What do self defense products, flashlights, and solar panels all have in common? They all have a role to play in the lives of Americans in the coming decades. I'll explain how best to be prepared for future economic uncertainty and possible collapse of the western hemisphere. We need to begin by asking ourselves three questions—where will we live? What will we eat? And how will we protect these things?

One of the best ways to begin is by excluding oneself from the main city grid. This includes water, sewage, electricity, garbage, cable, internet, and telephone. If you can sustain yourself in this environment for a period of at least six months then you are ahead of 99% of the United States population in terms of survivability. I don't think it's necessarily a good idea to stay off of the grid but having a ready backup for each utility should be a sufficient enough plan. The reason we have a grid is to make things easier and cheaper so I'm not suggesting that you remove yourself before the collapse of civilization but to be prepared and capable of removing yourself if it happens.

At no other time in history have people been so removed from the earth. In an ideal situation we would all be trained farmers. Some people recommend a six month supply of food but I would recommend that beyond the six months of stored (canned, dried, and jarred) food that we have enough seed and knowledge to go beyond that if things get really bad.

Besides food, the next greatest challenge will be capturing and storing electricity. Although solar panels are getting better, people in cloudier regions will likely need an extra source such as wind. People near water might want to look into hydro power. Methods for storing and transferring this power are getting better and cheaper and will continue to do so, especially in the coming years.

Forget about having a land line telephone. Cell phones are better but still rely on the functioning of the cell phone towers and the companies that run the towers. A backup method should be two-way radios and similar products. Cable television and internet will need to be run on satellite.

No one is a hermit, not even the loneliest wilderness family in the deep woods of eastern Montana. We will all have needs that go beyond the basics such as eye glasses, medications, etc. This article was written to get people to start thinking about these things and to get prepared for the basics that we rely on every day such as food, water, and shelter.

As resources become scarce and valuable, people will be more likely to want to steal from you. Some people might become so desperate that they will kill for your resources. It is because of these possibilities that we must all be protected. Firearms are going to be the best deterrent for would-be aggressors but there are many other things that can be used in addition. Home and personal security gadgets such as door and window jams and anti theft devices can prevent a lot of crimes, especially when you are not at home.

Personal protection items such as pepper spray and stun guns can be a good initial deterrent. Never forget the power of a flashlight. In areas where electricity is volatile or scarce, flashlights can be lifesavers. In addition, the Mag-Lite 6-D cell battery flashlight can double as a small defense club.