14 Unique Camping Tricks | Camp Like A Redneck

The post 14 Unique Camping Tricks | Camp Like A Redneck was originally seen on Total Survival

Camping tricks and tips are a dime a dozen, but this camping checklist is chock full of ideas we bet you've never seen before. From improvised camping gear to camping food prep, we've got you covered with truly unique camping hacks. To camp like a pro, read on and discover some of our unique camping tricks and tips!

Camping Tricks & Tips a Survivalist Should Know

1. Make a Strikeable Match Storage with Sandpaper and Container Lid

Sure, flints are amazing (in a Survivor series kind), but matches will never be outdated. They're easy and safe to use in lighting fire. You only need to keep them bone dry (if they're not waterproof matches). This camping hack will definitely work for you with your mason jar stash.

2. Create an Egg Carton Fire Starter

Don't throw your egg cartons at camp just yet. You can throw them later at the fire or start the fire with them. Here's how you can make your own DIY fire starter from egg cartons.

3. Create Outdoor Candlesticks for Easy & Portable Lighting

Make these easy candle tiki torches for a fun camping. This is really simple yet so fancy. For this camping trick, you only need candles and craft dowels.

4. Use Doritos as Kindling

Pull a MacGyver trick and make it one of your own camping hacks. Let Doritos save the day in your mission to start a fire. Learn how to in this video from MacGyvermedotcom.

5. Use Frozen Water Jugs for Long Lasting Cold in Your Cooler

Check out these camping food hacks to keep you fed and nourished in your appetite-boosting adventure. Keep your cooler cool for a long time with 3 1-gallon milk jugs.

6. Create a Pocket-Sized Oil Lamp From a Travel Shampoo Bottle

It doesn't seem much but this pocket-sized oil lamp can burn for six hours which is more than enough for emergency situations.

7. Create Travel-Friendly Coffee Brewers From Filters and Floss

Coffee is an essential camping food, campers can never be without. But having a good coffee requires you coffee-making tools hassling to bring along to camp. Try this nifty camping tip for coffee: making individual coffee bags. You can enjoy a good coffee even while you're outdoors.

8. Make Your Own Grill Out of a Tin Can

It's impossible to forget a grill when camping but terrible luck happens. Luckily, you can make a grill while out at camp with large tin cans.

9. Waterproof Your Shoes With Beeswax

Candlewax and beeswax are not only items to help you start a fire at camp. They are also effective in making your shoes waterproof. It's as easy as directly applying the wax generously on your shoes.

10. Use a Belt and Some Hooks to Fashion a Pot Hanger

A camp is a home away from home and keeping things in order is also a priority. You don't want to pay the price of disorder when you are out in the wild. This belt hack to keep your pots and pans hanging is a smart organizing tip.

11. Dip Cotton Pads in a Wax to Make Easy Fire Starters

All the materials you need for this DIY cotton pads fire starter could be found right in your home now. It's light and it doesn't take a lot of space which is great for campers.

12. Create an emergency light out of some cardboard and tin can

This tin can emergency light also works as a fire starter for your campfires. It's a great use for cardboards and tin cans you would otherwise throw away.

13. Keep a Jar Full of Candles Handy For a Quick and Easy Light Source

It's super hassling to find yourself in a power outage and you have to fumble for candles, matches, and a candlestick. You've never come across this brilliant life and camping idea. It's a candle and match storage, and candlestick in one.

14. Make a Portable Candle in an Altoid Tin

This camping trick with Altoid cans is really a no-brainer but still a nifty idea for camping. It makes for romantic meals outdoors.

Like camping tips? Check out The Basics of Hammock Camping and Camping Hammocks | Hammock Tent Review By Dave Canterbury!

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Learn these camping tricks and never be caught clueless out in the elements. This redneck-approved list can be used to add to your more traditional camping supplies for the ultimate camping experience. Impress your fellow campers with these unusual camping ideas and your seemingly never-ending supply of cool camping hacks!

Have you tried out any of these camping tips? Which one is it? Let us know in the comments section below!

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Editor’s Note – This post was originally published on April 14, 2014, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.

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Tesla Using Soviet-Era Manufacturing Methods In Rush To Build More Cars

Tesla Using Soviet-Era Manufacturing Methods In Rush To Build More Cars Find more on: Total Survival

In an effort to build more automobiles Tesla has been forced to improvise its automation processes.

Elon Musk is using “Soviet-Era methods” to build high-tech electric cars at his Silicon Valley factory. Tesla Inc. erected a giant tent in the parking lot of its Freemont, California, factory to increase production of its latest car the Model 3.

