"What would it be like if we had no electricity?" I asked at the dinner table when I was 12 or so. I'd just finished reading some history or science fiction book that had sparked the idea. We had an interesting discussion and Dad agreed that we could try turning off the power to the whole house for a weekend to see how we'd go. In the spring, when the weather was warm.
A few weeks later, a freakishly early blizzard knocked the power out for three days. Be careful what you wish for! We had a chance to learn just how dependent we were on electricity. We built a fire for warmth and cooking (Mom even made French toast over the fire); we collected water from the spring and melted snow; we played games and read books. We checked in on the neighbours. Dad shovelled and plowed snow. We lit candles at night and everyone went to bed early. It was fun. We knew this outage would be over in a few days and so a lot of household tasks were set aside to wait until the lights came back on.
I wonder what would happen now if the power went out for a day or two? Our place in Tokyo isn't really set up for survival living but I'm sure we'd be fine for a little while. We have a grill and plenty of food in the pantry. We have blankets. We have bicycles. Water is an issue; I'm not sure how sanitary the nearby rivers and ornamental streams are. But for just a couple of days, we'd drink whatever liquids we had, dip into our emergency supplies, and we'd not bother to wash.
If the power went out permanently, that's another story entirely and one I think about with some frequency. I believe I may see this happen in my lifetime. For a permanent outage, a grill on the veranda isn't going to do it. Different rules would apply. Everyone would have to share skills and resources. It makes me consider what I can share.
My skills that do not require electricity:
- mcgyvering - figuring out how to make do with supplies on hand
- entertaining - stories, singing, theatre, etc. not survival useful, but at least distracting
- documenting - writing and drawing so we can repeat successes
- teaching
- organising and planning
- sewing, mending, weaving, spinning, knitting
- cooking from scratch
- fire building and safety
- basic construction with hand tools
- nursing, first aid, and natural remedies
And then I think about what sort of people I'd want on my team in a power-apocalypse. I for sure need to cultivate friendships with farmers/ranchers/hunters and strong youth. And I'd probably get out of the city to a place where there's some flowing water and garden space.
Yes, I guess I am a prepper. Even though I am not actually prepping...
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