Sustainable living isn't simply about growing your own food. Nope in retrospect that is the easy part. The hardest part about sustainable living is realizing you have many connections to the just in time inventory, communication and chemical world of modern living, identifying those chains and then breaking them.
These addictions come in many forms and not just smoking, drinking or eating either. Social contact is a big one that you rarely if ever hear anyone mention. I know plenty of people that if they had to spend more than a couple of days without shopping, going to town or visiting with someone is almost ready to put a bullet to their head.
This is why a big part of my self sustaining/survival strategy is identifying those things I am addicted to that are pretty much only a product of today's modern world and getting away from them as much as possible.
Now this doesn't mean I necessarily gave up any particular habit. I just made sure that I could either give it up with little to no side effects or reduce my consumption to levels or substitutes I could produce myself.
Sugar was one of the later that I made sure alternate forms of sweeteners would be available. Hence one of the reasons I began keeping bees.
Caffeine was an item I could find no suitable alternative for so I gave it up for the most part. That wasn't easy and although I do still consume it somewhat in iced tea of course I have learned I can substitute in an acceptable brew for that and survive. I may complain about it a bit but I have done it and know I can again when needed. Coffee on the other hand was something I had to just stop and I have been coffee free for over a year now I think.
The last real step on my removing addiction ladder is however cigarettes. I am now happy to report I have been completely cigarette free for going on three weeks now. Not quite enough time to say I have broke that final addiction to be sure but I have seemed to reach a point where each day seems a bit easier now.
Notice I did not say I totally gave up tobacco though because I do still enjoy my pipe in the evenings but since I don't readily inhale pipe smoke nor am I completely at a loss to produce my own pipe tobacco I do not consider a pipe as a modern world connection so to speak. I suppose I could resort to such things as rolling my own cigarettes or something like that but I doubt even that would be sustainable without our current economy so it's best to just leave all that behind.
My theory is it is much better to get these types of connections or chains to the modern world dealt with voluntarily before we are forced to. I would be very interested in hearing how any of my readers plan on dealing with their little modern day addictions when/if the time comes.
Keep Prepping Everyone!!!!
Proud of Preppy. Well Done.
ReplyDeleteIt is a thought that has entered my own mind as well. I am actually contemplating trying to grow some Sorghum this year to see if I can come up with a sweetener. Do not smoke, so no loss there. Alcohol I can brew and make last a long time (mead). Caffeine...that will be a hard one. I have though of starting to cut back. You have given me another reason to do so.
DeleteTB - Ya alcohol and I parted ways soon after I left college. I figured out early that I liked to be drunk. In fact I am the worlds happiest drunk too and interesting things happen when I am drunk. I gave it up and never looked back which is why I didn't mention it more than likely.
DeleteActually, I have found I cannot really drink that much anymore either - which, frankly, is fine by me. It gives me a headache. I can brew pretty well though, which is a marketable skill.
DeleteSweetener would be a problem for us as bees are just a money loosing option around here, and sorghum molasses is becoming a lost art though it is very good stuff. I noticed that the malted grain at the brewery produces a sticky sweet liquid which is interesting but of course it is boiled and hops put in and then fermented but before all of that it is like sugar water.
ReplyDeleteI like to smell a pipe, cigarettes have paper and chemicals on the paper which to me has always smelled bad. The pipe goes back thousands of years. I am looking for things that I can trade even if I don't use them myself. Corn can be malted and turned into whiskey without using sugar like on TV. A bottle of whiskey would last me a year so I would use it to trade for other items.
I think about stuff that I will have to do without but I look back to the 1700s for answers as they survived fairly well.
SBF - I believe that is the output of the malted barley. It is sweet but it would be an acquired taste.
DeleteThe Indians of parts of South America also use corn to brew a sort of fresh corn beer. I have never had some but should try making it just to get the expertise - there will, I suspect, be corn for a long time.
Sf - Ya that was kinda how I looked at it, if they were doing it in the 1700's I could prolly do it here in a grid down situation. Tobacco is hard to cure in small amounts though but ina grid down situation there wouldn't be any silly laws against growing it in larger amounts either.
DeleteI may be wrong but I am not planning on the government or what ever takes it's place having time or interest in micro managing my activities like the current tyrants do.
DeleteGood for you. You should be proud of that accomplishment. I am 3 months smoke free. I still want a cigarette about three feet long once in a while, but it is getting better all the time. I'm with you on the alcohol. Once started, I simply don't know when to quit. So I don't start. Problem solved.
