What would cause a successful international food service chain executive to leave the corporate world and the comforts of city life for a very different existence in the mountains of Tennessee? Grant Miller did just that, and is now happily involved in the development of a sustainable community called The Village on Sewanee Creek.

“I think most Americans recognize that local economies have been weakened by globalization,” says Grant. “We have outsourced most of our manufacturing capacity to the lowest-cost foreign producers. While it is true that we have enjoyed the benefits of low-cost consumer goods, there are also risks. Food and other necessities must be transported from long distances, subject to disruptions of all kinds. Many self-sufficiency skills that were common among our ancestors have been lost as we have become increasingly specialized in professions that don’t produce anything of tangible, life-sustaining value.”

Grant laments the increasingly fragile state of public services and local and national economies: “People long for a more stable time when we felt in control of our lives and local communities. Locally strong, independent, self-sustaining communities are the antidote to modern angst.”

Located on 750 acres of beautiful land in the mountains of Tennessee, The Village on Sewanee Creek is an experiment in living wisely. The members of the community have a vision of living simply, practically and within their means. They generate their own electricity, grow their own food, and maintain their own water supply. Through a combination of modern green building technologies and time-tested pioneering techniques they keep their homes comfortable and care for their families in an environment that is as independent as possible.

For more information on this topic we suggest the following articles:

Intentional Communities (The Daily Green)

Interview with Grant Miller (Business Pundit)

Sustainable Living Communities (Wise Living Journal)

Amateur Radio Emergency Preparedness Demonstration January 2008 assisting Red Cross and Jefferson Co DES/WMD. HF station setup in less than 10 minutes. Capabilities included HF, VHF, satellite and digital modes, completely self contained and off the grid

Duration : 0:1:40

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Are you prepared for disaster? What would you do if a flood, earthquake or terrorism hit you now? What will you do when the energy grid shuts down?
Andrew Price will teach you the skills to survive
http://www.azbushcraft.com

Duration : 1 min 8 sec

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Intense circumstances create high amounts of stress, not only for adults, but children also. Whether it is a fire, flood or earthquake, children need to know what to do and how to do it in order to minimize stress and anxiety. Have you heard stories on the news about a child who saves a family by staying calm, calling 911, and following directions? Being prepared to help in an emergency saves lives. What makes it possible for a child in a high stress situation to be ready to help?

Establish and Practice Home Emergency Plans

Everyone in the family needs to be aware of potential disasters and what to do if they occur. Start family emergency planning with a brainstorming session. (Depending on the age of your children you may need to explain that brainstorming is sharing whatever comes to mind. No idea is bad and no one should be laughed at for their contributions.) After brainstorming pull out the most effective ideas and make a family written plan and post it in a public place. Put plans into action by rehearsing drills. After each trial, evaluate performance to make the plan run more smoothly. Planning in such a way allows children to maintain control of their responses and actions, even when emergencies are out of their control. Planning increases their ability to respond calmly in an emergency.

Enroll Youth in Programs

Community youth programs teach important life skills. These programs prepare children by enlarging upon the lessons from home and school. Organizations such as The American Red Cross, Boy Scouts of America, Girls Scouts of U.S.A, and R.A.D. Kids promote emergency preparedness and skills, and often assist families by offering good exercises to do at home.

First Aid Classes

Teach, review, and practice basic first aid with children. Talk about more complicated first aid procedures, even if they are not physically capable of doing them. Although children may not be able to perform procedures such as CPR, clearing a person’s airway, or giving mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, it is beneficial for them to know what it is in case they ever witness it. Traumatic events cause more fear and tension if they are completely new or unfamiliar.

Community Service

Create a sense of belonging, responsibility, and service for your family by participating in city wide clean-ups or other service projects. Involvement teaches children that many hands make light work and that we all need to help each other to get a job done. If there ever is a need for community work during an emergency children will know how to help and work together.

Teach Health and Fitness

Having a strong mind and a healthy body aids a person in a disaster. Being able to react and withstand challenges is an important component of physical readiness. Youth can help with tasks such as sandbagging, shoveling, and cleaning if they have been physically active and living a healthy lifestyle.

Laughter is the Best Medicine

Humor reduces stress and anxiety by releasing feel-good hormones in the brain, promoting positive thinking and emotion. Make humor apart of everyday life. Encourage good jokes and optimism. Practice making tense situations lighter with laughter. Children will be reassured and relaxed during the stress that is associated with emergency if they can have the healthy outlet of laughter.

