Off Grid Lifestyle

[80watts]

Getting away from it all, the cities and the people. Seems like the idea lots of people are having when dealing with life in the slower lane these days.

I really hate the word some people use to describe themselves.... Preppers...
The reality they are turning into the world of 100 years ago. No electricity, grow and can you own food (farming), raise cows, pigs, sheep etc. Lets call them farmers....No different from the Amish....

Except they are now adding modern convivences to that. Electricity through wind or solar power. Wells dug deep, with sanitation devices (UV and RO) to clean and make the water safe for drinking. Bunkers for underground living in case of nuclear war. For an average family with a 2400 square foot home, you would need a bunker about 2-3 times that size to survive, by growing food underground and good sized workshop, for when thing become good again (A nuclear winter could last 2 to 10 years)... But hey they still have farm tractors....

Another thing I don't understand is the individual "go bag", where the fuck are you going to? If not to some underground bunker system, then the forest, a trailer in the forest. The place I would want to live is Finland.... They have these big underground shelters (more than 1 per city), cause they were close to the Russian border and acted according, due to the Russian actions of WW2.. To keep these bunkers currant, they rent out the bunkers for office space, gym space etc, all while still having the amenities of a bunker (food and water and bedspace). Lets just say Canadian foresight is extremely lacking in any type of preparedness at all.. There is the Diefenbunker (a tourist spot) and North Bay (still active for Norad). What about ex- mines?

A good book to read is Lucifer's Hammer written in the 70s about a comet hitting the earth (Pretty much a non- but nuclear winter type senario)... A guy has his hidey hole in the forest and when he gets there, his assistant and his friends and family have taken it over and tell him to fuck off.... The guy runs into cannibals, because society has fallen apart.... he eventually makes it to valley set up by some senator, who wants to bring the USA back into being after the collapse of everything. The people in search for food and shelter destroy just about everything including burning books to keep warm. One thing was the foresight of a engineer, that took books and sealed them up and stored them an in septic pit; which were recovered later....

 

[Pumped]

The problem with 'preppers' is they ignore the reality of what would happen if some major disaster struck.

No electricity? Sewers (many have pumping stations now) cease to work. Water may no longer be available. Neither will fuel.

Deaths -- lots of people will freeze to death, or otherwise kill themselves trying to heat their homes in stupid ways.

I once reviewed an article submitted for presentation at a conference that discussed what would happen to people with disabilities in the case of a disaster. Most of them don't have a hope in hell of surviving two weeks out.

Even people on simple medications for things like high blood pressure, diabetes, or cholesterol will run out of meds and start having complications. My CPAP will eventually stop working on the backup battery and will there be some way to recharge it? Likely not.

Head for a hospital? There's a death trap. They too will run out of supplies, personnel and the ability to operate in any helpful way within weeks.

After a few weeks the real horror begins as the dead bodies pile up and no one will take the time to bury them. Now lots of diseases start up along with the stench. Lots of pets will die, or go feral. Great ... more hazards to contend with.

'Surviving' may not be the panacea that 'preppers' believe it will be particularly when mass systems begin to fail.

And anyone that remembers what the covid shutdowns were like, any mass event will make that seem like a Disney vacation in comparison.

I'm just hoping the fucking meteor lands on my house.

 

[Uncled]

If a major catastrophe occurs (nuclear war, asteroid impact, super volcano, etc) and civilization breaks down, I think the humans most likely to survive are those primative “savages“ still living subsistence lifestyles in the jungles of the Amazon, Congo, and Papua-New Guinea.

 

[Uncled]

The problem with 'preppers' is they ignore the reality of what would happen if some major disaster struck.

A prepper is just stockpiling food and supplies for someone that has better weapons than them.

 

[80watts]

If a major catastrophe occurs (nuclear war, asteroid impact, super volcano, etc) and civilization breaks down, I think the humans most likely to survive are those primative “savages“ still living subsistence lifestyles in the jungles of the Amazon, Congo, and Papua-New Guinea.

I think that is a theory of some people who think that history is being covered up/ignored as more people find evidence of a major catastrophe that happened to the world during the last ice age around 11,000 years ago (9500-10,000 BC/BCE).

The people living on the fringe survived.

A guy on utube, an Randal Carlson has some theories on America NW floods, and eastern US formation of lakes (oval in character), and evidence of a major flood across NW Africa. One theory is as the ice disappeared in NA, (the land there uplifting), causing other land masses to sink (Mid Atlantic Rift area near equator); along with what could of cause the ice fields (miles thick) to melt and disappear in a quick amount of time. A meteor or solar flare of hit by a barrage of meteors that hit the ice fields....

Alot of this has to deal with current archeologists/scientist positions. An example of this is the Clovis age for people in NAmerica (evidence came up in 1920s and was universally debunked by sitting scholars at prestigious colleges, without looking at the evidence or questioning it), as the thought was people came over the land bridge in Alaska (so the earliest time was 12,000 years ago. Current evidence show people in America as early as 26,000 years ago.