“Words fail me,” auto manufacturing expert Max Warburton said of Musk’s tent. “It’s insanity.”

Drone footage shows cars being assembled by hand inside a series of giant tents, multiple news reports indicate.

“So here we have it — build cars manually in the parking lot,” Warburton wrote in an email to Bloomberg. Warburton has helped set up auto factories all over the world.

Tesla’s tent covers 137,250 square feet it and it is visible from miles away, Bloomberg noted.

Automation Failures at Tesla?

Musk has had a lot of trouble ramping up production of the Model 3 which is supposed to be their mass-market electric car. The billionaire had initially hoped to use a robotic production line but that failed, The Next Web reported.

“Yes, excessive automation at Tesla was a mistake,” Musk tweeted on April 12, 2018. “To be precise my mistake. Humans are underrated.”

“Yes, they did …We had this crazy, complex network of conveyor belts … And it was not working, so we got rid of that whole thing,” Musk told CBS This Morning.

The failures at Tesla indicate that a lot of modern manufacturing and logistics might not be as reliable as previously thought.

An Automated Supply Chain Could Be Unreliable

Consumers should be concerned because big food retailers, including America’s largest standalone grocer, Kroger are increasingly becoming dependent on “robotic” supply chain solutions.

Recently, Kroger has contracted with a British company called Ocado to create up to 20 high-tech warehouses to supply groceries to its stores and delivery services. The warehouses, like the Tesla’s factories, would use swarms of robots to prepare orders.

Kroger’s supply chain would be vulnerable to the same kind of snafus and catastrophic failures that are happening at Tesla’s factory right now. Other big retailers including Amazon and Walmart rely on similar systems.

Could An Overly Automated Supply Chain Cause Food Shortages?

One nightmare scenario is that these new automated systems would fail and there would be no human backup systems available. Food might get “hung up” in various places along the supply chain.

If such a scenario, food shortages could lead to rioting and looting as desperate mobs roam through cities looking for something to eat.

But it’s not just automated food systems … households and businesses are increasingly dependent on an automated supply chain for practically all essential items. The is a trend to watch very carefully.

The failures at Tesla demonstrate that breaks in automated supply chains are real. It’s also why every household needs to have a backup supply of essentials including food and water. System failures like this demonstrate further why every household should have a garden and perhaps even livestock to become more self-reliant.

Such old-fashioned methods might be more reliable than today’s “automated” technology.

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5 Flammable Food Survival Hacks

5 Flammable Food Survival Hacks See more on: http://totalsurvival.net/

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Without kindling, it can be very difficult to get a fire going. You need kindling like bark, dry leaves, and small twigs because if you can get those burning, you can get thicker things like branches to start burning. But what if you’re in a situation where there’s no dry kindling available?

You might be surprised to learn that you already have some kindling in your lunch box. For example, most chips catch fire pretty easily because of the fat and carbohydrate content. Just light your chips on fire, then use the burning chips to light thicker materials.

In this video, Sensible Prepper looks at five flammable foods and lights them all on fire just for the fun of it. Here are the foods:

1. Doritos
2. Pasta
3. Orange Peels
4. Butter
5. Canned Fish

Watch the video below to see how well they burn.

This article first appeared on urbansurvivalsite.com See it here

check out the full article Here: 5 Flammable Food Survival Hacks

5 Off-Grid Reasons Everyone Should Be Growing Aloe Vera

The article 5 Off-Grid Reasons Everyone Should Be Growing Aloe Vera is republished from Total Survival

Aside from its beauty and ease of care, people often use aloe vera as an herbal remedy.

Aloe vera is a popular succulent plant with a rich history. Aside from its beauty and ease of care, aloe vera is often used as an herbal remedy. The plant is referred to as “the burn plant,” “the wonder plant,” “the medicine plant,” or “the silent healer,” all in reference to its medicinal capabilities.

Everyone should have an aloe vera plant, whether it’s in a pot on their porch or in their garden (zone permitting). Here are five reasons why.

1. Aloe Is More Effective At Healing Burns And Injuries Than Typical Ointments

For first and second degree burns you can’t beat aloe vera. Not only does the gel take away pain and cool the burn, but it also speeds up healing compared to traditional ointments. In one study done at Naresuan University in Thailand, researchers found that participants who were treated with aloe gel healed almost nine days sooner than those treated with traditional ointments.

Aloe vera gel also is equally or more effective than ointments for treating various rashes, cuts, and abrasions. It also works well for blisters and other open surface wounds. Aloe gel works well in part because it protects the injury when layered as a thick gel.

