so we had a day thinking of what we'd do in some disaster scenario- besides going to the pub.
two scenarios- six weeks of food and transport shortages caused say by a H5N1 outbreak, or six years caused by say Iran launching war against Israel and the Straits of Hormuz closing.
For the flu outbreak everyone needs to stay home until pharmaceuticals are ready. At least in Ireland there are masses of pharmaceutical facilities so chances are good that whatever is developed will be manufactured locally.
Anyway, question was, what would be needed to survive in reasonable comfort?
CASE 1 :
Food, water, heat. Mains electricity should last six weeks or so. After all if the soaps stopped civilization would teeter.
So, provided one has enough water fuel and heat to last six weeks then it is just an enforced holiday. Mortgage etc is hardly a pressure when the whole country is in the same boat.
CASE 2:
Trickier. First couple of weeks would be sticky as fuel prices skyrocket. Transport stops very akin to the seventies. Long queues and fuel rationing.
Longer term food should not pose a problem in rural areas as Ireland produces so much. Even without fertilizer it'd be difficult to starve. Dublin and the environs would be very dependent on transport.
In the medium term sufficient food would needed to get through the first year and enough seeds to plant for the following year.
Questions:
How to run a tractor if you are growing your own fuel? How much rapeseed does it take to plough, fit and harvest an acre? Could you manufacture tractor vapourizing oil as used in the old Fergusons or would bio-diesel be the only option. What chemistry is needed to manufacture bio-diesel or can pure plant oil be used? What presses and filters are needed?
How to provide safe storage for root crops and seeds? Need cold, dark dry storage.
How hard is that to supple?
If electricity is in short supply or not available how does the water pump work?
Would polythene for poly-tunnels be available?
What livestock
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