http://scienceblogs.com/casaubonsbook/2011/01/ten_basic_preparations_for_a_n.php

I like this a lot. It is IMO more of what we need. Practical information that is doable for working people in hard times. It is cheap, when money is tight; easy, as almost everyone is overworked; quick, when finding time to eat and sleep is often impossible.

Being American we come from a long tradition of tackling problems by throwing money and material at them. No problem is too small or insignificant to not justify buying another item or tool. Often in great numbers. The reflex is to buy more, carry more, stack up more, and still more after that. Which is okay if you have money to buy it, time to look after it, a place to store it, a way to move it, patience to keep it organized.

Most Americans don't have the money, time, place, cargo capacity, or patience remaining to invest heavily in survival gear or supplies. Paying the rent, getting the kids to school, and food for the next meal consume the day and available resources.

In this context long lists of survival supplies are meaningless. If a hard pressed family cannot make a meaningful investment in survival with less than $50 and an investment of half an hour they are not going to undertake the effort. Advocate shooting for the moon and they will never leave the ground. We don't need inspiring examples of broad materialism because 99% of Americans are too busy making the rent to do more than look on in wonder.

We need simple, easy, inexpensive plans and actions that people with limited resources of time, money, patience can wrap their heads around and fit into their hard pressed lives. Ten Basic Preparations for a New Year is a series of small scale projects that almost every family could do. I like that. I like that a lot.

That is some Good Info,Softly Spoken,layman speak,For those with No Orientation of Preps/Lacking the $$/Time!Since I am,Who I am,I'll say,It seems they Forgot to mention 1 Important Preparation- A Honey Bucket,lol!During Stressful Moments,that Need is The Greatest,A simple 5 gal.Bucket with 10 gal.Bags,& A good qty. of TP & Hoo-Ahhs or equivalent.Having made my way,Around this Globe & Squatting in Places,I don't Care to Squat,Ever Again,I Think it is Important!

you're a funny

A very thought provoking article. I think this line sums it up for the vast majority:

"Perhaps the very oddest thing about us is simply that even in places where natural disasters occur on a regular basis most people think that it would be too much bother to prepare for them adequately"

The preparations listed are simple, cheap, universal, and employ common sense.

Its really not expensive to buy a few extra groceries when they are on sale to have some preps. I scaled back before we moved and then bought a new set of shelves and put them in our crawlspace and in the couple years have them full and overflowing. Took a picture and showed it to my wife who was amazed that we had so much food.

+1, Eugene. I think the real barrier to preparedness is mindset, not economics, particularly when the next meal is coming from (choose one) McDonalds or Starbucks.

Day one for a new prepper might be:

1. fill 4 l of water
2. get a flashlight

I like this. It points out what I'm doing well and what I can improve upon (points 4 & 5) without huge expense or effort.

Good reading in general; aside from the unnecessary political jab. My only problem with the article is the ever-erroneous 1 gallon/day/person. I hold to no less than three and push for five to seven. Here is what I think is a good method for planning water storage: One cubic foot of storage for each person fer each day. A cubic foot of water is just over seven gallons. Given what storage systems take up in their structure you can probably count on no more than five gallons per cubic foot.

Just a thought.

YMMV

My $.02

Depending upon humidity, my water consumption has varied from around a liter a day to well over a gallon. I would say a gallon a day would be about right if it fairly humid and one is not exercising vigorously. This does not count the water ingested with food, and does not consider body size and other variables.

Speaking as an old desert rat, I hold that the use of water for any purpose other than consumption when the supply is restricted is foolhardy. Forget bathing and washing.

Just as you can never be too rich or too skinny, you can never have too much water, well hardly ever (floods excepted).