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The wonderful thing about aloe vera is that you can just clip off a leaf, cut it open, and put the gel directly on the wound. You can either leave it be or cover it with a bandage. According to most studies done, you really can’t overuse the gel, so feel free to apply it as often as you feel necessary. Since the gel is so gentle on the skin, you can pretty much use it on anyone. It helps as a non-toxic way of treating scrapes on young kids.

2. Keeping A Few Of These Plants Indoors Will Improve Air Quality

NASA has rated aloe vera as one of their top 10 approved plants for improving indoor air quality. The way the plant does this is by absorbing and neutralizing volatile organic compounds (VOCs), such as formaldehyde and benzene. The harmful VOCs found in everything from plastics to household cleaners and prolonged exposure to them can cause a variety of health issues.

While an aloe plant isn’t going to completely clean your air, just having one plant in every room can actually make quite a difference. These plants are easy to care for and beautiful, so why not have a few pots around your home?

3. Aloe Gel Helps Heal Various Skin Conditions

When summer rolls around it’s pretty easy to find those bottles of green aloe gel in the same aisles as sunblock. Remember that study on burns under reason number one? The typical sunburn is a first-degree burn, which may be characterized by tender, red skin that feels hot. Aloe gel works perfectly for sunburns and this reason alone makes it a very popular product.

Aloe gel works perfectly for treating various skin conditions, and this makes it a very popular product.

Some other skin conditions or ailments that aloe treats include acne, painful pimples, psoriasis, and eczema. Aloe gel has also proven that it can revive skin from frostbite. Furthermore, many people have used this plant to treat warts.

4. Aloe Vera Reduces Inflammation And Itchiness From Bug Bites And Stings

Aloe vera is anti-inflammatory by nature, either when ingested or applied topically. Just as the gel soothes and burns, it also helps take away the itchiness and pain from bug bites or stings. Applying the gel straight from the leaf to a bug bite will either reduce swelling or prevent it altogether if you attend to it quickly enough.

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An additional benefit of using aloe to treat bug bites is that it reduces the risk of infection. Most of the bug bites or sting sites get infected because a person scratches to try and alleviate the itch. Aloe is anti-bacterial in nature, so if you have been scratching then you’ll get a dose of infection protection.

5. Consuming Aloe Soothes The Stomach And Improves Overall Digestion

Aloe vera isn’t just a topical treatment. You can use aloe gel (and sometimes the whole leaf –skin and all) to help with various digestion issues by ingesting it. There have been a couple of different studies done regarding the effectiveness of aloe on different internal issues. In one study, researchers found that aloe gel had a therapeutic effect on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Aloe vera, if ingested, also is a good natural laxative for people experiencing constipation. In fact, aloe is so effective as a laxative that you cannot use too much if you are trying to treat a different issue.

Harvesting aloe vera is the same for both internal and topical use. Cut off a leaf, slice it down the middle, and spread it to access the gel. Then you can use a spoon to take out all of the gel. This gel can then mix in water or juice, or you can add it to a smoothie. Some people put the entire leaf into the blender, although there is no real benefit except for some extra fiber.

Acquiring Aloe Vera

It’s possible to start your own aloe vera plants from seed, although there will be a long wait before you can harvest any leaves. A better idea would be to buy small plants from a nursery or online. Big retailers, hardware stores, and even grocery stores often carry small aloe plants for a good price.

Aloe vera is super easy to care for and really difficult to kill, which is a bonus for you “black thumbs” who struggle to keep houseplants alive.

You may also enjoy reading an additional Off The Grid News article: How To Know If Your Store-Bought Aloe Vera Gel Is Fake

What are other ways you’ve used aloe? Share your tips in the comments below.

Every Year Gardeners Make This Avoidable Mistake. Read More Here.

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5 Tricks For Better Knife Sharpening

5 Tricks For Better Knife Sharpening was originally seen on http://www.totalsurvival.net/

With a survival knife, a trusty new tool in your hand, you probably felt like you could take on the world. Until you dulled down that new pocket knife blade, that is. But you just needed good sharpening equipment and a solid sharpening technique (of the two, the technique seems harder to come by). Whether you are sharpening with rods, a whetstone, or an actual stone from the creek, these five tricks can help you turn your dull tool into a sharp blade again, at home or in the field.

Sharpen Your Pocket Knife Better With These Tricks!

