'You used the blizzard model, which is very familiar to people in the
northern and mid-western states. I grew up in Ohio, so I can remember
stocking up on staples and baking while we were snowed in for a week at
a time. Although transportation was stopped, the utilities rarely were: we
still had heat and electricity. I now live in Northern California where
we're on constant earthquake preparedness, and I think the earthquake
model is more like a Y2K scenario, where the possibility of being without
electricity, heat, fresh water and transportation for some period of time
is likely.
Here's what we're advised to do: stock up on canned and dried foods
that do not need cooking and require a minimum amount of water to
prepare. (Stock up on water, too, of course.) Pinto beans, for example,
would not be a good choice because they require lots of water to clean,
soak and cook and at least an hour of cooking time. But canned tuna
would be good, as well as the sun-dried fruits and nuts that are available
in health food and specialty stores in the fall and winter. A nationwide
chain which specializes in dried fruits, nuts, trail mix, etc. is Trader Joe's.
Also, stores that specialize in recreation have prepackaged freeze-dried
meals that need only a small amount of boiling water to prepare. This
type of food is used by backpackers and mountaineers, who have to trek
all of their food and cooking supplies into the wilderness and then trek
them out, so it takes minimal space and is easy to prepare, while being
high energy. A nationwide chain which specializes in this type of food is
Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI).
For people who live in urban areas, there are ways you can grow small
amounts of fresh fruits and veggies year-round indoors, or in
windowboxes or atriums (if you live in the Western or Southern states).
Many apartment dwellers already have "gardens" devoted to flowers. It
would be quite simple to convert them to lettuce, onions, tomatoes,
carrots, etc. You could also can or dry (by sun or with a food dehydrator)
fruits and veggies from the summer harvest, no matter where you live.
...
yourdon.com |