No people will survive. Look at Seedbanks in Norway, Infomation storage in Utah in salt mines, people refurbishing missile silos for shelters, people building bomb shelters under their mansions... Normal people can't afford those things, but societies and rich people can. If something happens, will they survive-- Maybe.... Modern archeology didn't start until the 1880/90 and even then the rich amateurs were fucking up the dig sites looking for buried treasure.

I think that people should grow their own food, or at least have hot houses that can self heat themselves (heat pump or heat from composting). I also think that people should build their houses with concrete (using ICF blocks), building a sturdy structure that will last hundreds of years. My current obsession is watching utube videos on people refurbishing old stone barns/houses. Using modern rebar and cement and insulation and drainage techniques to rebuild. Put a permanent stone roof on with either cement or tiles. A house build with storm shutter will take a hit from anything except a tornado thrown car (or bigger)..... Probally why you should have a storm shelter underground or deep in a cave....

When I was growing up in the 70/80s my parents would can and freeze vegetables and fruits, but hardly anyone does that these days, let alone have a cold storage space in their house or apartment.

 

[licks2nite]

Towns villages and cities should be able to live off the grid to kick start industry in
Canada in small prefabricated nuclear reactors.

 

[PuntMeister]

I want to learn more than I already know about living off the land—particularly foraging. It pisses me off (and I am guilty too) that city dwellers plunked in a forrest wouldn’t have much of a clue what you could eat and what would make you sick or kill you.

Mad respect for the primitive survivalists that can just wander out into the forest and find breakfast. That is abundance, not my closet full of shiny kitchen gadgets.

 

[luvsdaty]

My dad use to tell me that you'd have to be an idiot to starve to death on the bc coast. He taught all us kids what's edible along the shore line,we live in a rain forest so fresh water isn't that hard to find.
I know of a few artesian wells around the island. If you have a .22 and a 12ga,you can pretty much kill any game on the island and if you know how to set a dead fall you can even kill black bears.
Dad pointed out which flowers had bulbs which are a substitute for potatoes,I have property on my reserve where my dad dug a well, a smoke house isn't that difficult to build,especially if you have an Alaska sawmill.
I was fortunate in that I grew up in a fishing/logging family so "roughing it" was always taught to us,our climate is pretty mild and a lot of veggies do well here,if you know how to can,smoke,salt food and have a root cellar you can pretty well make out on the island.
Even better if you have bees 👍

 

[vanperb]

A prepper is just stockpiling food and supplies for someone that has better weapons than them.

One thing I never understood about people who "prep" is they they never learn additional skills that actually matter in the long run. Seed harvesting, nutritional science, agricultural science, animal husbandry, rudimentary engineering, etc. Once the canned goods run out, which they will, rebuilding society is the only long term solution. Cosplaying zombie apocalypse fighters won't cut it.

 

[oldshark]

Headed for retirement in 2 or 3 years. Not a prepper question. But........

If I wanted to get myself a hobby farm or cottage so that I could have blueberries, a couple of fruit trees, some chickens, enough room for my cars, a meandering stream, a meadow and a bit of a view, where is the best and affordable location? Also older so being within a hour or two drive away from medical services is helpful? I have lived in the Yukon, northern BC, northern Manitoba, northern Ontario and Toronto. The North is beautiful is great but a long trek......

Okanagan? Vancouver Island? Kootenays? Or is travel for services just too complicated because of the mountains.
Rideau River valley somewhere near Perth or Kingston? Niagara escarpment area? Some beautiful country out there.

 

[Oldfart]

Headed for retirement in 2 or 3 years. Not a prepper question. But........

If I wanted to get myself a hobby farm or cottage so that I could have blueberries, a couple of fruit trees, some chickens, enough room for my cars, a meandering stream, a meadow and a bit of a view, where is the best and affordable location? Also older so being within a hour or two drive away from medical services is helpful? I have lived in the Yukon, northern BC, northern Manitoba, northern Ontario and Toronto. The North is beautiful is great but a long trek......

Define "affordable."

 

[oldshark]

Define "affordable."

Somewhere in the $500K range. A cabin with a decent bedroom, kitchen, and study.

 

[80watts]

Get an acreage, with older growth trees on it.

 

[sybian]

I live the off civilization lifestyle….the problem with society these days , is that there are people.

 

[80watts]

It not that people are bad, it just that when they get into groups they lower their IQ and do dumb and stupid things. Especially when common sense runs out and stupid woke political view come into play.

With technology today, the problem is that most people do not know how that technology works; or how to repair it, or build new items. Covid was a good example of how a supply chain will shut down, and how governments were going to get food to people, and items to keep basic home (electricity, water and heat) requirements going (essential services going).

