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Tag: life skills

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How to be water independent by rainwater harvesting

Water is the most abundant resource on this planet but only a small percentage is actually drinkable. What’s more frustrating to most is that municipalities will charge you for this precious resource. What a lot of people don’t understand is what goes on behind the scenes: where that water comes from and what has to be done to it to make it usable or drinkable. It goes through chemical treatments and a couple different filtration processes and that’s what you’re really paying for. Not the water itself. Fortunately, there are a couple different ways to make yourself water independent and a big one is a technique called rainwater harvesting.

Here are some ideas to pull from to collect as much water as you can .

Roof runoff rainwater harvesting

rainwater harvesting
rainwater collection from roof

Probably the best and most efficient way to collect rainwater is from the runoff from your roof. When it rains it will run off your roof into your rain gutters and down the spout. By directing your downspout to a barrel/barrels or even a tank that has a large enough opening, you could fill a 250 gallon tank or larger depending on location and climate.

It is efficient in the way it covers such a large area for rainfall and requires very little effort on your part besides redirecting your rain gutters and keeping algae or mosquitoes from growing. Piping the water system to your home or desired use is completely up to you just be sure of permitting and local laws concerning this subject.

rainwater harvesting with rain barrel funnels

The rain barrel funnel method, as I call it, is a technique that requires food grade barrels and a tarp or other high coverage, rain collecting surface. Using rope or string you can tie the corners of the tarp to a structure or build supports for your high coverage idea. Now you can funnel the water into the barrel using the tarp or other high coverage surface of your choice.

rainwater harvesting
rain barrels

It’s a pretty simple concept but requires quite a bit of space and some ingenuity so try to be inventive.

Storing rainwater in the ground

By understanding how rainwater acts and moves you will be able to redirect water for the convenient use of you and your family. Obviously water flows downhill because of gravity so building the appropriate channels, guides or gutters will accomplish this. A cistern is an underground water storage that can be made of concrete, metal or even plastic. But, again this is also subject to permitting and local laws.

Trees help keep water in the ground by the shade they provide and in their root systems. By the shade they provide it prevents the moisture from being evaporated in to the air. Gardening near trees will provide extra moisture for your garden and conserve your collected water usage.

Well water

rainwater harvesting
groundwater well

In the old days a well would be dug by hand where groundwater would pool up in the bottom of the hole. Sometimes these holes would be dug to depths of twenty feet or more and a rope would be needed to pull the digger out. A pulley structure would be built over top of the hole to lower a bucket to collect water.

rainwater harvesting
pump house

In present times a well is drilled by machinery to depths of around 100 or more feet to collect water from aquifers which are basically underground reserves of water and occasionally an underground river. Electric or motor driven pumps will pull the water up to surface level and store it in a tank for use.

Purifying for potable water

There are several ways to purify water and it is my belief that only two of them are really that efficient and cost effective. One way is to boil water and the other is through a gravity filtration device. There is also the potential to send your rainwater directly into filtration devices or even to direct greywater (water from sinks, showers and laundry) into garden systems to effectively deal with and distribute the water.

Here is an article on water purification methods and efficiencies,

Here is a link to a PDF of a Plan of Action for water purification for you to check out!

Start collecting

However you go about being water conscious and self-sufficient be sure to keep you and your family safe and healthy by reading into water purification and hazards. Collecting rainwater could save you quite a bit of money on municipal or even help you on your journey to becoming a great gardener. Whatever your path is, start collecting and good luck!

I hope this article was helpful and informative. If you have any questions comments or input please feel free to do it in the comments box below.

Thanks

Resources used:

Ready.gov

Theprovidentprepper.org

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Ways to avoid exposure to the elements

Have you ever been so cold that it stops hurting? How about a heat stroke? Have you ever been in a flood or even a hurricane or windstorm? Hot or cold. Soaked or dehydrated. Wind or altitude. Insects or disease. After a flood comes the bugs and bacterial diseases. Believe it or not, wind can make you chapped and dehydrated but can also cut through your clothes leaving you frozen. These are obviously the worst case scenarios but on this semi-unforgiving planet, ignorance and complacency can catch you off guard and you would be wise to learn to avoid exposure.

Wind and Altitude

Wind can vary from a light breeze to a hurricane. A light breeze at even 40 degrees Fahrenheit can be bitter cold and cause hypothermia if exposed for a long period. Obviously, extra clothing can help insulate you from the cold and keep body heat in. Hot, dry winds can dry your skin and cause chapping, even dehydrate you. Other than a windbreaker or other clothing that has wind protection technology, finding stable shelter or going indoors is the only other option.

