Increasingly frequent and severe extreme weather events are pushing people to evaluate how prepared they are for disaster.
In the r/preppers subreddit, one user asked about alternatives to gasoline and propane.
"We just had a power [outage] that blessedly only lasted 24 hrs," they wrote. "Recently stocked up on gas, so I wasn't too concerned. It brought me back to a question I've kicked around for a while though — if the gas runs out, what's the alternative?"
🗣️ What would you do if natural disasters were threatening your home?
🔘 Move somewhere else 🌎
🔘 Reinforce my home 🏠
🔘 Nothing 🤷
🔘 This is happening already 😬
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
They said they needed petrochemicals for a chainsaw to cut firewood, a generator to power freezers, and a stove to cook food.
The top-rated comment advised turning to a bank of batteries and a 1,000-gallon wet leg propane tank. Others had similar suggestions, though solar power and batteries were mentioned frequently.
In the case of an extensive power outage — whether it be a natural disaster or human-caused event — these systems can keep you up and running without outside help. Solar, of course, depends on the weather and can be erratic depending on your location or the season. But if you're able to store what the sun generates, that can mitigate potential issues.
Moreover, the poster didn't indicate they were trying to electrify an entire home or use vast quantities of energy. That's the best way to prepare for the unexpected: Think about what you will absolutely need in an emergency, and then figure out how you can make it operational if the grid is offline or communication has been wiped out.
In the cases of a chainsaw, generator, and stove, there are electric options that can run on solar power and be recharged over and over with the sun's rays. This poster also found it helpful to have equipment that could run on stored propane.
"Long term alternatives are corded electrics (can generate power from solar, wind, steam or hydro) or diesel ( biodiesel can be made from a wide variety of fats )," one commenter wrote. "Gasoline is a choke point since you can't make more yourself."
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