Greetings All!

After printing out our current prep list I just noticed that we need to focus a little more on these items. To me these will be a scarce find in the months ahead as well as next year. We all know by now that the usage of plastic,foam and paper products goes a long way in reducing valuable water reserves. And the used goods can be utilized for starting fires in the wood stove and such. Here's what we've got so far:

Paper/Foam/Plastic Goods

100-Rolls Paper Towels

300-Rolls Toliet Paper

520-Paper Plates/8-Plastic Support Rings

640-Foam Plates

300-Foam/Plastic Bowls

300-Plastic Forks

300-Plastic Spoons

300-Plastic Knives

550-Foam/Plastic Cups

1000-Paper Napkins

20-Boxes Of Kleenex Tissues

Definitely see several areas that need improving upon. Just thought about the need for school supplies,paper,notebooks,pens and pencils. Well, they,ll be on sale very soon!

Hope this helps with those that are behind or like me, over-looked! Take care all!

-- Ex-Marine (Digging In@Home.com), July 14, 1999

Answers

Some other items that are related to paper/plastics:

foil
saran wrap
wet-naps (moist towelletts)
thermoformed plastic cups...will not break and are reusable
ziplock bags (all sizes)
napkin kits...fork, knife, spoon, dinner napkin, salt, pepper.. bagged together
various sizes of trash (can liner) plastic bags...esp the size for your stool...7-10 gal

-- rb (ronbanks_2000@yahoo.com), July 14, 1999.

Yes, don't forget baby wipes. I buy the bulk packages at Sam's.

-- Carol (glea@usa.net), July 14, 1999.

Paper coffee filters are seriously worth stocking in quantity.Most of the pulp comes from the Phillipines & we all know they are way behind.Many American brands of filter are actually made in UK.

If you have a lady in your life remind her to stock up on those feminine hygiene products too.Many are made using fluff wood pulp.

-- papermaking (griffen@globalnet.co.uk), July 14, 1999.

These are fine examples of BGL (Basic Greybear Logic, patent applied for). The logic is as follows:

If I have a need for goods or products now and can anticipate the same or greater need in the future then it seems prudent to buy more that I need of it for present uses. Mitigating factors are (1) shelf life (2) cost of storage space (3) risk that it may decrease in price (4) risk of loss to catastrophe (fire or theft)

When I balance every thing out, it makes a lot of sense to buy things now. This is apart from considerations to do with "preparing" as such for some future bad event(s).

"Preparing" as used here usually refers to buying things with a eye to future problems. Even more fundamentally, BGL says it's prudent to have things on hand for just living. This is quit different than the normally practiced JIT and convenience shopping.

-Greybear

-- Got Stuff?

-- Greybear (greybear@home.com), July 14, 1999.

Great tips! Those paper coffee filters will also be good for filtering sediment out of ground water before boiling.

Question: Doesen't burning plastic plates and cups cause toxic fumes?

-- FOX (ardrinc@aol.com), July 14, 1999.

Not nearly as much fumes as all the exploding refineries and chemical plants will emit next January 1st.

-- Prometheus (fire@for.man), July 14, 1999.

Why is everyone using all this paper and plastic? Why not just use a minimal amount of ordinary items? Other than cooking utensils, you can get by with one spoon or fork and one plate. People have really become spoiled with all the throw away plastic and paper products. No wonder this country has become a dump from coast to coast.

-- gilda (jess@listbot.com), July 14, 1999.

gilda,

Good point when times are "normal." Let me gently remind you that the reasoning behind their use next year is to conserve water which would normally be used to wash dishes. Most people plan to burn their refuse. Don't worry about adding pollutants to the atmosphere - if we're actually living out our contingency plans, then the refineries will be still and the autos will remain parked. My little pile of plates each evening won't begin to make up for the industrial pollutants normally in the atmosphere.

However, DOES anyone know whether foam plates would be harmful to burn? Or do we solve that problem by keeping our distance from the fire? So far I've just been collecting paper items because I just didn't know what to do about foam and plastic.

-- Jill (jdance@mindspring.com), July 14, 1999.

Jill,

Perhaps you coul;d try burning one in the open air.Sniff & look out for horrible black smoke ??? Also observe how quickly they ignite ?

-- Chris (griffen@globalnet.co.uk), July 16, 1999.

There are cities & towns that burn their trash. They find plastics good for burning hot. Lots of btu's locked up in plastic. Plastic helps burn other items in the trash that are not very combustable. Plastics are a by-product of oil. At the refinery (in the cracking unit) the oil seperates into everything from gasoline and kerosene to motor oil & Benzine. The polymers from benzine make various plastic products.

You may have to burn if you can not bury. The plastic will not bother you if you are upwind of the black smoke. If you contrast a plastic disposable to a glass or pottery one you will find you don't need hot water or soap etc and you have sanatation and convience. Lots of people love to hate plastics but there are two sides to most things and I can't think of anything better than slipping a plastic bag in my stool when necessary.

-- rb (rb@yahoo.com), July 16, 1999.