This is the second of a two part series on home preparedness.  Part One of Preparedness Basics focused on short-term home preparedness to prepare your household for a sudden and temporary interruption of goods and services.  In this segment, the focus will be on long-term planning in anticipation of energy descent as we begin the lifestyle transition away from fossil fuels.

Long term planning for energy descent can be simplified into three steps: research, plan and take action.
Research Plan Action

First: Research energy descent

Websites

Books

Video

Second:  Make a plan

Take stock of where you are now and where you want to be.  Consider how future trends will influence your daily life.

  • Figure out where you want to live – and get there.
  • Figure out what post-peak skill you have to offer or would like to have and where you can best use it.
  • Build redundancy into your planning.  For example, try to have multiple clean water sources, rather than relying on a single source.

Action Sectors: Transition Tasks
Home
  • Reduce energy consumption:  insulate, use CFLs
  • Replace lawn with edibles:  fruit trees, shrubs, garden & herb beds
  • Create a permaculture plan
  • Install rain catchment barrels under down spouts to water garden & animals
  • If you live off outside the municipal water system, install a hand pump over your well.
Energy
  • It’s easier to conserve than make.
  • Consider installing solar hot water, geo-thermal, solar electric or wind
  • Buy alternative electricity through NYSEG
Food Production
  • Victory or container gardening
  • Join a community garden
  • Buy a CSA share or buy from local farms:  Harvestation
  • Backyard chickens
  • Compost

If you live or plan to live outside the city:

  • Self-sustaining farming
  • Professional farming:  CSA, lg scale crops (e.g. grain, potatoes, sunflowers)
  • Livestock:  meat, fiber, manure, milk
Food Processing
  • Join IthaCan or network with others
  • Put food by, minimum 3 wks (FEMA) or up to a year’s supply
  • Store water
  • Install a root cellar
  • Buy bulk:  Harvestation
Self-educate
  • Keep up on current events
  • Learn a useful trade
  • Brush up on communication training
Community  Organizing
  • Join with others to help transition your community
  • Screening of “The Power of Community” or other film
  • Form a reading group
  • Work groups:  food processing, gardening, transportation
  • Join citizen planning groups
  • Consider running for public office
Financial
  • Get out of debt
  • Build local economy by buying local
  • Bank local
  • Build bartering relationships for your services or goods and to get services or goods from others.
Transportation
  • Walk or bike
  • Downsize your car or truck
  • Buy a hybrid
  • Car pool
  • Use public transit
  • Drive efficiently

Third:  Take action

Now it’s time to implement your plan.  Prioritize your tasks and begin to work your way through to do’s. Don’t try to take on too much at one time.  Set quarterly launch dates, introducing something new each quarter.

Consider organizing a few friends or family members to do this with you. Having others going through the process will help all of you stay on track and you can share research and resources.