Building a shelter in the wilderness is a handy skill to have. If you would like more info on that subject head on over to these links:

Wilderness survival skills

Building suitable shelter

avoid exposure
High Altitude Hiking

AMS is the acronym for Acute Mountain Syndrome. AMS can happen to anyone and it’s not really known exactly what causes it. People who have climbed or hiked for years at high altitudes can suddenly experience it without warning. Early warning signs of AMS can include nausea, headaches, feelings of fatigue, dizziness and disorientation. If not addressed, they can get worse and effect your motor skills and even walking. The only surefire way to address AMS is to descend to lower altitudes as quickly as possible.

Heat and Cold

Frigid temperatures are quite uncomfortable to most people and if not properly prepared for are quite dangerous. Proper, warm clothing is your best bet for staying warm. However, constant movement of body and limbs causes friction which creates heat. Try to keep moving, even pacing in place or flexing your fingers when needed, it will keep the blood circulating and the heat flowing. A small fire can warm the extremities and keep frostbite at bay.

avoid exposure
Frostbite

The Heat is just as dangerous. Exposure to the sun can cause dehydration or sunburn and with physical exertion can cause heat exhaustion and even heat stroke. Drink plenty of water with electrolytes. When the body sweats, you lose precious sodium and other hydrating minerals that must be replenished. The body needs them for proper muscle function, blood circulation and brain function as well. However, finding a nice shady spot to beat the heat, like under a tree, can be the simplest yet best idea.

Precipitation and Dehydration

A fair amount of people believe that getting caught in the rain can lead to the common cold. The combination of wetness and cold temperatures can indeed make you sick. Snow included. Rain jackets, poncho or even a large trash bag if your in a pinch, will keep you dry and slick away the moisture. Avoid letting your feet get wet or if they do, dry them as soon as you can to ward off Trench Foot. It is a rotting of the flesh cause by being cold and absorbing too much moisture. The body stops flow of blood to the cold, wet limbs in an attempt to conserve energy and it’s quite nasty, possibly leading to amputation.

On the opposite side of that storm is dehydration. Not drinking enough water or simply not having the electrolytes needed to maintain proper physical and mental operation can be deadly. First you will start to chap up or ‘parch’ as some people call it. You may seem very thirsty and that’s because you are and it may be accompanied by delirium or hallucinations. Next you will lose consciousness then organ damage followed by death. Keeping an amount of salt will keep up on the electrolytes and sodium that your body needs. If you don’t have any water with you, find shade immediately if you start to feel overheated or extra thirsty. Sometimes it is possible to dig down into the earth a couple feet and find ground water.

Insects and Disease

avoid exposure
Mosquito

Flying and biting insects of the wild, especially mosquitoes, carry diseases like malaria (in some countries), Dengue, Yellow fever, blood borne pathogens and now even West Nile virus. Precautions like a bug spray or even essential oils that are effective at repelling pesky biting bugs are highly suggested. If you get caught in the wild without repellent of any sort then rubbing mud on your exposed skin will help protect you from biting insects. While it doesn’t deter them from trying they cannot bite through the mud. It is a method of protection the Native American Indians have used for centuries.

Staying safe and healthy

Take proper precautions to stay safe while on a hike, out in the wilderness camping or for any reason you might be at risk of exposure. Exercise, vitamins and eating healthy can help mitigate some of the more severe symptoms of certain exposures. The tips and suggestions in this article will also keep you from extreme exposure to the elements. This world can be harsh and Humans have evolved to a point where we have the luxuries of air conditioning, solid shelters we call houses and vehicles that can travel 10 times faster than any horse or covered wagon. So, next time you’re out and about you will now have the knowledge to keep yourself safe from the extremes.

I hope you found this article informative and if you have any questions, comments or input please feel free to do so in the comments box below.

Thanks

Other resources:

READY.GOV

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The importance of being Self Sufficient

Being Self Sufficient can feel daunting and quite difficult. It doesn’t have to be though. For some people it is a lifestyle, passed down to them though their family for generations, In the form of recipes and processes but most of all – a way of thinking. Some people think of it as a lifestyle long-forgotten but in reality there are still people that live that way, and prefer it! They enjoy the “unplugged” way of living and highly enjoy doing things for themselves. Believe it or not, it can be quite rewarding.

