How To Survive The Apocalypse

In order to figure out what we must do to survive, we must know what we are up against. The following is a list of things that have the potential to end civilization as we know it and threaten the survival of humanity. Note that I will not go into whether we will have a 2012 apocalypse, or if the bible apocalypse of peter is going to happen. Below are real events that could happen in the very near future.

Whether we humans are causing it or not, scientists have found evidence in glacial ice cores that the Earth's climate can change and has changed very abruptly in the past. These changes can happen within decades or even just a few years! Such abrupt and wild changes can disrupt the growing of crops in the grain belts that the world so desperately depends on for food. Global famine is the likely outcome, and there will be shortages even in the most powerful and developed countries. Civilization will collapse, order will turn to chaos, and every human being on Earth will be in a fight for survival.

This is a very real threat to civilization due to the sheer numbers of nuclear weapons that exist today. To add to it, countries view the possession of nukes as a sign of power. Every developing country wants to get their hands on them and they may not show the same restraint as the Soviet Union and the United States did in the cold war. It takes just one trigger happy country to cause every other country to launch nukes at each other. Imagine almost every major city in the world being completely demolished. Billions will die and our infrastructure will be either destroyed or rendered useless because of radiation. The lucky survivors will have to stay out of the cities and will have to fend for themselves in the countryside. No help will come in this scenario, you will be on your own. Many will not survive the ensuing nuclear winter.

This catastrophe is very similar to nuclear war, and just as real. The main difference is that most of the destruction will be concentrated on one spot on the Earth. However it will affect the globe via a cloud of dust and debris that will encircle the Earth, bringing about its own nuclear winter type era that will last for many many years. Many plant species will surely die out from the lack of sunlight, and with the food chain disrupted, a global famine will ensue just like in a nuke scenario.

Same scenario as with the asteroid impact. Scientists have shown that there is a correlation between super-volcanic eruptions and mass extinctions in the past. These super volcanoes are the size of states, and have the ability to throw up so much ash into the atmosphere that the sun will be blocked for years or even decades. Again, crops would fail, and global famine will take its toll.

Viruses and bacteria evolve much faster than any other living thing. This is why it is so hard to find a cure for the AIDS virus, for example, and why bacteria can build up a resistance to antibiotics. It is a very real possibility that some disease will evolve to become very deadly. And this has happened before! The last pandemic disease to hit the Earth was the Spanish Flu. It killed millions of people, but at the time global travel didn't exist as it does today, so the disease didn't get very far. Today a disease like that can be spread all over the globe in a matter of hours. Billions of people may die, and there will be few people left to make sure your water is still running, or that the supermarket is fully stocked. Cities will stay intact, but there will be no one to run them! All that there will be left are roving gangs of men looking to take what they need to survive. The cities will not be a safe place to be, and you will be left to survive on your own, assuming of course that you survived the pandemic!

The possibility of economic collapse is very real, and this seems especially true today. What's happening today is that the middle class is disintegrating. Job losses and rising prices are causing people to lose their homes and live a lifestyle that is lower than what they had before. There are only a few entrepreneurs who are able to lift themselves up from the mess. The cause of all of this is the steady advance of inflation, the current banking system based on debt, etc, etc, you get the picture. Its a mess, and to make things worse governments seem unable or unwilling to work out how to fix it because of bitter rivalries. Again there will be famines. Prices will be too high and no one will be able to afford anything. Rioting and anarchy will take over, and the governments of the world will not be able to ensure stability and control. People will again be left to fend for themselves.

There may be other reasons why our current civilization may collapse, but the outcome is always the same: you will be left to fend for yourself, and your survival will depend on you alone. So how can we increase our chances of making it through to the other side?

In this section I will tell you exactly what you need to do to prepare yourself for the worst. You can follow these instruction to the T, or you can do whatever you feel is necessary according to your situation. Your ultimate goal is to become self sufficient so that you won't have to go out and risk your life to find the things you need.

1. Location, Location, Location: The first and most important thing that affects your chances of survival is where you are when disaster strikes. Big crowded cities are the worst place to be. Think about it, who's going to get nuked first in an attack? Where are there going to be the most people to cause anarchy? Where is there going to be the most competition for food? Where are you more likely to contract a deadly disease from densely packed crowds? The big major cities? Or the rural countryside? With that said, your goal here is to move as far away from population centers as you can if at all possible. Stay away from cities and suburbs. The ideal place would be a relatively less populace mountain or countryside with a high enough elevation or away from the coast as to avoid any tsunamis or anything of that nature. A place next to a river or stream is a plus as to ensure a steady supply of fresh water.

