What are your thoughts about the garbage we'll have after TSHTF

[GAMom]

This has been on my mind for awhile now & I thought maybe you-all had come up with some inventive ways to get rid of the evidence of our stock of foodstuffs during a long term emergency. There has been a lot of talk about how, what & when to store food. Now what about how do we get rid of the garbage we'll generate? You know those #10 cans and stuff? I know that I usually take both ends off my used cans and step on them to flatten those suckers, but then I just put them into the recycling bin. When there is no garbage pick up what then? There will be lots of other garbage that will need to be disposed of as well. I can't quite see myself out in the dark trying to bury the stuff! :d0 (32): Any good ideas out there?

[Earthling]

Wow - I had never thought of that! I will burn whatever I can and the rest I don't know. Looking forward to everyone's answers.

[Noahs ARK]

Good question!

I'll keep some of mine for different reasons ~ baked bread, steamed bread, put out on the deck to grow something in it, catch rainwater, alcohol candles.

The rest I guess I'll bury in our woods after I fill it with other garbage that I don't want anyone to see.

[LEVE]

Make a homemade forge and "recycle" your steel products into stuff more useful.

[JuneGem]

That is such an interesting question that urban and suburban people will definitely have to consider! Luckily, we are rural. Burying and burning are no problem here.

Maybe a barbque pit for burning the labels; crush the cans and bring them to a recycling facility. Perhaps setting up a community type collection facility that will then bring the metal items to a recycling facility, so that there are no individuals identified.

[phylm]

What kind of emergency situation do you have in mind? Somehow, a recycling facility doesn't fit into my vision of a TEOTWAWKI scenario.

If an EMP or any of several other potentials disasters should dump us back into the 1700s, I would keep any containers with lids to store the foods I'd be raising and dehydrating, save any paper for fire starter material, show my less prepared neighbors how to make charcoal in #10 cans, how to make stoves of them, and share my cans with them, and feed food scraps, vegetable peels, etc., to my chickens and animals. I don't anticipate much "garbage" to dispose of. Back in the dark ages of my youth of "use it up, fix it up, make it do, or do without," we had very little garbage to deal with.

[Julie]

We always had a barrel in the back yard that we put our garbage in when I was growing up. When it got full, my dad set it on fire and when it finally filled up with ashes we took it to the dump. The dump was a place along the creek that needed some help to keep the bank stable.

[LoudmouthMormon]

#10 cans are NOT GARBAGE. They are good for holding stuff. I've made rat poisoners out of them. You can cut holes in the bottom and plant stuff in them. You can turn them into hurricane lanterns. My father was a child of the great depression. I still have many of his old coffee cans.

The general answer to your question, is when things get scarce, there is less garbage. Because we find uses for stuff we used to throw away.

[waif69]

As others have indicated, when things are scarce, so is garbage. Reuse and repurpose is somethings I feel strongly about, so it is already done to some degree in my house already. It would just get ramped up. When enough plastic is on-hand, I would figure that somehow it would get melted and use to create various things. Good reason to learn mold making.

[mirkwood]

#10 cans will be kept. Anything that burns will be.

There are several large undeveloped fields near our neighborhood. There is a city salt pile nearby too. There are always a couple of front end loaders there. I will "borrow" one or both of them to dig trenches in the fields. They can be used to bury the dead, dispose of human waste and/or burn/bury garbage.

[GAMom]

Thanks for all these ideas & I agree that what we consider as garbage - trash will certainly change. I guess I still am wondering how will we be able to keep our store of foods-etc from being advertised by our having "trash-garbage" that others will not have?

[LEVE]

I guess I still am wondering how will we be able to keep our store of foods-etc from being advertised by our having "trash-garbage" that others will not have? You'd best go on "rations" just like everyone around you. It's simply blending into the society around you. You don't consume more than they, you don't become fatter than they, you try not to stand out. As you do these activities, you become fitter and live your life accordinly. By doing it right, you do not call down undue attention on yoursefl, or your family.

There is a promise of saftey with following a living Prophet and being prepared.

[GAMom]

Oh, I agree with that train of thought - but now my question is - What happens if the government begins rationing things like they did back during WWII? Back then they introduced it because certain things were in short supply and this was the only way they could make sure everyone got their "fair" share. You know - sugar, meat, gasoline, etc. So, now the question. If they institute rationing, would you take the ration cards and use them or what? To not use them would indicate you didn't need them, but getting them accepts the governments handouts. Maybe it would be okay to accept them IF the stuff was used to help other people - I don't know! My mind just keeps going in circles on this one. Any helpful ideas out there?

[LoudmouthMormon]

What happens if the government begins rationing things like they did back during WWII?Then black and grey markets will spring up all over the place - just like they did back during WWII. Anything in demand the govt tries to control, always breeds outside-the-system markets.

Feel free to use your surplus to help others.

[threepercent]

hide them in plain sight, the best place to hide them. go around and tell all your neighbors that "tin" cans help keep out the mind control rays, and ask if they have any spares. then just place them around your yard. every once in a while cruse the neighborhood with a shopping cart full of them.

[Noahs ARK]

So, now the question. If they institute rationing, would you take the ration cards and use them or what? To not use them would indicate you didn't need them, but getting them accepts the governments handouts. Maybe it would be okay to accept them IF the stuff was used to help other people - I don't know! My mind just keeps going in circles on this one. Any helpful ideas out there?

My sister and I had this discussion about a month ago. We decided we'd stand in long lines with everyone else & accept the food so nobody would think we didn't need it. Plus - why use your storage if you can get food.

OTOH - we both agreed that if it's too dangerous to stand in long lines, then we wouldn't. I don't want to get shot waiting for a loaf of bread.