1. Stabilize Your Stone

If you are using a slab-shaped whetstone, it will serve you best if it is locked down and unable to wiggle. A wobbling sharpening stone grinds metal from your knife edge in an uneven pattern. Rather than holding the stone by hand, secure it to a log or some other stationary object. Then, you can better maintain the same edge angle as you sharpen.

2. Count Your Strokes as You Sharpen

It’s very important for the number of strokes to match on each side of the edge. Over-sharpening on one side can lead to an odd edge bevel, which is not as sharp.

3. Pick the Right Angle

Select the right angle for the particular knife you would like to sharpen and stay at that angle while sharpening. It doesn't have to be exact but it should be close. Most knives have a bevel angle of roughly 20 to 23 degrees.

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4. Sharpen Often, Before the Edge Gets Too Dull

This keeps your knife effective and can save you from a major sharpening job down the road. I learned this trick on my first blade. It was a nice little Wenger Swiss Army knife with black handle scales. And like most Swiss Army blades, it was almost impossible to create a very sharp edge on it but frequent sharpening kept it serviceable, until the fateful day when I lost my first.

5. Mark the Edge With a Black Sharpie Pen Before You Start Sharpening

With the ink in place, it’s easy to see where you’ve sharpened and where you missed a spot. This trick can be repeated during the sharpening process until your knife edge is extremely sharp.

Is this your first time to sharpen a knife? Watch this video by OUTDOORS55 for 3 more tips beginners must know:

Your knife is a useful tool which you should always take care of and sharpen to experience its best performance. It's an essential tool you can rely on during an emergency, while camping outdoors, or when SHTF. Keep in mind that knives are useful but they are also dangerous. Make sure not to hurt yourself when sharpening your pocket knife. Maintain your focus on the task at hand — eyes, hands, and mind — to avoid accidents.

Do you have your own trick in sharpening your knife? Share it with us in the comments section below!

Up Next: 10 Top Reasons To Keep A Pocket Knife In Your EDC

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on January 7, 2016 and has been updated for quality and relevancy.

Courtesy of Outdoor Life.

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Using A Root Cellar To Keep Food Cool When The Power’s Out

Using A Root Cellar To Keep Food Cool When The Power’s Out is republished from Total Survival

A root cellar can have countless practical applications, even in our age of refrigeration.

Although these days you may only see root cellars in horror films, they were once an essential way of life. For our ancestors, a root cellar would have meant the difference between feeding your family and starving to death.

But root cellars have practical applications, even in our age of refrigeration. If the power went out, do you know how your family would preserve fruits and vegetables? Perhaps an icebox? That would require a lot of work to get enough ice to keep everything cool. In addition, chances are that if your fridge doesn’t work, businesses in your vicinity won’t have ice anyway.

Root cellars are the answer. They have been around for hundreds of years as an easy, sustainable way of keeping fruits and vegetables cool and fresh.

What Is A Root Cellar?

A root cellar is a structure built at least partially underground. Also, one can use it to store fruits and vegetables. Root cellars are used to keep food from freezing in the winter and to keep it cool during the summer. Some people also use root cellars to store wine. Generally, vegetables kept in root cellars consist of fall vegetables such as turnips, potatoes, and carrots. Back when root cellars were at their peak, you could often find beer or wine keeping cool among the veggies.

If you have a small home or not enough storage space for your harvest, a root cellar is a great alternative. Even if you aren’t an avid gardener, your root cellar can be used to store your weekly groceries such as water, bread, butter, milk, and cream for short periods of time.

Discover More Than 1122 Tips, Tricks, And Secrets For A Healthier, Safer, Lower Cost, More Self-Reliant Life!

Constructing a cellar is relatively simple and it can be as large or small as you need. Simply put, you just dig a big hole and erect a structure to store your produce. You can build a shed-like structure from scratch. Alternatively, if you don’t need a structure quite that large, you can also use a reclaimed item such as an old refrigerator or an insulated trash can and bury it in the ground. These types of root cellars are popular.

Indoor Root Cellar

If you have enough space in your home, you might want to consider building an indoor root cellar. Ideally, your indoor root cellar or cold room should be in a basement. Preferably, it should also be in the corner so as to take advantage of two cold walls. Frame it out just as you would any other room in the house and put the insulation on the outside of the room.

Keep in mind that while you are building your root cellar indoors or out, you need to have proper ventilation. The warm air will float to the top and needs to vent. Proper ventilation will also keep away unwanted moisture. Otherwise, this precipitation will rot away certain fruits and veggies that are moisture sensitive, like squash. Also, because light can speed up the decomposition of your produce, you’ll want to make sure there is as little light as possible making its way into the root cellar.

