had a problem with our oil fired heating system and a week into it a run of power cuts that couldnt be fixed quickly.... or they didnt want to because there are only 5 cottages in the middle of nowhere....hardly a priority... but after the initial reaction of OMG no internet i soon had to think of ways to heat water cook and have warmth... food was easy.... i have an open fire so i raided the woodlands i'm surrounded by for anything burnable.. it was a daily challenge that i soon came to enjoy.... except i have to admit to going to the gym before and after work so i could shower...
Its great to flick a switch and have instant everything... but in the country it isnt an essential.. just a convenience..

 

One thing I learned in the Army is that when put in a certain situation, no matter how uncomfortable or inconvenient, I can get by.
But, you can't pigeon hole hippies and say that all true hippies live simply and off the land. Many did go and live in communes, but more remained in places like Greenwich Village, NY and the Haight-Ashbury district in S.F. Just like you can find rednecks in all walks of life such as good ol' boys in the south and laborers in the big cities so can you find hippies all over and under different surroundings.

 

No one. Oh sure we could live without TV or internet, but unless you live on a farm, grow your own food and have a water source, we're screwed. Without power (at all) water pumps in cities don't work, without gas, food isn't transported. Without power, what food we do get will spoil (not all of it, but the foods like dairy and meat). heating would be a problem too, without fuel, especially for those without a fireplace, and in the city, well, there isn't a woodlot you can run over to for wood. Since the majority of Americans live in the city or suburbs, it would be a disaster. I mean, most of us have almost no survival skills. Weekend camping trips don't really cut it, ya know? I can't say I'm confident in my abilities.

 

I'd be fucked on my own. But I'd go live with my stepdad on his acreage with two woodburning stoves, cattle, plus he hunts ducks and deer. He doesn't really have any veggies right now, but I'm still friends with his neighbour too, who has like a thousand potatoes plus a bunch of carrots, corn, squashes, etc. It'd be ok for a while at least. I don't know if I could last a full winter in Saskatchewan like that though, don't know if there'd be enough food. Plus it gets to -40 for a full week usually, I wouldn't leave my spot infront of hte fire during that week

 

Ummm.. I've been getting by for the past week without it. It's a pain in the ass, but I can handle the lack, I'd just MUCH rather the convenience of it's availability.

 

I admit, I would be dead in less than a week.

 

Not trying to be a smartass, but how are you using the PC to type this without electricity? Battery on a laptop? How do you keep it charged? Or are you someplace other than where you live?

Seriously, just curious.

 

Like I said, the past week, I just got power back this afternoon.

 

Ahhh yes... Thank you for the clarification. I took it to mean that for the last week up to and including the present.

:&

 

While in AZ, I stayed with a friend for a few weeks (christmas 2003-mid Jan 2004) that had a very small cabin/camper with NO electricity. He hooked his computer up to the car's battery. For heat & the cooking stove he used propane.
***************************************
FROM POST #1
How many people here can honestly say they would be ok after 1 week without power? Or for that matter once our fridges warmed & our food spoils?

1 week....not a lifetime folks

 

Ok, if I was able to PREPARE for it, that is one thing. But, I looked at it as being stranded somewhere with no power, shelter, food, or safe water. I'd be dead in a week in that situation. Maybe sooner. I admit that I am reliant on big corporations. I wouldn't even have made it 100 years ago...

 

no worry....I think most people got to comfortable & reliant on big corporations for their cushy lifestyle
give them microwaves & bread machines and they forget how their great-great-great grandparents used to cook

 

Olhippie mentioned it, but yeah good ol army training would help me get by.