As extreme weather events become more frequent and more intense, it makes sense to have a plan in place in case your home loses power or you have to evacuate.
People with many such plans can be found in the r/preppers subreddit. One community member recently posed a useful question.
"Best prep you did not have to buy?" the poster asked. "I find myself going down the rabbit hole of things I can buy to improve my preparedness. But sometimes it just feels like empty consumerism in disguise. What's the best thing you've done to prep that didn't require buying a product?"
The responses ranged from the somewhat humorous ("Marry someone smart") to the more actionable.
"Be your own handyman," wrote one commenter. "Lots of YouTube videos will show you how. I can fix toilets and electrical outlets and the water heater and furnace. Change my vehicle cabin filter and install a dishwasher."
"Build your community and relationships," another contributed.
Replying to the above comment, another member of the subreddit wrote: "The 'lone wolf' will die alone with a lot of supplies when they trip, have a bad fall, and break a leg. A member of a community will live with others helping them."
These are great points about the importance of community. While many emergency preparedness enthusiasts seem to view themselves as the potential stars of a postapocalyptic action thriller, community and sticking together help people survive in real life.
In another post on the same subreddit, one prepper described their experience of living through the aftermath of Hurricane Milton. They wrote that while their gasoline stores ran out way too quickly, what surprised them was how much their neighbors pulled together and helped one another out.
🗣️ What supplies do you keep on hand in case of a blackout?
🔘 Just a flashlight 🔦
🔘 A few camping lanterns 😎
🔘 A full-on emergency kit 🆘
🔘 I don't have anything 🤷
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
The current environmental problems caused by pollution from dirty energy sources will likely get worse before they get better. While there is only so much that individuals can do about that, we are much more likely to get through these extreme weather events if we build a community, so start getting to know your neighbors.
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