stanley baer wrote:

I know that global warming is not talked about too much in the US, but
you guys seem like a pretty well informed bunch and I am curious what
your ideas would be concerning the following.

I have done a bit of reading on global warming and its possible
effects. Even if there is only a 30% chance that what the scientists
predict actually happens, I would like to be prepared. As I understand
it, the effects of global warming will not really hit hard for the
next 15-20 years, but after that things may get ugly (large scale
droughts, change in ocean currents, rising sea levels etc.)

What would you guys do if you were 35 years old, had a family and
wanted to protect them from the possible chaos that these changes will
cause due to food shortages, economic depression, mass migration from
hard hit parts of the globe and all the social unrest that will
accompany all this.

I live near Toronto in Canada, I have thought about buying farm land
in the area. Though fertile and unlikely to suffer from drought, it
is relatively expensive due to the high population density. I am also
afraid that if things got bad enough, trying to be self sufficient in
a highly populated area would be next to impossible as the starving
masses from the nearby cities would constanly be looting your land.

My friends think I am a bit of a nutcase when I mention what is on my
mind and either dismiss me as being overly pessimistic or are resigned
to going down with a sinking ship. I feel better if I am getting
prepared. What strategies would you guys suggest.

ok..if you are serious and can stand all the flack about "there's no
such thing as global warming"......

1) the Mormons have always been really into having at least a 1 years
supply of foodstuffs for your family. There's a lot of information that
may be available from them about preserving, what to store, and other
ideas. There are several companies in Utah that specialize in these
kinds of stored foods. I'm not sure what you would search on but you
may find links that aren't too preachy with a careful google search.

2) older book "5 acres and independance" wasn't too bad and may give you
ideas

3) Survivalist newsgroup may be of some help (see note about mormons
being preachy above and double the warning)

4) stop worrying and don't plan for global warming. instead plan for
any kind of breakdown in the current system. It's far more likely to
have some sort of economic meltdown due to bad policies than it is to
have the global warming thing leaving you unprepared.

5) Company called "real goods" (or is it "realgoods") is on the web and
has some stuff about living off grid.

Just my 2 cents to blow a minute


Koz