Survivalist Anthologies Volume 1

by George Shepherd

  But for anyone outside of the blast radius the field strength will be such that anything that’s in a Faraday Enclosure like that – not connected to a power source, and not connected to an antenna, that’s completely isolated – will be fine. So it’s important to have redundancy with all of your electronics, and keep all of your spares in cans.

  Ed: I have read that even a cardboard box wrapped in aluminum foil and then double-boxed – you know, double aluminum –

  JWR: Yeah, if you don’t have a large metal container. What I recommend that people do is just keep their eyes peeled. Every Christmas people in the United States for the last twenty years people have been very fond of giving large containers of popcorn in large steel cans with tight-fitting lids. Those work fine as a Faraday Enclosure. As I mentioned, a standard garbage can with a tight-fitting lid works fine. A military ammo can will also work well, although they do have rubber gaskets. You just have to make sure you have a good electrical connection between the lid and the body of the can, and when you look at the standard American design, typically you have four or five pins for the hinge that provide a good connection between the two. So a military ammo can will work fine, and some of those are quite large. The standard U.S. military twenty-millimeter ammo can is twenty inches long and sixteen or eighteen inches tall, and nine inches wide. It’s quite a volume there that’s available. And they also have the advantage of being watertight. So you could even bury them, if need be. They’re a little bit more multi-purpose than a galvanized can.

  Ed: Right. Well, unfortunately, we’re reaching the end of our time here with Mr. Rawles, and it’s been great having you on the show. I’d loving having you back on the show as a guest again.

  JWR: Thank you for having me on, I’d love to be back as a guest again. I’d encourage people to take a look at the archives of my blog; they’re all available free of charge. You can search through thousands and thousands of posts. It’s all available free and totally searchable. Again, it’s http://www.survivalblog.com/.

  Ed: And be aware that the sequel to “Patriots” – “Survivors” – will be coming out on October 4, but don’t pull the trigger until the fourth, so we can get that ranking up as high as possible.

  You can listen to the audio of the full interview at: http://www.survivalist.fm/and click the link in the show description post.

  Built To Last

  The Top 3 Alternative Building Methods for

  Homes That Will Survive

  by Corcceigh Green

  (See Example Photos at End of Article)

  Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always been attracted to “alternative” or unusual methods of construction and design. Back then, it was mostly due to the fact that I was (and still am) a huge science-fiction nerd and thought it would be pretty cool to live in a geodesic dome, or some other structure shaped largely by my imagination. As I got older (and more survival oriented) I came to realize that people don’t build and live in these structures because they look cool (or at least not just because they look cool) they build them because they’re stronger, safer, more energy efficient and cost-effective to build and maintain.

  Sometimes it’s amazing to me that we’re still pretty much taking the same wasteful, inefficient approach to home building that we have for the last few centuries. Sure, there have been refinements in the process over the years that have improved efficiency and cut down on waste and cost, but the fact remains that the homes most of us live in still leave a lot to be desired.

  It could be that humans are “traditionalists” by nature, and we assume that if something has been done a certain way for a number of years, then that must be the best way to do it. But most “alternative” building methods are not alternative at all. Many are based on time-tested construction techniques from ancient antiquity. It’s easy for us to scoff at that “weirdo” who’s building a dome house or earth-bag home on the outskirts of town, but that weirdo knows something that most people don’t... There is a better way to build (a number of better ways, actually) and from a survivalist’s point of view, the method that is used to build your home could make the difference between remaining safe and dry after a disaster, or becoming a refugee. So I say; let the neighbors scoff... We’ll see who’s laughing after disaster strikes.

  The following are my top three picks (in no particular order) of alternative home-building methods that are cheap (and easy) to construct, more energy efficient, and most importantly – are more capable of withstanding severe weather and disasters than traditional wood-framed homes.

  Shipping/Cargo Containers

  These are the large, steel containers that are used for overseas shipping. The use of cargo containers for home building may seem like a weird idea, but their use has been gaining in popularity in recent years as either a stand-alone home, an addition to an existing home, or as a survival shelter. They’re practically indestructible, and the exteriors are rust resistant, making them perfect for areas that are prone to severe weather, earthquakes, tornadoes and hurricanes.

  The typical dimensions of shipping containers are 40’ x 8’ x 8’ (20’ containers are also available) and they can be stacked like Lego blocks - either one on top of the other, or side by side. You’ll need to cut out openings for windows, entryways and ventilation and run wiring and plumbing under a raised floor or within the interior walls (under drywall). You’ll also need to insulate the container, either internally or externally. Some people bury their containers for greater insulation (earth is the perfect thermal mass) as well as concealment.

  Homes made from cargo containers don’t have to be crude, dreary, industrial-looking edifices, either. A cursory internet search for shipping container homes will reveal many innovative designs that range from basic, utilitarian, to stylish and imaginative homes that anyone would be proud to live in - such as the container home in the example photo.