Being prepared for possible emergencies increases confidence, knowledge and skill in children of all ages. Because emergencies can cause high stress and have a negative impact and effect on people’s lives, especially children, it is important to take the necessary steps to prepare them for such situations. Also remember that children react to the emotions of those around them and can sense when there is fear, stress or anxiety. The best way to help a child in an emergency is to be prepared to deal with the situation yourself.

Fran Black
http://www.articlesbase.com/parenting-articles/preparing-children-for-emergencies-212036.html

Disaster preparedness video produced by Oh, Rio! Productions. This third segment talks about ways to reduce risks and make the home safer for potential disasters.

Duration : 0:4:32

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Prepare for Hurricane Ike. This video introduces a series of “21st century disaster tips you WON’T hear from officials,” by homeland security and disaster management strategist W. David Stephenson. The tips tell you how to use personal communication devices and apps you use every day — and will use in a disaster whether or not officials want you to — to communicate with family and friends, and perhaps even to relay critical information to officials, without making a bad situation worse by, for example, making voice calls to let your family know you’re ok

Duration : 0:1:53

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A new series showing some campfire cooking techniques. Part 1 goes over basic fire setup and equipment and shows some “alternate” cooking methods for fish also.

www.survivalreport.net
www.homesteadingandsurvival.com

tags- preparedness, survival, emergency preparedness, camping, hiking, survivalist, homesteading, peak oil, end of times, end of oil, survival militia logistics, firemaking, cooking, dutch oven, food storage

Duration : 0:7:2

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http://www.survivalistboards.com/ Every survivalist should have some kind of disaster preparedness plans in place. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Duration : 2 min 9 sec

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This video should help you prepare and make an emergency bag. Do it today. Whether it’s Marshall Law or some other emergency it is YOUR responsibility to be ready to defend and save you and your family, not the governments.

The checklist of items:
Emergency Backpacks
Medical Supplies
Glasses and/or Contact lens stuff
Coats
Guns & Ammo
Gold & Silver
CASH!!!!
Extra Gas
Extra Water
Extra Food
Extra survival supplies ( if time allows)
Stuff for Kids
Extra Blankets
UPDATES FROM COMMENTS:
Noodles without the cups
Good Knife ( not walmart brand )
camouflage stuff
magnesium fire-starter
Rope
Extra Socks
foot powder
map and compass
survival manual ( us military )
multitool like a leatherman

MSR Filter and Stoves ( http://www.msrgear.com/ ) If I could buy all MSR stuff I would. It is high quality and I had a filter crack for no reason and they replaced it for no charge. Great company.

My Filter: http://www.msrgear.com/watertreatment/sweetwater.asp

My Stove: http://www.msrgear.com/stoves/pocketrocket.asp

Duration : 0:10:0

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I know, it is still summer time, but winter will be here before you know it, and before wearing your jackets again you should first be prepared for the seasonal change of your house. In fact, during winter times, we all see our homes as a “nest ” where we can find warmth and relax without shivering to the bone. But is your home a friendly and cozy place for you and those you love? Or is your décor so gloomy that people go outside just to warm up? If you wish to make your home a warm and inviting shelter this winter, read the following advice.

- Decorate your house with slipcovers, pillow cases and accessories in rich warm colors, like red, orange, brown, green and gold. You can also garnish your coffee table or fire place with fall foliage or pine boughs to create that earth-like feeling. Additionally, place treasured pictures of family in warm wood frames all around your house.

- In case you are able to handle a larger project, consider painting your walls in rich shades of red, orange or yellow. That is a wonderful way to brighten your winter days!

- Select to embellish your furniture with soft and plush fabrics that will make you never want to leave the couch or beddings. Cushions and upholstery could be velvet, mohair and chenille. You can also use throws over chairs and sofas as the layering of fabrics adds richness and texture to the room making it more inviting.

- Buy lots of candles. Place them along your dinning table, fireplace, or mid-coffee table and decorate them with beans and small mirrors for an extra lighting effect. Select scents like vanilla or cinnamon as they evoke feelings of comfort.

- If you have a fireplace, move your sofa and chairs closer to it so as to add to the warmth of the room and in order to add to your house dimension and elegance, consider layering smaller rugs on top of your carpet or main rug, in front of the sofa or armchairs of your living room.

- Add extra lamps instead of overhead lighting for a more intimate ambiance and use drapes to create the feeling of comfort and intimacy.

- Replace frequently your main living room flower arrangements and add more warm-tone accessories like gold, brass and copper.

- Arrange furniture in groups. A cozy reading corner with a comfortable, over-stuffed chair, table and lamp or a small table and a couple of chairs or footstools will be enough for your family members to sit together and relax.

Kadence Buchanan
http://www.articlesbase.com/advertising-articles/winter-house-preparedness-61400.html