 

[80watts]

With Covid in mind, you would think the powers to be would have building structures up coded. Better materials for house protection in fire prone areas, sprinklers for roofs, metal roofs (not asphalt shingles- they can burn), cement board for outer building protection (not plastic siding). Base structure being cement, not wood which can burn.
But hey we still build with the cheapest materials (Wood) and it can burn. New houses should be built with concrete, with the option of building the house higher in future generations. Most rural area construction has to have a pump tank to inside sprinklers that activate when there is a fire in the house.
The biggest thing is single family houses in cities. Build apartment building/condos that have 2000/3000 sq ft apartments that are 7-10 stories high. You can't build new land, so the only solution is to go up.

And if you are going to build new stuff with cement, build it to standard that can take a 155mm shell or 208 mm shell without the building falling down. Sure as shit, the more population we get the dumber people get. So build with conflict in mind. My reasoning is look at Ukraine, after rebuilding from WW2 they are barely holding on, constantly under missile and drone attack even in Kiev. Its pretty hard to burn down a concrete structure that is designed to take a fire.

 

[80watts]

Another example of off grid (kinda) is living on a boat or sailing vessel. The thing about boats is you need infrastructure ashore to survive, for getting more food and gas/oil supplies. A sailboat has unlimited sailing, but requires engines in confined areas and for when there is no wind.
A boat needs electricity, food and a way to store food (usually fridges that require electricity). Most sailors put Solar cell and Lithium phoshate batteries to help reduce dependency on gas or diesel. Most boats out there are designed for shore support and not for living off-grid.
People like the heat, so they go places that are warm/hot. Requiring AC to be able to put up with heat in the 40-50 C degrees weather (also high humidity), so you need more electrical load for the AC to work.
Laws today means that you need grey water (shower and dish water) and black water (poop) systems so as not to pollute the seas with direct pollution.

If you plan on living off gridish on a boat, you should design it from the keel up.....

 

[angry anderson]

With Covid in mind, you would think the powers to be would have building structures up coded. Better materials for house protection in fire prone areas, sprinklers for roofs, metal roofs (not asphalt shingles- they can burn), cement board for outer building protection (not plastic siding). Base structure being cement, not wood which can burn.
But hey we still build with the cheapest materials (Wood) and it can burn. New houses should be built with concrete, with the option of building the house higher in future generations. Most rural area construction has to have a pump tank to inside sprinklers that activate when there is a fire in the house.
The biggest thing is single family houses in cities. Build apartment building/condos that have 2000/3000 sq ft apartments that are 7-10 stories high. You can't build new land, so the only solution is to go up.

And if you are going to build new stuff with cement, build it to standard that can take a 155mm shell or 208 mm shell without the building falling down. Sure as shit, the more population we get the dumber people get. So build with conflict in mind. My reasoning is look at Ukraine, after rebuilding from WW2 they are barely holding on, constantly under missile and drone attack even in Kiev. Its pretty hard to burn down a concrete structure that is designed to take a fire.

Tell that to this guy
The 9/11 Mystery: Silverstein's Insurance Payouts | ShunIns

 

[Lady Companion]

I think preppers come in a giant spectrum of why they are doing it and what they are capable of surviving.

At its most basic, people ensure they have enough food, water, medication, etc. in their home for a few weeks or a few months.

The point of that is if the power grid goes out, if the supply chain are shut down, or if there’s some kind of natural disaster and their home isn’t impacted, but you really don’t wanna go out into the catastrophe outside.

I’ve got several friends who’ve taken it a step further and have Large sailboats that are stocked with sufficient supplies to get them to another country if SHTF

The bug out bag that I think you are thinking of is something X seals, SAS or special forces typically have. And yes, the handful of people I do know that fit into that category would probably do just fine surviving in the total wilderness. They’d probably even like it.

The people I know who currently live off the grid or are working on building community off the grid that will be fully functional are not diluted into believing they’re going to survive some kind of zombie apocalypse.

For them, it’s an actual lifestyle that they enjoy. They like having organic heirloom, fruits and vegetables, and meat that has not been processed, filled with hormones and antibiotics, etc.

They are really, just looking to you maximize agency over their own lives, while being a part of a like-minded community, Working with their hands, maintaining and growing new skill sets, etc.

For many it’s a choice for what they perceive to be a better lifestyle. Certainly a healthier one. And for some, it’s a hedge against inflation. And for others, it’s a back up plan for when we go onto CBDC/block chain with a potential for too much government over each. They are not wanting to be part of the digital ID at all. And so are looking to be completely self-sufficient on their own/with their community and not need anything from the government.

I know that there are Uber wealthy people who do have these crazy bunkers that would allow them to survive for 25 years in a nuclear fallout, etc. but that’s not a life I would personally want.

So I think lumping the term Pre is into everybody is doing it a disservice, because most people that we get lumped into that Have varying degrees of preparation as well as a multitude of reasons why they are doing it, and what they are capable of or would even want to survive.

 

[Larry's Torch]

The perception of what off-grid means to about 90% of people is influenced by inaccurate youtube videos.