Arthur is a Disaster: Why We Need to Become More Self Sufficient
Stephanie Kelley
When the forecast called for rain last weekend I was looking forward to a break from the relentless heat wave of the previous week. It seemed that a little rain would be just the ticket to cool things off….
But Tropical Storm Arthur brought much more than just a bit of rain, it unleashed a full scale disaster on the Maritimes. As I write this 6 days after the storm, thousands of homes are still without power.
Natural disasters can strike at any time. The devastation of Arthur has made it obvious that we can all be cut off, lose our heat, power and water at any time and it can take a long time to get it all back.
The answer to the threats of this kind of disaster is to start taking steps to become more self sufficient.
- Reduce debt
- Reduce consumption
- Reduce energy use
- Store energy: Invest in a back-up generator or solar generator
- Invest in food storage. Dehydrated foods, grains, rice, beans, flour and canned goods do not require refrigeration. You can learn how to build your own Solar Dehydrator at the workshop being held at Falls Brook Centre in Glassville on July 19th. Call 506-246-1114 or visit online at www.fallsbrookcentre.ca for more information.
- Produce your own food
- Learn new practical skills; We’ve forgotten how to take care of ourselves!
- Start a side business…maybe your passion will become your new career
- Install alternative energy. Solar panels are becoming more affordable every day.
- Get involved in community. Start or join a local co-operative for food, products and services.
- Engage in discussions to take steps for self sufficiency.
These steps will save money as we move towards self sufficiency and independence. Each action we take to live more simply frees us from the control systems put into place to make our lives more complicated, more toxic and less independent!
And you won’t be stuck for a week waiting for your power to get back on….