Advantages Of A Root Cellar

Basically, you need to dig it out, keep out the sun, and whisk away any unwanted hot air and moisture that could prematurely decompose your veggies. Generally, it is more advantageous to store homegrown fruits and vegetables in your root cellar because they will last a lot longer than the store-bought variety. However, don’t wash your vegetables. The vegetables will have a coating on the outside that keeps them fresher longer.

For pretty much any situation, there is a root cellar for you. It may be an underground shelter with room for all your veggies and your family. Otherwise, it can be a cooler buried in the ground. No matter what kind it is, caring for a root cellar is a skill that will keep your food fresh for a longer time.

You may also enjoy reading an additional Off The Grid News article: Easy DIY Root Cellars (That Don’t Require A Shovel!)

What root cellar tips would you add? Share them in the comments below.

Are You Off-Grid? Then Harness The Power Of Nature’s Most Remarkable Healer: Vinegar

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New Outbreak Of Deadly Ebola Epidemic Reported In Africa

New Outbreak Of Deadly Ebola Epidemic Reported In Africa Find more on: http://totalsurvival.net/

The Ebola epidemic is very deadly because it can spread rapidly by only touching an infected person.

Media outlets have reported a dangerous new outbreak of the deadly Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The outbreak, which started in May, has killed around 28 people in Central Africa, PBS reported. Also, the World Health Organization (WHO) stated that the Ebola virus had infected around 54 people.

Ebola is a dangerous disease because it can spread under the radar by sexual contact or by simply touching an infected person. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that 11,310 people died in the 2013 to 2016 Ebola epidemic in West Africa.

Doctors Still Don’t Know If The Ebola Vaccine Even Works

WHO officials admitted that they don’t know if an Ebola vaccine works, but they gave it to around 154 people anyway, as STAT News reported.

“We’ll know more on that when we do more modeling post-outbreak with the full data set,” WHO’s deputy director for emergency preparedness and response, Dr. Peter Salama, told PBS. “But for the regular transmission, certainly that’s extremely likely. And even [to prevent] sexual transmission, it’s possible.”

“Just eyeballing the data, the fact that these outbreaks really stopped in their tracks … to me is suggestive that the vaccination had some impact,” Salama said.

Officials think that the latest Ebola epidemic in the Congo is probably over. They’ve stated this because no one has reported new cases of the disease in 19 days as of June 23.

Ebola Epidemic Reported In Port City

Experts were concerned about this outbreak because Ebola had reached the densely populated port city of Mbandaka, Vice News reported. The fear was that sailors would carry Ebola from Mbandaka to other countries such as the United States.

“Slightly over a month into the response, further spread of EVD (Ebola virus disease) has largely been contained,” WHO announced on June 20. It looks as if Ebola is still a threat to everybody in the world.

You may also enjoy reading an additional Off The Grid News article: New “Black Death” Case Identified In Idaho Linked To Ground Squirrel Bite

Or download our free 19-page report that discusses tips, tricks, and strategies for surviving deadly pandemics: Pandemic Survival Secrets

What are your thoughts on the recent outbreak of a deadly Ebola epidemic in Africa? Let us know in the comments below.

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‘Heat Dome’ Expands: Dangerous heat wave to scorch USA

‘Heat Dome’ Expands: Dangerous heat wave to scorch USA is republished from http://www.totalsurvival.net/

A dangerous and oppressive heat wave is forecast to scorch the central and eastern U.S. over the next few days, with record high temperatures possible in the Northeast.

The worst of the heat will start in the Midwest on Friday before creeping its way east toward the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic by Saturday and Sunday. Heat advisories, watches and warnings have been posted in parts of 18 states from New Mexico to Michigan.

Temperatures of 100 degrees will bake parts of the central and southern Plains into Friday, according to AccuWeather.

The hot weather is courtesy of a strong upper-level ridge of high pressure, sometimes known as a “heat dome,” which will park itself over much of the U.S. by the weekend, according to the Weather Channel.

In urban areas of the major cities, such as Chicago, St. Louis, Detroit and Cincinnati, cooling stations will be needed, AccuWeather warned. The vast expanse of concrete and pavement will give off heat at night and make sleeping difficult without air conditioning.

Read More

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20 Emergency Supplies for Your Children

20 Emergency Supplies for Your Children Find more on: Total Survival

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For most parents, keeping their children safe in a disaster scenario is a higher priority than even their own safety. However, small children can be a major liability in disastrous situations, so it’s important to thoroughly consider them when stocking up on emergency supplies.

In this article, we’ll look at 20 emergency supplies for your children as well as a few other important considerations for disaster prepping with children.

