Russia and Ukraine, US preppers in high doh, potential impacts here?

[BiddyPop]

A number of US and Canadian based preppers seem to be getting even more anxious about the potential for DOOOOOOMMMMMM than usual - partly transport and logistics issues, but also theories about "government interference" and impending potential conflict situations.

Here, I am seeing

• Bird flu outbreaks happening (no longer just warnings and odd tiny spots)

-Potential that Russia will invade Ukraine thus shutting off gas supplies to Europe causing even more energy price increases/potentially shortage of supply

• Continuing logistics issues caused by the combination of Covid and Brexit
• Relatively high inflation on food and many other items

But, on the less pessimistic side:

• the weather is not as bad as many years,
• there is food on the shelves in shops, (gaps yes, but plenty of food)
• lots of countries are trying to talk Russia down,
• Covid is less of an issue as Omicron is making people so much less sick in general, even if it is making more people mildly sick
• and China is being very quiet at the moment.

So I'm trying to decide if I should be optimistic or pessimistic (currently at a point of starting to use up some of my back up supplies and run down stores again, but wondering if I should just be turning them over and replacing what I use rather than depleting them).

And if I should be looking at things like water purification systems or other areas of prepping (am ok for alternative cooking, reasonable alternative heating, some backup power and some water storage etc).

Can anyone recommend a solar charger / powerbank please. Been looking on Amazon for the last couple of days and prices / reviews are hit and miss.

@RainbowZebraWarrior - I bought one from Anker. Our last one was anker to, but an older model with less power and lasted well ( until it went for a swim..).

New one was about £30 from Amazon. Charges our iPhone 11pro several times with charge left still ( haven’t emptied it yet). It’s been handy for powercuts we have have had on and off recently, and i took with me when Ds was in hospital.
Not solar though, but the reviews on those weren’t great, as the said they took ages to recharge. We only need generally for 24hrs use

My power bank is Anker as well, and can charge my iPad fully twice.

My solar panel is the 3 panel version from Decathlon, and I've been using it since early summer on and off. Recharges the power banks as a trickle in just dull cloudy daylight, and fairly efficiently once there is sun. It has 2 usb outlets so can charge 2 power banks at once.

Could you share a link to your solar charger @BiddyPop?

We have a quadruple version of this solar charger, but we didn’t pay that price as DP got in on the original kickstarter project. It’s good though.
YOLK Solar Paper + Pouch, Paper-Thin and Light Portable Solar Charger with Ultra-High-Efficiency (5W) www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01GNF777Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_FZTGXX8074CNEABRRQ7Z?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

@illyawasthebest I think this is the one Biddypop mentioned.

Thanks Rainbow, yes that's the solar panel I got, I also bought the 2 panel version for DSis who is very happy with it.

The power bank I got is this: www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07YKGQHG3/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?psc=1&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&ie=UTF8
The only problem I have with it is that it keeps disappearing into the teen's room for their phone/ipad. Despite having bought a smaller one for said teen (I think that one is in the locker in school.... ). But she only brings it back to be charged up after about 4 days, so that seems like it's pretty decent (she uses the phone a LOT!).

I have a large brick of a changing bank, plus an anker which I keep topped up.

I moved work sites so although petrol is currently low, I can walk to work and DH is WFH atm. Kids can all walk to school, so we are covered on that front atm.

I still have some preps from Brexit/covid prepping, but do need a few things in. I will make sure I get them this week on my day off.

We are currently dryer-less as it broke a few months ago and having coped through the winter much to the kids annoyance we have decided with the price increases not to replace it.

We are also trying to cut our power usage s have been using candles at night, so have quote a few of those. Even the youngest, DD11, commented tonight "we need to turn the lights off remember?" so they are quite used to it now.

Re toilet roll and candles, we sell both at work and I can take them off the shop floor and buy them at the end of my shift if needed.

So, power reduction for costs= check
food = check
toilet roll = check
petrol = check (not needed)
candles = check
Alternate charging for devices = check

Just need to get some more UHT milk! And an alternate cooking source, although we do have a BBQ (for out side use only!) and a fire pit if really needed. except in case of WW style black outs

Oh, also have a solar/wind up radio and charger too! And water tablets.

Oh - for context, my commute used to be an hour each way by car. So the fuel was already a worry, I genuinely cannot be more grateful to the universe for giving me the opportunity to move to a local site at literally just the right time.

I bought two 2L bottles of water with my shop today to much hilarity from the household. I had originally had six in my basket but chickened out. I want to remind them that they would have been wiping their arses on torn up newspapers and living without pasta at the start of the Pandemic if it hadn’t been for me!

You should remind them. Ex thought I was silly. He was bloody grateful though when it took us 8weeks before we could order a delivery shop.

I wouldn't deal well with hilarity about my being sensible and planning ahead. I get a four pack of 2l water every few months and rotate them. The ones from a couple of years ago would still he fine for flushing loo etc.

@RainbowZebraWarrior

I wouldn't deal well with hilarity about my being sensible and planning ahead. I get a four pack of 2l water every few months and rotate them. The ones from a couple of years ago would still he fine for flushing loo etc.

I agree. Mine always get drunk because of sports and I then fill them up and leave them in the garage. Always best to add a few bits of everything if you can.

@ClaraTheImpossibleGirl

What about also 2 way radio so you can communicate with the person who has the other? You can get sets of 4 or 6 or even 12 online.

I forgot to add to the list long shelf life bread. Tortillas or crisp bread. Oil cooking. Someone also suggested pickles or to make your own pickled items as they have a very long shelf life also.

First aid kit.. antibiotics and pain medicine. Some anti coagulant meds, flu medication, something for sore throats, bandages and anti bacterial wash and wipes.

If I think of anything else I will post.

I would also recommend a book on foraging and how ti identify edible plants in your local area. It’s always useful to know what you can eat that is growing in your area in spring and summer.

This could help you save food stores and it’s just a good practice to get into to know what is edible in your local forest in case you find yourself stuck outside.

What are russias targets for nuke attack? I have no idea!

DH is really panicking, driving me up the wall ffs. He’s decided that we’ll drive to a remote area and pitch a tent near woods.

@AdoraBell you’ll be safer in your house that in the open if nukes hit

@AdoraBell , tell your husband that a random prepper on Mumsnet says prep to bug in not bug out. Grow food at home not forage in the woods - container grown potatoes and beans are easy to do and better than nothing if you don't have space. Home grown herbs make dull stuff tasty.
Now is a good time to start prepping a veg garden. Good for your mental health too.

@MarshmallowSwede how can you randomly get stocks of antibiotics in?

[quote tinkywinkyshandbag]@MarshmallowSwede how can you randomly get stocks of antibiotics in?[/quote]

I wondered that too 🧐

Fish antibiotics are the prepper thing. Not sure how available they are in UK. I admit I got some yonks ago then had a firm word with myself. Obviously there are different sorts of antibiotics and ignorance isn't a good look.

Yes, bellinisurge we have herbs growing in the garden and I started growing veg 2 years ago, haven’t branched out much but more confidence than before. He’s just bloody panicking.

How did you manage to get the fish antibiotics? if you don’t me asking.

There's a UK prepper- (more of a bug out than bug in kind of prepper) - sorry I can't remember his website details. He had a link in video description to a Uk site. Don't know if they imported them/pet supplies wholesale. This was pre-Brexit so I don't know if the site still runs. It was in my earliest YouTube rabbit hole search days before I found a range of voices I preferred.