You surely don’t have to have electricity, my family didn’t have it until I was 12 years old and we survived just fine, as did whole civilizations before us. A short term plan should include a generator to save food in fridge and freezer, but for long term you better plan on not having electricity unless you have everything it takes to create it- fuel for a generator will be limited in worse case scenerio. You of course need water. If things fall apart so badly that basic survival is the issue, then survival will be the number one concern and will consume nearly all of everyone’s time. The main thing we are talking about is survival here, not having everything we have now. Survival consists of hunting, gathering, and a large garden and domestic livestock such as chickens, milk cow, etc. can supplement that. It is not the same as my little garden that I piddle with some years when I could get by just fine without it.
Why do you think what I suggested is “island” planning? Of course like minded folks will work together as they have throughout history. Having a little of everything makes sense because what you can’t use you can share or trade for what you need. Everyone is in a different situation of course, but many do have the means to have garden and livestock. Many of those that don’t have relatives and friends that do. Some will need different plans if they live in the city and so do all their friends and family, they will have to have things and of course their labor to trade.
Many people survived in the Southwest before all the modern conveniences, it surely can be done. It will be tough anywhere if things are that messed up.
“Why do you think what I suggested is “island” planning? “
Good question. In a previous post I mentioned “myths” and this seems to be one of them. Obviously we need to discuss the importance of developing “community”? (yet another word that has been “co-opted” into something negative ;)
“Many people survived in the Southwest before all the modern conveniences, it surely can be done.”
Actually, not much. After WWII, Phoenix only had about 50,000 people, and only became livable after the invention of swamp cooling. And only prosperous with the invention of home air conditioning. And that 50,000 only because of plenty of water and commercial air conditioning in the city.
In summer, it was a pest hole of disease, and anyone who could, sent their children to live in the much cooler North country. It’s big draw was that it had such dry air that Tuberculosis patients were attracted to the place.
Without water and electricity, which amount to the same thing here, as electricity is needed to pump the water, Phoenix and much of the southwest returns to the Sonora desert from whence it came.