“End of the world survival guide:” Hydroponics 101

It seems like every other year, there’s some kind of scare about a new type of Apocalypse. From the old Y2K bug in 2002, to the Mayan calendar in 2012, fears of an end to life as we know it had people hunkering down and prepared for the worst. Part of this survival instinct has to do with analyzing how someone would survive in a radically changed world without a full scale electrical grid, global Internet and other large-scale system, including an interruption to the supply of fossil fuels that we use to get ourselves and all kinds of cargo around.

For those who have mused over Hank Williams Jr.’s famous “country boy can survive,” taken back woods or survival classes, or stocked up on food, or in some way thought about end of the world survival, hydroponics can be a viable part of becoming less dependent on big distributors and more self-reliant and resourceful. Along with other local sourcing strategies, hydroponic gardens help people to raise more of their own provisions for living, and can also help save a lot of money that would otherwise go to those large-scale systems involved in trucking produce all over the world.

An “End of the world hydroponics garden”

To get the kinds of hydroponics survival systems you need for an out-of-control global climate, a zombie attack, or other big scary apocalypses, think practically about what works in these dark future worlds. Get hydroponics equipment that doesn’t rely on an electrical grid. Find items that can be used to create clean and usable water. Think about crops that will sustain a family or community for the long run. With a few simple resources in place, survivalists don’t have to rely on mountains of canned food in case an existing food supply runs out.

For more, check out our full array of hydroponics equipment, including the types of gear that can help individuals thrive in a shut-down, blacked out world.