Taking Care of Children During an Emergency

When dealing with children during an emergency, you have three main priorities: keeping them safe, keeping them healthy, and keeping them calm. Of course, all of these things are easier said than done, but having the right plan and right supplies in place will go a long way toward helping you accomplish these three priorities.

Start by developing a disaster plan that includes your children and focuses on any challenges they might force you to contend with. When practicing aspects of this plan such as a bug out, include your children and have them practice with you. If you make it into a game, chances are they’ll be happy to go along.

Once you have a plan that includes your children and have practiced that plan with them, start gathering the supplies you’ll need to keep your children safe, healthy, and calm. Below, we’ll list those supplies, but keep in mind that every family is unique, so you will need to give plenty of thought to your situation and the unique needs of your children when gathering supplies for them.

Also note that in a bug out scenario, it may be beneficial to have your child carry some of their own supplies in a small backpack if they are old enough to do so. Not only will this allow you to carry more supplies, it will ensure your child has important necessities in case that they are separated from you.

Taking care of children can be challenging in normal circumstances, and in a disaster scenario, it is doubly so. However, with the right plan and the right supplies, it is certainly a challenge you can overcome.

Now to be clear, this is not a comprehensive list of every survival item a child might need in an emergency. Most of your emergency supplies—food, first aid, flashlights, and so forth—can be used by children as well.

Rather, this is a list of items to get in addition to your regular emergency supplies.

Emergency Supplies for Children

1. Extra Clothes

You’ll want to have a few changes of clothes available for your children in a bug-out scenario, especially if they are still in the “accident” phase.

2. Diapers

If your child has not yet been potty trained, the necessity for having plenty of diapers around goes without saying.

3. Gatorade Powder

Your kids will probably get tired of drinking room temperature water all day, so they probably won’t drink enough and could end up dehydrated. To avoid this, get some powdered drink mix such as Gatorade. This will help keep your kids hydrated.

4. Formula

For children that have not yet moved on to solid food, formula is a must. Even if your child is breastfed, you’ll still want to have some formula around both for convenience and in the event of an emergency. In addition to formula, be sure to carry at least one bottle and nipple.

5. Mini Trash Bags

By nature, most children are messy. From dirty diapers to empty snack wrappers, there’s a lot of trash you may need to dispose of when traveling extended periods of time with a child. For this reason, having some mini trash bags is essential.

6. Snacks

Not only are snacks necessary for helping your children keep their energy up between meals, they’re also a comfort that can help put kids at ease in high-stress situations.

7. Candies

Candy may not have a lot of nutritional value, but it can be used to either reward children or keep them appeased when tensions are high. Don’t just get one kind, though. Get a variety pack.

8. Crayons and Paper

One of the foremost goals for handling children in a disaster scenario is to keep them distracted and at ease as much as possible. Some paper and a box of crayons doesn’t take up a lot of room in a bug out bag and can provide hours of relaxing entertainment to small children.

9. Activity Books

Coloring books, crossword puzzles, word searches, mazes, and more. Anything to keep them busy and distracted. Here’s one that has a little bit of everything.

10. Wet Wipes

If your child is still wearing diapers, wet wipes are a must. Even if they are not, though, wet wipes are still great for quickly cleaning up messes such as a food-smeared face.

11. Spill-Proof Cups

Water and other drinks may be in short supply during a disaster, making it important not to waste any in an accidental spill. Putting your child’s drinks in spill-proof cups not only helps avoid costly waste, it can help you avoid inconvenient messes as well. I recommend this even if your child is a little too old for sippy cups. Again, it’s just to make sure nothing goes to waste.

12. Kindle

Children’s books are a great way to keep kids calm and distracted in a high-stress situation, and thanks to E-readers such as the Kindle, you don’t have to pack a bunch of individual books. With a Kindle, you can store thousands of children’s books – complete with pictures and all – on one single device, providing a lot of entertainment value compared to the amount of space that it takes up.

13. Ear Plugs

The more your child sleeps during the long trip of a bug out, the better. To help them fall asleep in spite of the noises in the vehicle, pack along a pair of comfortable earplugs.

14. Toys

A few simple toys can help keep your child occupied and calm when stresses are running high. Toys are especially beneficial for keeping kids calm if your child already has an emotional connection to them, so consider letting them play with the toys before disaster strikes.

15. List of Emergency Phone Numbers

Having your child separated from you during a disaster is the worst-case scenario and is something that should be avoided at all costs. However, it’s also something that you should prepare for by having your child carry a list of emergency phone numbers that anyone who finds your child will be able to call.