Learning and being Self Sufficient

Learning to be Self Sufficient can be a life long process of developing skills and knowledge. It should be fun. Pick a direction, a subject to learn about or try out for yourself, something that is interesting to you and branch out from there. Something as simple as learning to bake bread from scratch can be a good start and will lead to other subjects like jarring food or even growing a

Self sufficient
Making clothes

garden and building a root cellar. Doing things off-grid without electricity can be a good way to learn the “official” way of being self-sufficient.

Many reasons for being Self Sufficient

Enjoying the connection with nature or to look at it from a different angle, “disconnecting” from technology for a bit is a huge reason why many people try to be or are self-sufficient. Others live this way for reasons of preparing for hard times and for them it won’t be a major shock when those times come around. There are folks that were raised in that lifestyle and it is second nature to them as they were taught some of these skills from birth.

The American way of life promotes Self Sufficiency and rejects the idea that the government should take care of and provide for all the needs of people. The saying rings true as anything: Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him to fish and he will eat for a lifetime.

The deeper meaning to Self Sufficiency

The idea being discussed in this blog article is one that many people find that they may not “have the time” or “have the money” but I find that trying to be Self Sufficient doesn’t really come with a high price tag. It could even become an important skill in the coming years. It means to be independent and capable of providing most things you need by yourself or your community.

Indigenous and native American people have, still to this day, a connection with the land and a sense of self-sufficiency that is almost unrivaled. Being able to provide for yourself, everything that you could need to stay alive and be healthy enough to continue that lifestyle, gives the sense of independence and self-worth or self confidence. Being a part of a community that grows food, jars or cans food, makes their own clothing and has a knowledge of building both furniture and structures is the most ideal for a self-sufficient setting. That sense of community and independence is a pillar of early American life and still continues in some parts of the country.

Google defines “Self Sufficient” as:

-Needing no outside help in satisfying one’s basic needs, especially with regard to the production of food. “I don’t think Botswana, due to the climate, could ever be self-sufficient in food”.

-Emotionally and intellectually independent. “Their son was a little bit of a loner and very self-sufficient”.

Location and ideas

In Alaska, A lot of people live “off the grid”. That means that they live on either their own electricity and gas supplies or they have no permanent link to society. When and if needed to completely “unplug” they would not have a hard time doing so. It would be a minor adjustment to their current lifestyle. The climate there can be harsh but its not impossible to live off the land, as the natives did so for thousands of years.

Self Sufficient
Amish churning butter

In Pennsylvania, we also have the Amish. They are a prime example of self-sufficiency! They live without electricity or fuel gases of any sort really, make their own clothing and build their own homes. The Amish grow and store their own food and even churn their own butter! They truly have held onto and passed down the old-world skills of independence and self-sufficiency.

Personally, I have been trying new recipes with my Dutch oven in the coals of a dying fire and finding it to be a really tasty way to cook. In Mexico and even in the southern states here in America, a whole pig is slow roasted on a spit over an open fire pit, not wasting any part of the animal. If you have a fire pit you can make your own spit fairly easily or purchase one pre fabricated only needing to install it. Smoking and curing meats is almost self explanatory and keeps meats for quite a while. That is a skill that has been around for a really long time.

Root cellars and dry cold storage should be separate. Dry cold storage for canned, jarred and dry/dehydrated foods as well as any other dry storable items you can think of and here is a link to an article on food storage. A root cellar is kind of self explanatory again, it is technically a garden storage room for roots, fruits or anything that needs to stay damp and here is an article on root cellars.

Making your own clothes is a skill that is dying out. Give it a try sometime and you might be surprised. You could even save a butt-load of money!

Rising costs

Rising costs and inflation of everything is pushing people to be a little more frugal with their money and even to seek alternatives to some things to try to mitigate or counter that cost increase. Those alternatives include learning skills that teach them to be self-sufficient like growing some of their own food and composting. Tomatoes are a good start and easy to grow. Melons, garlic,

Self Sufficient
community gardening

potatoes and even turnips are hardy staples that be grown in a lot of climates.

Whatever the reason is for you to become more Self Sufficient, my opinion is that these skills are important and can be very fun and rewarding. Do some google searches to familiarize yourself and get some ideas then give it a try.

I hope that this Blog article was informative and that you enjoyed reading. If you have any questions, comments or input of your own please feel free to do so in the comment section below. It helps me to bring you the best information possible.

Thanks

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