SANDY network

OUR 'SANDY' NETWORK

Last year next week we had a major storm that knocked out power around our area, and for some it was quite a struggle. Luckily for me I had a friend with a woodstove, a Prius that we could run power from, a generator, a well-insulated, solid house that didn't have trees leaning near the house. We had clean and long-burning beeswax candles and I was happy to cook on the stove.We even watched Madmen one evening!

Not everyone is so lucky. This year I live in an apartment in Katonah, upstairs and there are trees leaning near the house, right over my bedroom. BUT, I have done a lot of things to prepare, and I'd like to share, as well as suggest we use this forum to support each other.

If you are setup with sources for heat and water and power, and are willing to share that with Katonah Green Meetup members, email me and I'll share that info with group members. I don't suggest posting it on the page as that will be public. You can also just reply to this email and it will go out to members.

My suggestion is that we have each other's phone numbers as internet will likely get knocked out.

I'll be sending you all an email shortly with my contact info and what I have to offer. Be well!

________________

Here are some food items I've prepared in case we have no refrigeration this week.

(I do have a portable gas grill and a propane stove in the apartment so I can cook)

Farmer's market eggs (they don't need refrigeration)

http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/7/7/8/event_174061912.jpegNo cook/no refrigeration Breakfast food: chia and hemp seeds with buckwheat groats. I add water and canned coconut milk to this and it expands and is ready to eat in 20 minutes. I add dried mulberries, brazil nuts, walnuts, pepitas, cinnamon, allspice and raw honey to flavor.

A few other food items to have on hand:

Canned organic soups Unripe bananas and avocadoes (should be ripe by Tues/Wed when we start feeling the stress of the storm's aftermath Apples, plums Canned wild-caught small tuna celery onions greens (will last a few days uncooked) potatoes sunflower seed and almond butters rice crackers my mom's homemade jam a bottle of Pacific Redwood organic, sulfite-free wine a couple of packs of aseptic organic lunch sized milks ( I don't normally use these because of BPA contamination among other things) organic food bars, like Rise brand (the first organic one I've found with no cashews or peanuts or stuff like maltodextrin) http://photos4.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/6/0/f/6/event_174084822.jpegDon't forget that even if we lost power tonight, the food in the fridge is edible tomorrow, and that the foods in the freezer will be edible the next day or even longer if your fridge is well insulated.

WATER

I saved jars and have filled them with filtered water. Tonight I will fill the tea kettle and two big pots with filtered water.

POWER!

If you have a Prius, there are a number of options to use it as a backup generator.

If you don't, here is what my landlord had installed in his non-hybrid car: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_st?keywords=2500+watt+inverter&qid=1351400703&rh=k%3A2500+watt+inverter%2Cn%3A172282&sort=reviewrank_authority

NOTE (from Michael): with inverters this big, they need to be installed properly, directly to the car charging system with heavy gauge cables. I had my mechanic do it, because I didn't want to cut through the firewall myself. I also have a big cutoff switch so I can't accidentally leave it on and drain my car battery. Last year we ran 2 sump pumps
2 refrigerators (10% duty cycle -- not on all the time) 1 heating system.

Here is another option that Steve Filler has on hand this year: (similar inverters available from Radio Shack)

http://photos3.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/8/c/0/c/event_174095852.jpeg

Be safe, be prepared, check on your neighbors, get real about climate change!

And even if this storm doesn't knock out power etc, we'll be better prepared for the next.

~Peace, Heather