the Trash vitae

Trash is the editor-in-chief of an independent Colorado micro-publisher/ design studio. I dabble in digital photography, the lost art of film image making, and guerilla digital video. DrMAC Studios specializes in books and videos on self-reliance, gardening, dumpster diving, urban foraging and living off the excesses of others.
This blog documents my daily experiences with the rest of the world

Friday, February 5, 2010

living off the excesses of others

bfast-cheesey grits, orange, coffee
lunch- leftover italian veggie soup, chips and water
dinner- roast beast, taters, salad and juice

Yesterday I was listening to a podcast from good ol Jack at the Survival Podcast and he was talkin about the skills needed for TEOTWAWKI survival.. Besides the usual mechnanical and technical skills that we should all have and a little gardening skill etc. He forgot a few.
1.Vehicle/ Home maintenance-- Since there aint gonna be no mechanics/ plumbers, handymen etc around there will be a need to fix your own dam car, truck, motorcycle, bicycle and around home stuff. Ya better learn how to do that work or your forked.
2. Creative food/ Supply gathering-- Dumpsters and deserted buildings and such hold a myriad of stuff that will be edible/useable.. DOnt be afraid to climb on in and check it our or go scavengin around.. Practice these skills now for future necessity. Share these skills with your kids.
3. Conservation.. Since after a disaster you may turn on the faucet and nada comes out, you may as well practice now.. Set the standard for the family at 1-2 showers a week. During summere use the community pool for bathing etc.
4. Frugality- As in number 2 clothes ands other essentials can be found quite cheap at the local thrifty mart or for free if you fins them in dumpies or at abandoned houses. DOnt be afraid to grab them and use/ share/ barter. Practice frugal living.. Ols pasta sauce cans and jars make wonderful cups or bowls when in a pinch. The large size beans and veggie cans make ok pots for cooking, etc. Dont be afraid.
Most of all practice these skills now for future use...Our relatives during the depression did and they survived.

1 comment:

MrsL said...

Just a note on the last suggestion: using tin cans with seams could be putting lead into your food. Cooking with these would be considered last ditch, not habitual. Think about using the traditional native method of heating some foods (especially for tea) Drop rocks heated at the edge of a fire into a container of liquid. Just a thought.