16. Pictures of Family Members

If your child is lost, having a picture of his or her parents or other family members to show people could help them be reunited lot faster.

17. Toiletries

Don’t forget your child’s toothbrush, toothpaste, lotion, shampoo, and any other bathroom items they use on a regular basis. Keep them organized by putting them all in a freezer bag.

18. Sleeping Bag

Don’t forget a small sleeping bag for your child. In order to get them used to it, take them camping this summer. Or at least go camping in the backyard. It’s fun, and once they’re comfortable with their sleeping bag, they’ll do much better during a bug out.

19. Headlamp

If for some reason you have to travel at night, keep in mind that children are much more likely to stumble and fall, especially if it’s dark. You could give your child a flashlight, but smaller children might just play with it. Instead, put headlamps on them so they can see every step.

20. Whistle

Give them a whistle to wear around their necks so they can call for help if they’re lost or in danger.

I’m sure there are other items you could include. That’s why you should practice your bug out plan a few times, so you can see if there are any other emergency supplies your children might need. Leave a comment below if you have any suggestions.

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This article first appeared on urbansurvivalsite.com See it here

Read Full Article Here: 20 Emergency Supplies for Your Children

What The Obama Administration Kept Secret About Immigration

What The Obama Administration Kept Secret About Immigration is republished from http://totalsurvival.net

The Obama administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration was just as harsh and almost as controversial as Trump’s.

There may be one significant difference between the Obama administration’s policy towards illegal immigrants and the Trump administration’s policy. Apparently, it’s the number of reporters on the border. Liberal criticisms of the Obama-era policy toward unlawful migrants are quite surprising. In fact, the critiques are eerily similar to the charges that people are making against Trump on this same issue.

“As a matter of historical record, Barack Obama’s record on immigration was profoundly wretched, especially in his first term.” Leftwing blogger Ryan Cooper wrote this striking comment at The Week.

Obama Administration: The Deporter-In-Chief

Obama’s crackdown on illegal immigration was just as harsh and almost as controversial as Trump’s. Examples of Obama’s immigration policy include:

• Latino USA dubbed Obama “the Deporter in Chief” because of the number of people he deported.

• The Nation, a liberal magazine, ran this headline: “Why Has President Obama Deported More Immigrants than Any President in US History?” in 2014.

• “Since taking the Presidential oath of office, Obama has deported immigrants at a faster rate than any other president in US history, nearly a record two million people,” a 2014 Nation article stated.

• The Obama administration imprisoned 30,000 immigrants on a typical a day.

• “One-quarter of all deportees are separated from their US citizen children and countless others from spouses and other family members.” Alejandra Marchevsky and Beth Baker wrote this about the Obama immigration policy in The Nation.

• “Most deportees never see an attorney or have a hearing before a judge before they are expelled from the country,” the same article stated in 2014.

• The Obama Administration aggressively deported immigrants labeled terrorists and criminals. The administration did this even when it was clear to them that the foreigners posed no danger.

• “We try to focus our enforcement efforts on illegal immigrants who pose a direct threat to our communities, not to hardworking immigrant families who are minding their own business and often have members of their family who are already US citizens,” Obama told Univision, a Spanish language TV network, in 2012.

• The Obama administration encouraged local police to work with ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) and the FBI. Obama instructed them to join in efforts to target terrorists and “criminal aliens” in a policy of “smart enforcement.”

• In 2012, the Obama Administration deported Victoria Escobar, an illegal immigrant from Guatemala. They displaced her because a court had convicted her of shoplifting in Virginia. Escobar had three U.S. born children.

• “In the case of Muslim immigrants, the immigration system routinely casts them as would-be terrorists, monitoring and scrutinizing them accordingly.” The Nation wrote this regarding the Obama Justice Department.

In short, the double standard that the media applies between the Trump and Obama administrations is abundantly clear. It’s a double standard that will continue to become all the more evident as the political divide in America deepens.

You may also enjoy reading an additional Off The Grid News article: What The Bible Really Says About Immigration

What are your thoughts on the Obama administration keeping things secret about immigration? Let us know in the comments below.

The post What The Obama Administration Kept Secret About Immigration appeared first on Off The Grid News.

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A $30 DIY Wind Turbine You Can Build For Your Homestead

A $30 DIY Wind Turbine You Can Build For Your Homestead is republished from http://totalsurvival.net/

Want to know how to build a DIY wind turbine with as low as $30? If you want a source of renewable energy in your homestead, this wind turbine for the home project is for you! There are different types and designs for wind turbine but we will take on the more common vertical wind turbine. It’s a small wind turbine which could set the stage for more DIY wind turbine projects for you. Read on to find out more about this DIY wind turbine!

