Post-Apocalyptic Survival Skills

Why I'm not concerned with surviving during the actual apocalypse is a good question.

Yes, I understand that because of my faulty efforts of not preparing for this fanatic event, I will most likely die during the apocalypse, thus making all of my efforts pointless in any way, shape, or form.  But just because I might possibly die during the apocalypse doesn't mean that many people won't survive.  They will.  And I want to make sure that what little is left of humanity can survive, and I mean survive in the right way.  To not go back to the old methods, systems, ways, practices, and philosophies that we once had, but to create new ones that will not only harvest a better way of life, but will foster a better environment and a better humanity.  And yes, maybe our environment will be completely destroyed by then and what little hope was left will be lost, but there is still possibility.  Mother Nature always has her way of creeping back in, restoring herself, and giving another chance for life.

It's funny though.  As I mentioned before in my first post, while I don't necessarily believe that the apocalypse is this one big event that will take place, but more of a gradual transformation into a state of emptiness, chaos, and confusion, I consider the 'post-apocalypse' to be the moments right after we become aware and realize that we are already entering into an apocalyptic state.

Once these conditions of confusion and chaos and these feelings of panic overcome us, we are going to need something to keep us sane.  Something to keep us going and believing that we can survive this thing.  That we can make it without all the available technologies and resources that we have today.  So my 'post-apocalyptic' survival skills are ones that you can use now or later, when everything is gone (well not everything), but most of what we value in today's society such as: cellphones, computers, the Internet, conventional grocery stores, water, electricity, clothing, etc.

Because we are so dependent on these items, I believe that it's necessary that we become familiar with more natural ways of human behavior such as learning how to forage, how to cultivate the Earth, where to find water sources, how to start a fire, how to make shelter, and so on.  I'm not saying that progression and creating the society that we have today isn't 'natural' but it's out of touch.

These skills will get us back in touch with the social and communal beings that we are.  We can get back to our roots as hunter-gatherers and create a community space to share food, ideas, opinions, projects, and thoughts about where to go from here; from this post-apocalyptic standpoint.

In many ways, I think the apocalypse is and can be a beautiful thing.  It can open our eyes up to the world and show us that what we are doing, this system of disconnection, isolation, fear, unacceptance, and competitiveness, and our habits of consumerism, ignorance, inconsiderate thoughts, and destruction, is not only wrong, it's not okay.  I repeat, it is NOT OKAY.  We keep balancing these concepts that the world can handle what we put into it and that it will eventually restore itself, but at the rate that we are going, we will deplete our environment of all its resources and destroy humanity because of it.

So finally, here are some tips for surviving the apocalypse while helping others along the way.

How to Survive in a Post-Apocalyptic World:

1) Since we won't have access to electricity, learn how to make/start a fire.  Here is a link for some tips on how to create a fire and a video to see it actually being done (since we have access to the Internet...for now):

http://www.wikihow.com/Build-a-Fire

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AM48gyVEnGY

2) Learn to gather materials to make cooking utensils, such as old metal goods or scraps, wood, plants, straw, etc.

http://www.ehow.com/how_7615055_make-metal-pan.html

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-a-Wooden-Spoon/

3) How to find a water source:

http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/survival/wilderness/how-to-find-water.html

http://www.survival.org.au/water.php

4) How to forage:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/04/23/178603623/want-to-forage-in-your-city-theres-a-map-for-that

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9QguMxavx0

5) How to farm/garden/cultivate the land:

http://www.almanac.com/vegetable-garden-planning-for-beginners

6) Study herbs and their medicinal properties:

http://www.rd.com/slideshows/medicinal-herbs/

7) How to make things from scratch such as corn tortillas, bread, etc.

http://www.cheeseslave.com/homemade-corn-tortillas-part-one/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ksyivTxZzw

8) How to butcher a rabbit, squirrel, or a deer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNxo7GFEXWw

9) Read THIS survival guide before the world ends:

http://www.amazon.com/SAS-Survival-Handbook-Revised-Edition/dp/0061733199/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1398940431&sr=8-3&keywords=wilderness+survival+guide

10)  How to make shelter:

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Shelter-in-the-Wilderness


Now GO survive the apocalypse...Enjoy!