Energy Security technology has changed so much about our lives that it is hard to imagine living without electricity. Gasoline, diesel, propane, and natural gas come to mind when it comes to chemical energy. Whether we like it or not, the standard of living in developed countries depends on these energy sources. What are you going to do when you suddenly cannot access these energy sources at the store? Panic like everyone else? No, not you. Let’s talk about energy security.
You need to be able to keep your family safe in the event of some kind of energy shortage or outage. This means you need to store energy and/or harness energy from the environment. This also means you need to be able to manage the risks associated with storing the energy. Ever wonder why propane cylinders are stored outside? In order to build energy security for you and your family, you must be willing to also safeguard your physical safety from these energy sources.
Energy Security + Physical Security
By far the most important use of energy for survival is for warmth and cooking food. The most basic source of energy is wood and the easiest way to use it is to build a campfire. To get started with the basics of energy security it is most definitely recommended that you start with gathering good firewood. You will need to protect it from moisture and pests, but this is also inherently a stable fuel source that is unlikely to cause problems for you and your family.
Have you ever heard of the phrase “Don’t put your eggs in one basket?” Well, you don’t want to rely on one source of energy to meet your needs! You need to have alternate sources of energy to keep you and your family alive in the event of major energy disrupting event. The most popular form of stored chemical energy is propane when it comes to hiking and camping. There are many products designed to use propane for warmth and cooking food. Let’s discuss the benefits of using propane because this may be one of the most important sources of energy for preparedness.
The Swiss Army Knife of Energy Flexibility
If you own a grill or have been camping with a propane stove, you know how great it is to start cooking right away. Maybe you have huddled around a propane heater while eating outside at a restaurant. You can imagine the feeling on your skin now. There are so many uses for propane that it really cannot be ignored. Propane does not go bad! You can start using that old propane cylinder from the last camping trip! It’s amazing, and this is why you should include propane in your energy security plan. However, you must take extra care to protect yourself and your family from propane! That’s why Energy Security and Physical Security are important to pursue at the same time.
Wood and propane are a couple of examples of energy sources. You should start at least acquiring some of these energy sources now if you don’t have any. There are many other energy sources out there, but this page can get long pretty fast so check out the specialized pages and blog posts on these topics!