DIY Wind Turbine on a Budget for Your Homestead

—This post is courtesy of FreeSurvivalist.com. (Original publish date January 31, 2016), Shared with permission—

Awesome: Build This Open Source DIY Wind Turbine for $30

Getting started with home wind energy projects can set you back a pretty penny if you buy a finished product, but if you’re a little bit handy and don’t mind scrounging for materials and getting creative in the garage or backyard, you can try your hand at building one of these DIY wind turbines for about $30 in materials. After all, it is the #iheartrenewables week!

We’ve previously covered Daniel Connell’s open source concentrated solar collector plans, but now he’s back with another great DIY renewable energy project, a vertical axis wind turbine based on the Lenz2 lift+drag design. Connell’s design calls for using aluminum lithographic offset printing plates to catch the wind, which he says can be obtained cheaply (or possibly even free) from an offset printing company, and a variety of hardware and a bicycle wheel.

“The turbine uses the ~40% mechanically efficient Lenz2 lift+drag design. It is made entirely from scrap materials except for the bolts and pop rivets, and should cost about $15-$30 for the three vane version, which can be made by one person in six hours without much effort.” – SolarFlower

Other than basic tools, including a hand drill, you’ll need to buy or borrow a pop riveter and some assorted hardware (bolts, nuts, and washers) to construct this device. According to Connell’s notes, this DIY wind turbine, which can be built in either a three vane or six vane version, has successfully survived sustained winds of 80 km/h (three vanes) and up to 105 km/h for the six vane version.

Here’s a little clip by OpenSourceLowTech that shows a vertical axis wind turbine being challenged by strong winds:

In order to harvest the energy from this wind turbine, it’s necessary to add an alternator to the rotor, as well as a method of storing the electricity, but it could also be used simply for the mechanical rotation, such as to pump water or spin a flywheel for other applications.

While there are a number of variables that can affect the output of this DIY wind turbine, including the efficiency of the alternator used (and obviously the speed of the wind where it’s located), according to Connell, using a “50% efficient car alternator (the simplest and cheapest option) should produce 158 watts of electricity in a 50 km/h wind, and 649 watts at 80 km/h” with this design.

[Update: In an email conversation with Connell, he stated that “a six vane version with an efficient alternator should produce at least 135 watts of electricity in a 30 km/h wind, and 1.05 kilowatts at 60 km/h.”]

This homebrewed wind turbine isn’t necessarily going to be powering your home (although a series of these could potentially be used to generate enough electricity to charge a battery bank for modest home use), it might be a great hands-on school project or homeschool activity about wind energy.

Source treehugger

A wind turbine is essential in homesteading, especially in areas far from a mainstream energy source. Even if you’re closer to these energy sources, it still pays to know the basics of a DIY wind turbine. You never know when it will become handy and your know-how may just save the day. Take time to learn this DIY wind turbine for a clean and free energy source!

Will you try making your own DIY wind turbine? Let us know in the comments section below!

Up Next: 45 Off The Grid Hacks | Homesteading Tips, Tricks, And Ideas

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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on February 21, 2016, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.

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11 Spare Parts for Your Preps

The post 11 Spare Parts for Your Preps was first seen on Total Survival

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Everyone has spare parts around the house, even if they’re just simple things like screws, light bulbs, and batteries. No one wants to run to the store every time a light burns out or the remote batteries die. Of course, you could do that if you had to. But after a major disaster, running to the store might not be an option.

When the SHTF, you need all of your survival gear and shelter to be in great shape. If things like doors, windows, lights, camp stoves, radios, generators, or bug out vehicles are damaged, you’re gonna have a bad time.

To make sure that doesn’t happen, you’ll need to keep plenty of spare parts on hand. This should be obvious, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen a list of spare parts for preps before, until now. Erica from Living Life in Rural Iowa made a list of 11 spare parts you should have on hand.

She writes, “One of the most overlooked parts of most people’s preparations is spare parts for the equipment they plan to use in an emergency or a crisis. We all like to think we are covered when we have the actual items in our possession, but what if they break? What if the power source runs out? When you know you could have fixed the problem with a simple spare part, you will get pretty frustrated pretty fast.” Follow the link below to keep reading.

Have You Considered Spare Parts for Your Preps? This article first appeared on urbansurvivalsite.com See it here

Originally Published Here: 11 Spare Parts for Your Preps