Guide to the Apocalypse

This book is an attempt to provide some basic working information for, and to discuss some aspects of, our collective worst-nightmares. It may appear that this work is farcical, but this is not intended: it means to take a serious look at what can be done when the majority of human population, or societal infrastructure has been destroyed, either through natural, or human disaster.

Introduction

This is a subject that hides in the deepest, darkest corner of the human psyche. It's something that people put off thinking about because it is so unpleasant, but it's something that all people in this day and age should be prepared for.

What do you do when the world as you know it is destroyed?

Instead of examining every possible method by which humanity could possibly come to this grim fate, this book attempts to explore the aftermath. How can humans survive? Is it possible to repopulate? Where can we obtain food, shelter, and fresh drinking water? These questions and more will be examined in this book.

Methods of the Apocalypse

There are many methods by which humanity could be brought to the edge of extinction. In recent years it has become more "trendy" to attribute the event to mutual nuclear destruction or meteors, but in the past, such things as viruses threatened to destroy entire populations. And what if the ozone layer finally disappears? What if the Earth's magnetic field no longer is capable of blocking harmful solar rays? What if a new ice-age swept the globe tomorrow?

On a smaller scale, what happens when disease kills off 99.9% of a given population? What happens when the AIDS rate in Africa approaches 75%? 85%? 95%?

But, those are only methods by which the human population could be decimated. What about scenarios where human infrastructure was destroyed?

An Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) wipes out electronic data across the entire hemisphere, power plants go down, the Internet is damaged beyond easy repair, and our entire way of life is quickly ended. What then? Petroleum dries up, and suddenly cars stop running, gas and oil power plants shut down, planes stop flying, boats stop sailing. How do we feed six billion people on this planet, when our motorized farm equipment doesn't work?

If the production of food were severly impacted, how could we possibly decide who lives and who starves to death?

These are, admittedly, tough questions to answer, much less ask. This is our worst nightmare, and this book aims to confront it head on.

Notes

This book will attempt to be as general as possible, and should probably not address any particular method of destruction, except as a footnote to a more general discussion. It will steer clear of "science fiction" scenarios where humans are at war with a) robots, b) mutants, c)the undead, and d) aliens. This book will assume that the fighting (if any) is over, and will focus on the process of rebuilding and survival after the apocalypse.

Chapter 1: Survival of a Small Population

While shows like Gilligan's Island make the prospect seem humorous, what can be done when a very small population is cut off from the rest of the world? Be they the last survivors of a disease, the last survivors of a nuclear war, or the castaways on a deserted island, small populations have different dynamics of survival and propagation than large societies.

What if you wake up, and there are only 100 people left? 50 people? 10? What about an "Adam and Eve" scenario, where there was only one man and one woman left? This chapter will attempt to discuss how a small population of humans will survive, and possibly even multiply.

Chapter 2: Loss of Food and Water

When the power goes out for good, refrigerators will shut down, and food will rot. Processing and packaging plants will lose the ability to deliver food products to the masses, and farms will lose a lot of their ability to produce a surplus. This chapter will examine a scenario where food production falls far short of adequately sustaining a population. The number one rule to survival is: When in doubt, boil it, but not twice. Boiling food twice can release deadly toxins into formerly organic substances.

Water

The human body can survive weeks without food. Water on the other hand is a vital necessity. Water cultivation methods depend on your location. If in a city, water from a tap may not be pure (read raw sewage...mmmm). Try not to drink the water if there is industial stuff going on. If you are in a tropical enviroment dew from plants can be syphoned into a plastic container. Note condoms make excellent water storage devices, lubricated condoms are only good for sex. Also note, bottles are much better. Creeks are a vital source to water, sedentary ponds are not. The earth acts as a natural filter most times. If your source is within ten feet of a cow paddy...avoid. If in the desert ground water can be found in cactii. To avoid water loss travel at night and sleep in the daytime. Wear loose, long, clothing like the Arabs (i.e. a bedsheet). If in a arctic enviroment do not eat snow. The energy expended is not worth the energy gained. If you have a reflective source heat the snow using the sun, assuming no nuclear winter. If you are stranded at sea you are screwed.

Cities

Cities are areas with high population density and little farmable land. As such, Cities should be avoided. It is important to keep in mind that almost all food to be found in a city is imported from the outside world. In a situation with no power, refridgeration will fail, and cities will become a death trap.

Finding Food for Subsistence

Rule number one: Avoid mushrooms (there is no poison test for mushrooms). If you have no other options avoid brightly colored mushrooms. If you think a plant is poisonous take a small bite and wait a few hours. Then take a bigger bite, and continue until your sure you won't have the squirts. Diarrhea will dehydrate you quickly.

Rule number two: Eat what the animals eat. With the exception of Koalas very few animals eat food that is poisonous to humans. (Incorrect, many animals can eat things poisonous to humans. For example, deer will eat poison ivy.)

Rule number three: A smart person eats bugs. A smarter person uses the bugs to catch fish (and then a larger fish, etc. etc. etc.).

Rule number four: All birds are edible. There are poisonous species of fish, amphibians, and reptiles; and certain parts of some mammals may be poisonous or contain toxic levels of certain compounds (bear and dog livers contain levels of Vitamin-E that are toxic to humans).

Subsistance Farming

Land can be farmed for subsistance, and small portions of land can be used to feed a family if managed correctly.

Chapter 3: Gathering resources

When gas prices go up, people make a desparate run for the gas station, but when the essentials of life start to disappear, what can you do to protect yourself, and secure your survival? This chapter will boil down the essentials of life, and discuss some strategies to obtain them.

What isn't Important?

This section attempts to cut away the things that arent really necessary to survival.

What Really is Important?

There are few basic needs for human life: Food, Water, and Shelter.

Providing for Yourself and Your Family

In a subsistence-living scenario, many people from our society wont be able to survive on their own. Young children, mentally and physically handicapped people, later-term pregnant women, and the elderly will all need assistance, here is how you can provide for those you care about.

Chapter 4: Triage

When the infrastructure fails and hospitals close, or if all the doctors in your area are gone, people will have alot of tough decisions on their hands. This chapter will explore some of them.

Chapter 5: Communication

You're alone, but that doesnt mean that everybody else is dead and gone. There is probably somebody out there that can come and rescue you. This chapter talks about how to find them.

Chapter 6: Descent to Anarchy

When governments dissolve, the natural reaction of most people will be to descend into anarchy. the world becomes survival of the fittest, and nobody can be trusted. This chapter explores what to do when everybody else goes crazy.