This last week has seen some interesting headlines from all over the world about the heat wave that is affecting the northern hemisphere. Channel News Asia posted an article about how a city in Spain is trying to limit car usage to combat pollution induced heatwaves (CNA). We are also seeing many news sources talking about the recent records set for high temperatures in our oceans, our air, and our land (Jerusalem Post). But what does this mean for our future?
I do not believe that we can come up with a solution for our warming planet in a single post, but we can share a few ways to prepare yourself and your family from the impacts that can be caused by our warming planet. Before we get into the ways to survive a global world we must look at some of the issues our global world could potentially cause.
- Rising Sea Levels
- Extreme Weather (Hurricanes, Tornadoes, Blizzards, etc…)
- Ecological Changes
- Food and Water Shortages
- Health Related Risks
This list looks scary but there are things that we can do to mitigate the risk these things can impose on us.
- Know ways in and out of where you live. When things are bad we need to know how to get to and away from your home. We never know what the future will bring and having an evacuation plan is always a good idea.
- Although weather events are unpredictable as the world warms it is a good idea to know what to expect where you live. If you know what weather could potentially occur in the area that you live in you will have a better idea on how to prepare for it. In a future article we will look at some of the ways to prepare for different extreme weather patterns but if you desire for an overview of some different preparations you can utilize take a listen to this episode from “Views From the World Tree” which covers disaster prepping.
- A warming world will lead to changes in what can grow in our regions and the types of animals that are present in our region. Although this does not seem like a huge change to our way of life, it can influence how we interact with the world. Deserts can spread, woodlands can shrink, and waterways can disappear. These things are beyond a single persons control, but we really should prepare for the impact on humans. Desertification, a side effect related to ecological change, impacts our food supply, our water supply, and even where humans are capable of flourishing. To prepare for these effects we really need to make sure we have basic needs stashed away for the shortages in supplies that could become more common in the future.
- The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recommends that each family has a two week supply of food per person living in your home. These food stores should be kept in a cool and dry place and used within a certain time frame. Basic rule of thumb: if it is a dry good (rice, flour, etc…) it can potentially be stored forever but if it is in a can use it within one year of purchase (Botulism doesn’t look very fun, and if you are in an emergency situation it really wouldn’t be much fun). Water will take up most of your storage space if you follow FEMA guidelines as they recommend 1 gallon of water per person per day. If you are interested in learning more about FEMA recommendations you can read the here.
- Final heating world prep: Health. If you live in America you probably take healthcare for granted. We, as a whole, do not utilize our medical establishments as much as we probably should but it is nice to know that they are there if we do need them. If things are bad and people are getting sick and need help which could cause a strain on our medical infrastructure. Knowing some basic first aide and some basic medical knowledge will go a long way if we are ever in an emergency. Mostly know how to manage pain, take care of minor cuts and joint issues, and how to treat heat related/cold related illness. To do this one should also have a well stocked first aid kit that is accessible anywhere that you may be.
What are you doing to prepare for a climate emergency? Is there anything that you feel I missed on the list? Let the community know down in the comments below.
Ecologically Viable 