the Handbook for Primitive Living

in the Twenty-First Century.

Imagine if tomorrow you had no hydro, no running water, no fuel, no phone. How could you survive? This site is a thought experiment designed to answer that question.

Why’d You Start This Handbook?

The Handbook for Primitive Living is not even a month old, so nobody’s asked the question yet, but I’m sure they will. What question is that? “Why’d you start this handbook?” It’s not like either of us are exactly outdoorsy survivalist types, so what possessed us to get the HPL going?

Well, my answer is, “Take your pick:”

1. Environment. Western infrastructure uses up an awful lot of energy and resources for the sake of convenience. If we do our part to not use some or all of the infrastructure available to us, we save boatloads of energy. (For example, by installing composting toilets in your home and using a greywater system, you can both eliminate your sewer hook-up and enrich the soil on your property.)
2. State-of-the-world. Terrorism, rouge nations, missing or secret nukes and other weapons of mass destruction, increasingly militant governments – no matter how you add it up, it’s a good idea to be prepared. The world isn’t exactly a big tea party right now. (Unless you add “Boston” to that.)
3. Disaster. The Big One hasn’t hit in L.A. yet, but it’s due. Although only near misses thus far, an asteroid strike may yet happen in our lifetime. As I write, Hurricane Isabel is lashing North Carolina and will be barging through to Ontario. A blackout affected 50 million people, and nobody knows why yet. Speaking of which, how many nuclear generators are less than a few hours from your home?
4. Belief. Whether you believe in God and that Jesus’ return is around the corner, that the end of the world is yet to come for some other reason, or that “Titor” is for real, some scary things may be happening. They may not be, but we’d rather be prepared, right?
5. Knowledge. I like to learn, and the more I learn the more I know and the more I can do. I enjoy it, so I do it.

In other words, the Handbook is a mental first-aid kit. You may never need it, but if you do you’ll be glad you have it.