[Location] Urban/Suburban Transition

Pops

As has been noted, there are many threads here regarding personal transition to expensive energy in a rural setting as well as in a animal-hide breechclout in a jungle somewhere.

Although many threads are applicable to urban and suburban living as well as rural, this one is dedicated to specific steps individuals can take for the majority of us who won't - and will never, move from town.

I’ll merge up some old threads on this topic at some point as well.

By the way, lets keep this positive, OK?

[edit for clarity]
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Make a plan and work it:

RonMN

One question Pops (i'm not trying to be negative, just asking for clarification), Is it "what can we do for friends/family"? The general masses? or how can we help/plan for the people who refuse to help themselves?

I'm not sure of the direction you want this thread to take.

Pops

RonMN

Hmmm, this may apply directly to me as i live about 1 mile (as the crow flies) from Minneapolis. I've gotten frustrated trying to bring up the topic because most simply refuse to hear it...however i've taken quite a few precautions that really wont be implemented until absolutely necessary. Let's see if this can start the conversation...

- Purchased a few rolls of clear plastic & duct tape & staple gun...if need be i'll totally forget about the "look" of my home & plastic up every window to conserve heat.

- Learned that the inside cattails can be dried & ground to make bread, indentified all the cattails within walking distance from my home, also planted wild rice among the cattails last week (i believe they need to winter before they will sprout) as well as indentified many other natural food sources within walking distance.

- Bought camp cookware & coffee pot so if i need to cook a meal in my fireplace i have the ability to do it.

- stocked up on essential food supplies & water containers...also learned that my hot water heater holds 40 gallons of fresh drinkable water & how to drain it.

The list goes on & on, but so many people see any one of these prep's as "silly" or downright foolishness that it gets discouraging for me to even try to talk about it (except on here). Sometimes i feel "hell, just let 'em all die", but that's not really what i want. I believe in "HOPE FOR THE BEST BUT PLAN FOR THE WORST" while others seem to think...well, honestly, they don't seem to think at all Sad

SinisterBlueCat · Intermediate Crude Joined: Sep 06, 2005 Posts: 950

Ludi

http://www.pathtofreedom.com/
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"...powerdown so soft and fluffy you'll think you're living in a pillow..." - jboogy

SinisterBlueCat · Intermediate Crude Joined: Sep 06, 2005 Posts: 950

pathtofreedom is great!

benzoil

Being trapped smack in the middle of a major metro area, I've been wondering about this whole issue myself. I think that you have to assume that Peak Oil will be a gradual slide. A sudden, long drop is not something to contemplate whilst living among 3 million people who didn't think far enough ahead to even buy a bike.

Some of the things I am doing:
- The usual. Got in shape (lost 40lbs). Got out of debt (except for that dang mortgage). Learning to do useful things.

- Next spring the yew bushes get ripped out and replaced with dwarf apple trees. The clymatis (sp?) and roses along the fence get replaced with grapes. We'll also be devoting alot more space to a garden. The trees and grapes are long term (3-5 years) but you've got to start somewhere.

-Buying a bike before spring. The CTA is already getting hammered
by diesel prices now. And that's at $1.75/fare. Can't wait to see what it looks like in a couple of years.

-I'm an IT consultant. I have clients all over the Chicago area. I'm setting up remote access to all of them this fall/winter. This has the added benefit of letting me work in my PJs!

-Stocking up on low-energy entertainment. Lots of books and boardgames for everyone this Christmas. We redid our home a few years ago so its as energy efficient as an old Vic can get without any solar/wind/geothermal help.

That said, I'm lucky. My home is within walking distance of neighborhood groceries, a large Supermarket, the El, 2 Metra lines, 2 highways and 3 bus lines. I only have a one car garage so there is more room to garden. There's also an empty lot across the alley that is owned by the state. It has been used as a community garden for decades.

Assuming that the doomers' "hungry hordes" don't show up on my doorstep and that my wife or I can stay working for a few more years and we're pretty well set up. Would I rather live in the country and have enough land to feed myself and my family? Sure. On the other hand, I like having health insurance. Not much call for IT guys on a dairy farm.

Pops

pstarr

I see a another Great Depression. People will not starve or loot--civil disorder is not good for the rich or poor. You will get heat, water, and a gruel ration in suburbia.

In the short term;
-make your wealth liquid
-live near (and invest in extra land) by mass transit or a body of water
-move from industrial areas-these will be skidrows and camps etc.
-move near office parks and malls-these will be barracks for the homeless. (money to be made from them)
-organize neighborhood associations for order and security
-begin now to create arable land around you
-learn how to scavenge, repair, darn, weld
-get in shape and learn self defense
-sell off your crap and lighten your load while you can.

In the long term identify a niche business in a low-energy business of the future. Bee keeping, vegetable gardening, shoe repair, bike repair, appliance repair, animal husbandry, etc. Once you get good at any of these figure out a way to control such a market and service in your region.

If you really believe that the crap will hit the fan in suburbia then you had better leave. I don't see a bag of grain, gun, leatherman, and a water purifier doing much good in a mad max future. And if you plan on leaving, go right now because country living takes years and years to learn. And make sure you move to or by a small town with plenty of water above, on, or under the ground.

pete
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ree rah rip ram. sunofabitch godamn. hidey didey christ almighty. rah rah crap wav

benzoil

azreal60

If you want some specific advice for you, sell the house at as high a price as you can get it, and get a situation if you can where you pay minimal rent for a few. Sell it soon, as the housing bubble is about to burst. When it does burst, use your newly gotten wealth to buy a suddenly cheaper home near an area that is close to a city, but far enough away you have some land around you. I won't be able to buy All that land south of fitchburg, so your welcome to take a crack at it. ( of course, i'll have to tease you about the bears, although this season you would be the one teasing me)

If your staying though, definately get working on getting as much agriculture going on your property as possible, and even better, encourage your neighbors to do the same. If you all start trading your stuff, it lets one person grow 5 crops, another grow another five, and a third grow 5 more, and in the winter you will have a pick of 15 different kinds of fruits or veggies stored in various ways. Plus the best thing in the world to encourage is neighborhood cooperation if your staying. This is how you can get thru peak oil into a powerdown kind of situation, or a half powerdown/half nuclear more government control. Honestly, it hurts nothing and has every chance of saving your behind.
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Azreal60

benzoil

RonMN

Recipies might help a little...i was making some white rice the other day (I know alot of people on this site are stocking up on rice). 1 cup rice to 2 and a quarter cups water is what it calls for...i had it boiling & the idea hit me to drop in a can of campbells condensed cream of what-ever soup.

Turned it down & let it simmer for 30 minz...it was FANTASTIC!!! It ended up to be the entire meal...i had nothing else with it. It sure beat the hell out of plain rice! Now, add a little squirl or rabbit & i can start a soup line for the neighbors Smile

SinisterBlueCat · Intermediate Crude Joined: Sep 06, 2005 Posts: 950

making cream of whatever soup from scratch is really easy. A little butter and flour, some milk or cream, onion if you have, some water or broth and your whatever (mushrooms, califlower, etc)

minnesota rons cream of rabbit soup. mmmmm! Laughing

I make really good chicken stock from left over roast chickens. I brown some onions, carrots and celery in a little oil, then add the chicken remains and cover with water. Boil until the chicken is nothing but bones and at least half of the water is gone Strain. This broth keeps in the refridge for a few weeks. when cold it is gelatinly and I add it to lots of things, including rice!