Getting in Shape for TEOTWAWKI: Week Two

Introductory post to this series here.

The first week's change was "No Seconds."

Week One review: I did great with avoiding seconds with just two exceptions. We had some vegetable lasagna and it called out to me to refill my plate. I made a conscious choice for two meals to listen to that call and pig out just a little. This is a still an improvement over the past few months and I hope to yield to temptation less frequently over time.


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The change I'd like to tackle this week is: Carry Water & Hydrate.

There are two things to consider when it comes to drinking water: its function in your health and its availability.

Keeping the body hydrated is important for it to function at its best. Mild dehydration can result in confusion and sluggishness while severe dehydration can ultimately result in death. Any level of dehydration reduces one's ability to enjoy life now and be prepared for the needs of a more physical lifestyle.

I've noticed with the cooler fall and winter weather that I have not been as conscientious about drinking water as I am during the hot summer months. In Arizona, one learns to always have water available in the summer to avoid dehydration. Lately, I've turned to coffee drinks when thirsty instead of just having a glass of water. As a diuretic, coffee actually exacerbates the problem and also makes the body work harder as it deals with digestion with inadequate water in the system.

Clean water can be a scarce resource. Should we ever face TEOTWAWKI, it is likely to become an even more precious resource. The cost of bottled or treated water, if required in your area, is high and would be difficult to pay in more challenging economic times. Even the cost of tap water is increasing in many areas. While at a large hardware store over the weekend, I noticed a locking mechanism for outdoor hose bibs. That might be necessary in serious emergencies with many people displaced from their homes. (I'm not saying that one should not share their resources; however, one should have the choice of what and how much to share rather than face outright theft.)

Climate change will have a definite impact on water availability. In the US, the SW is projected to become dryer and hotter over time which will mean keeping hydrated will be more important and perhaps more difficult depending on personal access to clean water sources. Peak oil will put a crimp in the bottled water industry, as transportation costs will rise. Considering how heavy water is - approximately 8 pounds per gallon - large quantities will be expensive to move from one place to another if oil prices rise considerably.

Keeping hydrated at all times is a healthy step for today's world. It is a critical step if the world changes, although it may become more difficult to keep water on hand. Making sure to have some water with you always may help you avoid running out in an emergency. At the very least, you will have a container handy to refill when you run across a water source. Avoiding the negative repercussions of dehydration will be important for any who want to make it through more challenging times, especially since TEOTWAWKI could mean relying on our own power, rather than enjoying the benefits of machines (such as cars, trains, washing machines, chainsaws, etc.)

To keep hydrated throughout the day, I plan to get back in the habit of keeping a full bottle of water handy at all times. This is easy at home but means I need to think ahead if going away from home. It's easy enough to carry a bottle of water when walking or biking, and to have one in the vehicle, but I do tend to forget to refill my bottles after each trip. Hence, I end up away from home with nothing to drink (and then end up buying a coffee drink). Which reminds me, all the bottles in the vehicle are currently empty and need filling!