Activated carbon is “activated” when its surface area is increased by physical and chemical processes. The most popular uses for activated carbon are water filtration, and treatment for acute poisoning. It reacts with various substances by binding them to its surface, so the greater the surface area, the more effective it is. Imagine you’re painting …
Charcoal has many uses beyond cooking, and it’s easy to make. It is a precursor for “activated” charcoal, which we’ll discuss in the next episode of Survival Tips. (Activated charcoal aka activated carbon simply has a much greater surface area, which makes it more reactive). You can use powdered charcoal whenever activated carbon is called …
Most people can prep their vehicle for emergencies in about one hour with items they already have around the house. Of course, this is basic prep, and you can spend a great deal more time refining your vehicle emergency kit later, but the important thing is to get from “zero” to “something” right away. In …
These days, 90% of us live in metro areas. Because of the nature of the urban lifestyle, that means that more of us than ever before are unprepared for natural and political emergencies. Years ago, when most people lived a rural lifestyle, they tended to be more self-reliant and prepared for those events that now …
If you live in the Northeast, you should pretty well be used to winter storms, and much of this advice will be familiar. That said, we live in a day when advance planning is becoming rare. Nemo is bearing down, so in case you haven’t thought of this before, here are some winter storm and …
Crisis preparedness can account for scenarios across many realms, such as economic collapse, terror attacks, war, crime, or personal setbacks. But the one bedrock rationale for preparedness that proves valid year after year is natural disaster. Earthquakes, spring floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, snow storms, tsunamis … even volcanic eruptions qualify as fairly regular natural events on …
I know tons of people who haven’t prepped because they have big plans and just can’t seem to get started. If you’re one of those people, this plan is for you. Follow these 10 easy steps to get ready for an ice storm, a blackout, or an economic meltdown. Just a few hours’ work can …
[Note: if you’re already an SNO member, you should have received an update with the Family Disaster Recovery Planning Guide attached] There’s an old joke about planning a war; amateurs discuss strategy, while the pros discuss logistics. When I heard this joke it hit me just how true it is, and I remembered another saying …
September 2010 is officially National Preparedness Month, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). If you haven’t yet prepared your family emergency plan, now’s a good time, and we have some tips for you. Initial Considerations Identify the most likely risks in your area. While many emergencies require the same basic preparedness, you should …
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Let’s not kid ourselves. Living entirely off-grid calls for a massive lifestyle change that most of us are not willing to undertake. But I’m not suggesting you go off-grid now; I’m saying that there may come a day when the grid goes off-line whether you like it or not. What will you do then? By …