  It is estimated that at any given time, there are about 700,000 used shipping containers available for purchase at a cost from $1,000 to $2,000. You can contact ship yards to inquire about purchasing used containers. If the prospect of purchasing, transporting and converting a shipping container yourself seems a little too daunting, there are several companies that manufacture pre-fabricated homes out of shipping containers that still beat the cost of building a traditional home.

  More information on building shipping container homes or purchasing pre-fabricated homes and additions can be found at the following websites: http://www.shipping-container-housing.com/, http://www.containerhomes.net/, http://www.lot-ek.com/, http://www.quik-build.com/

  Earthbag Homes

  Back in issue 3, we featured an article by Dr. Owen Geiger on building earthbag survival shelters. This method of construction has been around for thousands of years and is in use all over the world in a broad range of environments. The earthbag method produces an extremely durable structure that is resistant to intense weather, flooding, and earthquakes. They’re also highly bullet and blast resistant, which is why militaries have been using sandbag construction for well over 200 years. Earthbag structures are also very inexpensive and easy to build with only a couple of helpers. No particular construction expertise is required and you can learn everything you need to know by searching the internet and watching a couple of videos.

  Construction essentially consists of filling polypropylene sandbags 3/4 full with dirt, sand, gravel, or volcanic material (cinder). Ideally, sub-soil (the clay dirt beneath the topsoil) works best, but you can pretty much use whatever you have on hand. Then, you staple or stitch the bags closed and lay them out in horizontal courses like bricks. Barbed wire is then used as the “mortar” that keeps the earthbag “bricks” in place and attached to each other.

  Most earthbag homes are either circular or dome-shaped in design for maximum structural integrity. This also eliminates the need for rafters or roofing materials. Doors and windows can be framed out traditionally, or archways and circular windows can be built in. When the structure is complete,
the interior and exterior walls are clad in mud, plaster, or stucco.

  To learn more about earthbag construction, you can check out Owen’s article in issue 3 of Survivalist, or visit the Geiger Research Institute of Sustainable Building at: www.GRISB.org and his You Tube channel: naturalhouses. You also might want to check out http://www.earthbagbuilding.com/

  Dome Construction

  Domes are the most durable structures you can build. Since the days of the ancient Romans, architects and builders have known that arches and domes are capable of supporting an enormous amount of weight - much more so than rectilinear construction – and were widely utilized in massive building projects, from coliseums to cathedrals that are still standing today. Domes are also very energy efficient (proving that the Eskimos knew what they were doing when they came up with the igloo!). Since domes have the smallest surface area for a given volume, there’s less surface area through which thermal energy can be transferred, essentially providing better insulation. In warm weather, hot air is drawn up and vented out of the top of the structure, keeping it cool in the summertime.

  When most people think of dome structures, they think of the “geodesic” dome (a dome or sphere comprised of numerous triangular panels) championed by Buckminster Fuller back in the ‘60s and ‘70s. Fuller was inspired by the inherent advantages of domes as well as the added stability provided by the network of triangular planes. And since dome structures do not require any internal bracing or load-bearing supports, dome construction requires 50-75% less materials than traditional wood-framed homes.

  Geodesic domes are not without their problems, though. Since there are so many joints and seams, they’re more susceptible to leakage and moisture damage, as well as damage from the sun. Some designs utilize an overlapping system of faces which will ideally protect the joints from the rain, but they still remain vulnerable to expansion and contraction due to climactic changes. This problem can be exacerbated, depending on the materials with which the framework is constructed. Many manufacturers have responded to this problem over the years by taking different approaches to dome building and there are several commercial kits available on the market. Just make sure you do your research before purchasing a dome kit. Some produce structures that I wouldn’t exactly call “disaster proof” (or even permanent), while others are priced beyond the reach of the average consumer, or require specialized skills to construct.

  One particular manufacturer that’s worth checking out is; Monolithic (which literally means “one-piece”). Since the 1970s, they’ve been manufacturing domes and dome kits of all sizes (from cabins to sports arenas) that are easy to construct, affordable and extremely durable. Construction of these domes incorporates an “airform” around which the structural elements are added to stiffen the dome. The airform is inflated to establish the dome shape, then polyurethane foam, steel rebar, and a cement-based finish (“Shotcrete”) are applied from the inside. An exterior coating is then applied to complete the structure. These domes have been tested tornado-proof (exceeding FEMA 361 guidelines for tornado protection) and have a projected lifespan of 500 years. Additionally, they claim a 50-60% reduction in energy costs and due to the continuous, single-piece construction and materials used, you’ll never have to worry about leakage or climactic changes.

