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A generation ago, Americans concerned with the future of global relations stocked up on canned foods and even built bomb shelters in the event of nuclear war. Today, those who know the worst could come at any minute count themselves among the three million Americans who the Daily Mail report to be self-described preppers. Preppers are no longer worried about the enemy abroad, so much as the enemy at home. It’s not easy being the only one ready for disaster, however. When you start to include your pets in the contingency meal plans, it’s just one of the many, many pesky prepper problems.
Nobody Realizes How Heavy Water Is
Water, water, is everywhere, which is why people use so much of it. The EPA reports that a family of four uses 400 gallons of water each day. When the sun develops a solar flare that knocks out all communications and power grids on Earth, that means you’d have to haul in 3500 pounds of water from a river or well in order to continue your usual water-guzzling habits. So many people think they’ll just fill up a CamelBak and be good to go whenever the worst happens. Preppers know that’s not the case and that people who require a 40-minute hot shower each day will be the ones get left behind by the group.
You Know Who’ll Show Up When It Hits The Fan
Everyone preps for their own reasons. Maybe it’s out of concern for currency issues, or out of concern for a pending natural disaster, or maybe preppers are just a tad bit about unnerved by the 1.6 billion rounds of ammunition that Forbes reports the Department of Homeland Security has stockpiled. For as many reasons there are out there to prep, there is someone out there to ridicule it. The same people who make fun of you for buying liners from Pool Products in order to strengthen your collapsible shelter will be the same ones tapping on your tent when trouble comes knocking. Maybe it’s the city slicker who doesn’t know the difference between a backpack and a purse, or the ones who expect to have room service at arm’s length during a national riot.
It Ain’t About The Apocalypse, It’s About Tomorrow
Tell someone that you have a bug-out bag or a month’s-worth of dried food on hand, and you’ll likely get a bunch of jokes about the Bible. Few understand that prepping is about preparing for real-life, very likely events. The Guardian reported that the world used to have a food reserve of about 107 days a decade ago; that number has now fallen to 74 days. The U.S. may only be a few years away from consuming more food than it produces. As nice as it is to be the one who said “I told you so,” it’s a lot nicer to be able to buy a cheeseburger for less than $65.
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