“Practical Self-Reliance: Reducing Your Dependency on
Others,” a new book by John McCann.
It’s good to know that in today’s world with war and rumors
of war, accelerating environmental degradation, the ruin of the dollar, and
inept and corrupt leaders “running the world,” more and more people are at
least waking up to the fact that “we the people” means you and I. The move towards practical self-reliance is
not just a fad, but it’s a reaction to very real problems and issues in the
world that threaten our well-being and the safety of our families and
neighborhoods. At the most basic level,
we are realizing that the most functional definition of “the government” is
also you and I, and we had better realize that quickly.
Part of this rational mindset is the attempt by many to
self-govern: to do as much as they can to provide some of their own food, their
own power, and many of the supplies they need.
No, this is not referring to “farming,” but rather a complete mindset
which any urban dweller can and should adopt of being responsible for your own
domain.
John McCann’s latest book provides a useful no-nonsense
guide to becoming more self-reliant, from a man who has also taught wilderness
survival.
Naturally, McCann points out the necessity of ascertaining
need from want, a great starting point.
He addresses all the ways to get food. Yes, grow as much as
you can, and grow plants appropriate to your locale. But what if you live in an
apartment? Try joining a neighborhood
garden. And try supporting local farmers markets. Learn about wild foods.
McCann also provides us with a variety of ways to store food
and water in case of an emergency, and multiple ways to prepare your meals in
the back yard. Ever heard of a solar oven?
These are very practical for most of the U.S., and some can be made for
very little outlay of cash.
Lots of things can be recycled (“repurposed” is the current
hip way to refer to this) into practical and useful items, once we get over our
foolish pride that everything must be new from Target. My father and grandfather would enjoy
McCann’s section of the tools needed to make and fix everything around your
home and homestead.
I liked the section explaining how to make a simple slush
lamp (basically, an oil lamp) from an old wine bottle which has a wick stuck
into it.
Everything you need to know about water purification, water
storage, alternate toilets, compost toilets, is detailed in this
heavily-illustrated book.
There’s a good section on alternate sources of electricity,
not how to get off the grid, but how to start using solar electricity little by
little within a budget.
Perhaps the section that we should all read carefully is
Chapter 9, “Don’t Bank on Banks.” No,
it’s not a rant against the establishment, just some common-sense reality about
what to do when the banking system fails.
Even a short-term electrical blackout renders all your ATMs and electronic money moot. Remember that cash is king, and learn to
barter with useful items and skills.
This book made me smile often, since it was reminiscent of
my 2002 book, “Extreme Simplicity: Homesteading in the City,” where my wife
Dolores and I described our efforts to live in a normal suburban yard and live
as self-sufficiently as possible. John
McCann’s book, and my book, make a wonderful complementary package.
Practical Self-Reliance is available from Kindle at Amazon.com at $9.95. The
print edition can be purchased directly from John McCann at www.survivalresources.com
or from Amazon.com.
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