2. Stock up on food and water: Anywhere from a 3 month supply to a 2 year supply will do, depending on how long you plan to stay in one place. Pick foods that are non-perishable and easy to prepare. While your waiting for the coming apocalypse its OK to rotate this supply, meaning that you can use the food that is the oldest while constantly replacing it with new supplies, that way the food won't get too stale. Also, while in survival mode, try to make the food last as long as possible, even if you know you have an ample supply. This will protect from unexpected circumstances that might cause you to stay in place for longer. Also stock up on essential vitamins. This can be very helpful in preventing scurvy and other vitamin deficiency diseases.

3. Create a fruit and vegetable garden: Preferably in a greenhouse so that you will be able to grow food in any climate. This will go a long way in helping you become self sufficient.

4. Develop your self defense skills: Get in shape, take some martial arts classes, and buy some firearms and learn how to use them. Its better to be prepared for any situation you might come across.

5. Make your home as self sufficient as possible: This includes getting a solar panel system, a rain catch and water filtration system, a garden as stated above, and other things that might give you an advantage and allow you to stay in one place.

Doing all of these things will greatly improve your chances of survival. You don't have to go crazy though, just do what you can. Every little bit helps even if conditions aren't exactly ideal.

Some sets of skills that will be of tremendous help.

1. Hunting and gathering: Hunting wild game and knowing which wild plants are edible will help supplement your food supply.

2. Self defense: Any type of marshal arts, knife wielding, firearms, bow and arrow, spears, any other weapons.

3. First aid/CPR: These skills will help you and others and make you a valuable individual.

4. Gardening: Will help ensure your long term survival.

5. Building temporary shelters: This will help if you get stuck somewhere or are on a long journey.

6. Mechanic skills: This will help you take advantage of any vehicle left on the road and will prevent you from being stuck because of a mechanical problem.

7. Fire building: A great tool for any survivor in any situation.

8. Improvisation/Creativeness: This will help you take advantage of anything you find in your surroundings.

9. Water filtration/distillation: Water is essential, and this skill will help you get water from any source.

10. Electrician skills: Having electricity will greatly improve your quality of life.

11. Any other special skills you can apply to survival.

The most important thing to remember is to always improvise and think outside the box. Use every skill you have to your advantage. NOTE: Do not advertise that you have any of these skills unless its absolutely necessary because people will start fighting for you and threatening you so they can get your help.

Here is a list of some of the supplies that will help ensure you and your family are safe and secure.

1. Non-perishable food (3 month to 2 year supply)

2. Water

3. Vitamins (to prevent scurvy and other diseases)

4. Multiple water filtration systems (filter/distiller)

5. Weapons (guns/knives/bow and arrow/ammunition/etc.)

6. Fire starting equipment

7. Radio

8. Seeds for garden

9. Candles/flashlights/batteries

10. Toilet paper (you won't regret it!)

11. A few gallons of gasoline

12. Spare electrical parts (light bulbs/wires/etc.)

13. Power generation system (generators/solar panels/etc.)

14. Warm clothes/blankets

15. Fire wood

16. Medical supplies (first aid kit/antibiotics/pain killers)

17. Entertainment (board games/anything else to pass the time)

18. Anything else you think you might need.

Again, the most important thing is to be as self sufficient as possible. And be practical, for example, don't go crazy on batteries for flashlights because they will all lose their charge after a while.

Hopefully this has given you an idea of how to survive the apocalypse. Remember, its OK if you can't do all of the things mentioned above. Doing something is better than doing nothing! Its all about increasing your chances of survival. Remember that you still have time also! You can start preparing today and slowly get more and more prepared over time. And if the end of the world catches you by surprise its OK! you will just have to do with what you have.

One more thing that I forgot to mention, the best thing that you can do to help you survive is to never give up! You must have the will to survive because without it you will never make it out alive!

Thank you for reading! If you liked this or you thought this information was helpful please click the like button at the top or right below. Also please comment below if you have something else to add. Tell me what you think! And good luck!

Below is a scenario put together by the History Channel. It describes what might happen during a collapse of our current society due to a global pandemic.