  For more information on Monolithic you can visit their website at: http://www.monolithic.com/

  Honorable Mentions

  The building methods above made the top three mostly due to the fact that they are all effective in any type of climate. There are, of course, several other great home building methods that are durable, safe, cost-effective and energy efficient, but are not ideally suited for humid or wet environments. For example; in the Southwest, strawbale homes are very popular. I had never even heard of a strawbale home until I moved to Arizona. There’s a reason why they don’t build them in New England or in the southeast, and that’s because they’re susceptible to humidity. But if you live in an arid climate, they’re worth checking into. Strawbale homes are cheaper to build, they’re very durable (most architects and engineers consider them very earthquake resistant). Strawbales also make great insulation, and since they do most of the load-bearing, they save on construction costs.

  Then there’s Earthship homes, which are constructed with earth-packed tires and other recycled or natural materials (cans, bottles, stone, plaster, adobe, etc.). These are typically off-grid homes that utilize solar energy and natural temperature-control methods. While there are Earthship homes all over the U.S. and Europe - and proponents claim that they’re suitable for any environment - I’ve heard reports that they don’t do very well in areas that get a lot of rainfall.

  If you want to go more “primitive” with your building methods, you could use rammed earth (the Great Wall of China was built with rammed earth blocks). Adobe (earth and straw bricks baked in the sun). Cordwood (12”-24” sections of small logs mortared in place with the flat ends comprising the interior and exterior of the wall). Cob (an ancient mixture of clay, sand, water and straw pressed into thick walls).

  There are a few drawbacks to alternative building methods, though. Such as; it can be difficult acquire loans for these types of building projects, and resale can be a problem (there’s not a big market for non-traditional, weirdo types of houses). You may also encounter resistance from your neighbors, who might consider your home an “eyesore” or be concerned about how it will affect their property values.

  Also, depending on where you intend to build, you may encounter problems complying with building codes and regulations (for example; where do you put a fire escape on a geodesic dome?) But there are plans available for many alternative building methods that are code compliant in most areas, and most (if not all) manufacturers of pre-fabricated homes and kits have already incorporated code compliance into their designs.

  Just make sure you do some research into the building regulations in your area to determine if your plans are up to code. (See example photos on next page)

  10 Essential Oils for Your Natural Medical Kit

  by "Nurse Amy" Alton

  Once your mind has wrapped itself around the possibility of a collapse occurring, it becomes painfully clear that plans have to be made. One of those plans is for medical care for you, your family and hopefully a cohesive group of preppers. All needed medications should be stocked up to the best of your ability. However, if pharmaceutical companies do not exist, then antibiotics, and other pharmaceutical medications will eventually run out. You need to understand, and acquire, alternatives to manufactured medicines: Essential oils.

  Herbal medicine has been around since humans walked the earth. Nature has always provided us with remedies. It is only in the last 50 years or so that our society has chosen to abandon herbal remedies and begin popping “pills”. The truth is, unless we destroy this earth, plants will always help us, but the pills may be gone. So stock up on herbal medicine and include essential oils. Essential oils are simply a concentration of the plant’s constituents, or “active ingredients”, and minute doses are needed to elicit beneficial effects. Unlike modern medication, essential oils have more then one “active ingredient” and therefore can be used for several different health issues.

  Unlike gardening, plants for essential oils cannot be grown easily in your backyard. Medicinal plants can be grown and utilized dried or fresh, but the enormous amount of plant matter needed to produce even tiny drops of essential oils would be futile in a collapse. Preppers would not want to plant an acre of lavender when they could concentrate instead on food production. So buy the essential oils now; start learning about their properties, uses and methods of absorption. Rotate and use them exactly as you would rotate and use your food storage.

  Most essential oils (EO) are for external or aromatic/inhalation (either cold or steam) use only. Cold inhalation is performed by putting a couple of drops on either your hands or an absorbent material, and bringing the oil up to your nose and taking several deep breaths
of the vapors. To perform steam inhalation, place 5-15 drops of EO in previously boiled water which has cooled off to 100 degrees F, move your face close to the water and cover the back of your head with a towel, breath the steam deeply. Essential oils are sometimes mixed with other oils called carrier oils. Examples are grape seed, almond, olive, coconut, jojoba, wheatgerm, and sesame. A 1:1 dilution is an equal amount of essential oil and carrier oil. For bath treatments, add 5-10 drops of undiluted essential oil to a cup of Epsom salts, then add this to the bath water.

  1. Lavender - An analgesic (pain reliever), antiseptic (antimicrobial substance applied to living tissue/skin to reduce the possibility of infection) and immune stimulant. Good for skin care and to promote healing: burns, bruises, scrapes, acne, rashes and bug bites. It has a calming effect, and is used for: insomnia, stress and to relieve depression. Also is used as a decongestant through steam inhalation (1 drop per cup of boiling water). Lavender is also available as a tea for internal use.