ReplyDeleteVicki - I find the pipe thing really takes the edge off and even though it is not something I can do as much since it takes more prep to load and fire the pipe knowing it will be available at some point helps my resolve too. Honestly smoking cigarettes was/is the only addiction I was unable to walk away from cold turkey. Alcohol, coffee, anything else I could manage but the cigs really made me want them and I had to work my way up to walking away in steps.
DeleteSmoking is really rough to give up. We drink coffee daily, if not coffee then its pop. That is something you can walk away from and take caffine pills to help with the headaches for a few days........
ReplyDeleteRob - I gave up soda many years ago. Haven't had soda to speak of in so many years I couldn't count. Not to say it hasn't happened occasionally when there was nothing else but it is so rare I cannot even remember a specific instance of it. I do remember when I stopped drinking soda I lost 20 pounds in very short order too.
Deletepioneer p..
ReplyDeletealways putting a thinking spin on things eh? me - i gave up traktors ;-)
but in all seriousness - good job... we try to do the same here - i still need a cup or two a day, but less than before... in any event you hit the nail on the head...
get prepared for doing without now, not then... as you point out, people who need constant interaction will be challenged big-time in a quarantine!
keep prepping indeed - cheers pal!
Jamby - I recommend diesel traktors you can make fuel for em :)
DeleteFirst of all, good luck stopping smoking. It's not an easy thing, I know. I hadn't actually thought about this much. I was pretty much on the; "when I have to I will" attitude. You've given me something to think about. My addiction is diet soda, which I know is a horrendous thing to be addicted to, but also with that comes cravings for salty and sweet. Say chips and chocolates. You've put a bee in my bonnet,
ReplyDeletethank you.
Izzy - Well we certainly will deal with it when we have to. I just kinda thought it might be better to deal with it ahead of time if I could. My guess is almost everyone is going to be dealing with the same issues might as well get a bit of a jump start or at least have a good feeling for what I am in for.
DeleteSugar, sugar and sugar are my ones!
ReplyDeleteI don't have any caffeine as I don't drink tea or coffee but my wife lives for a cup of tea. I'm thinking about growing a tea bush or three in the front (warmer) garden as a little hedge in case we (she) ever needs it.
As for sugar I keep thinking about getting bees but I don't like honey! I was looking at growing some sugar beet this year and seeing it I could do anything with that but you don't get much yield from it.
Never smoked as my will power is so low I could never give up!
Kev - I am not sure but isn't sugar beet hard to grow too unless you have a very specific conditions for it? I seem to remember reading that somewhere.
DeleteThey used to grow a lot around here, there was a refinery about 30miles north. Not sure if I will though as its about a 11% return of sugar to beets. Maybe as an experiment it would be worth it.
DeleteYa know now that you mention it I remember it being grown in many places when I was in Germany. Perhaps Europe in general is good sugar beet land while here in the US it's limited to a few regions.
DeletePP, look into tea bricks for a caffeine supply. A mug of hot tea on a cold winter day could be a serious comfort food. Keep strong with the no smoking. I kicked my habit about 5 years ago.
ReplyDeletehttp://planningandforesight.blogspot.com/2013/02/an-unusual-item-for-extended-long-term.html
K - Tea bricks sounds like a good idea. I have tried a few chicory tea recipes with limited tasty success.
DeletePP,
ReplyDeleteI'm happy to hear you were able to stop smoking cigarettes. Keep up the good work!!!
Smoking isn't an issue in our household, it's coffee. Everyone drinks it. At one point we switched to tea, and it's good but we went right back to drinking coffee. I love the smell of coffee brewing on the stove, can't help myself :-)
Smoking a pipe every now and then, very relaxing and the smell of this tobacco is wonderful. Hubby smokes a pipe every once and a while, and I love this smell. And occasionally I steal his pipe for a puff :PPP
Sandy - So far so good. Another day of not giving in although it's been a little rough this evening.
DeleteThe pipe just ain't cutting it tonight.
YAY PP!! I quit smoking 15 years ago, and it is one of the best accomplishments! I used to think, how can that little THING have more power over me than I do? After two months or so you will realize you havent thought about smoking in a couple hours and it gets easier every day. Keep it up, I will say a prayer for you to be stronger than those smokes!!
ReplyDeleteLW - As I said above tonight has been a bit harder than usual for some reason. Not sure why. Thanks for the support!!!
DeleteYou don't have a still set up for the apocalypse? Alcohol is a very effective way to make vegetation portable. Actually, given the H20 inputs, its also a good way to monetize water.
ReplyDeleteRuss - A still is on my list to at least get the parts for if not an actual test run pre-collapse for obvious reasons :)
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