I'd also need to know that my home is secure before going to stand in line.

Also...to get the food, will we need to agree to things we don't want to do? If we refuse, then will they come after us?

I suspect if it gets to the point where the government is handing out ration cards, then they've probably already got the names & addresses of anyone that's bought prep stuff thru EE, Honeyville, Costco, Sam's, etc. Wait - they probably already KNOW who has prep stuff.

So many scenarios.....:skep:

[Earthling]

I suspect if it gets to the point where the government is handing out ration cards, then they've probably already got the names & addresses of anyone that's bought prep stuff thru EE, Honeyville, Costco, Sam's, etc. Wait - they probably already KNOW who has prep stuff.

So many scenarios.....:skep:

Need to move this thread to the tin can . . . I mean tinfoil hat area. :biggrin5:

Only those businesses have those records and they don't keep them forever. The businesses submit their tax records not the receipts of everyone. Can you imagine the paperwork & cost to process that? wowser!

I like your conclusions on when to stand in line and when not to but the answers to those questions will be easier to answer when we have the details and the spirit to help us answer them. I am not going to turn down food unless it is expensive or unsafe to obtain it . . . or I have to take the mark or something.

[signseeker]

Also...to get the food, will we need to agree to things we don't want to do? If we refuse, then will they come after us?


Alright, lady, you've got three choices.
1. Drop and give me 40.
2. Give me all your canning lids.
or...
3. Stand still for the modified patdown.

Otherwise, "No soup for you!" :l0 (57):

When people are starving, they will do anything. And I include Mormons in that word - "people."

[john]

Oh, I agree with that train of thought - but now my question is - What happens if the government begins rationing things like they did back during WWII? Back then they introduced it because certain things were in short supply and this was the only way they could make sure everyone got their "fair" share. You know - sugar, meat, gasoline, etc. So, now the question. If they institute rationing, would you take the ration cards and use them or what? To not use them would indicate you didn't need them, but getting them accepts the governments handouts. Maybe it would be okay to accept them IF the stuff was used to help other people - I don't know! My mind just keeps going in circles on this one. Any helpful ideas out there?
Whether to accept rationing cards or not would also likely depend on HOW they are issued. If one has to have a "mark" and kow tow to Big Brother, one might be VERY glad there is something already available to eat.
What we saw in the past IS NOT what we are going to see in the future. That's why paying attention to prophetic preparedness warnings is so essential to our surviving in the Lord, in the future.
John

[KF7EEC]

people talk about standing in line so that 'others' won't know they don't need. Do you guys think that neighbors will notice you not being in line or the government? or who exactly will notice that you aren't in line?

[Earthling]

I agree - nobody is going to notice. How do they know if you were there at another time or not or went to a different location unless this is a small community & line. Don't want to get too paranoid here - there is plenty to actually get paranoid about. :wink5:

I'm not going to stand in a line unless the food is free or dirt cheap and there are no strings attached - and then only if the line is short & fast. I don't stand in lines for hours on Black Friday either. I store food to save me in more ways than one - and one of them is from government rules, lines, etc.

[Noahs ARK]

people talk about standing in line so that 'others' won't know they don't need. Do you guys think that neighbors will notice you not being in line or the government? or who exactly will notice that you aren't in line?

I remember a book I read - all hypothetical, of course. BUT...when people stood in line to get food, the people at the store had a list of names & addresses of the people allowed to go into the store. Once you came thru, a check mark was placed next to your name and you were handed your ration cards to use in the store. Creepy.

I suppose if you don't show up on a regular basis then yes, it might draw attention to your name.

Besides - we live in a small town and I can tell you that my cashiers at Food Lion know when I miss even 1 week of shopping there. :001_rolleyes:

[mirkwood]

every once in a while cruse the neighborhood with a shopping cart full of them.




At first I thought you said curse the neighborhood...which would also be effective!! :biggrin5:

[mirkwood]

I really doubt there are government lists of who has food storage for the reasons earthling stated.

[JuneGem]

Distribution would have to be very local or neighborhood specific for neighbors to know whether or not any particular individual stood in line to receive food.

If it gets to food distribution, we would have no definite idea how long it would last. Why totally deplete your food stores and not have the opportunity to restock? Assuming, of course, there is no horrific trade off. It would also increase your capability to help others should the necessity arise.

[hiccups]

Distribution would have to be very local or neighborhood specific for neighbors to know whether or not any particular individual stood in line to receive food.

If it gets to food distribution, we would have no definite idea how long it would last. Why totally deplete your food stores and not have the opportunity to restock? Assuming, of course, there is no horrific trade off. It would also increase your capability to help others should the necessity arise.
In these scenarios are we assuming that there's enough of this rationed foodstuffs to go around? Because if not, taking food when you don't need it might be taking it away from someone who does.

Not that there's really any deciding these things ahead of time... Gotta know all the details and know which way the Spirit is directing before I could really make a choice.

[KF7EEC]

I really doubt there are government lists of who has food storage for the reasons earthling stated.

plus the fact that government is horribly inefficient.

[Looking Forward]

I'm not going to stand in a line unless the food is free or dirt cheap and there are no strings attached - and then only if the line is short & fast.
And when has a government agency been short, fast with no stings attatched.:l0 (39):

[Earthling]

And when has a government agency been short, fast with no stings attatched.:l0 (39):

Exactly which is why I won't be standing in the line . . .

You want to hear something weird/funny that happened after the Northridge earthquake? So we are all hunkered down and being freaked out by aftershocks and no power, broken stuff around the house, upset kids, etc. After a few days we hear there is water and a few things being brought in. There is this "member" and he goes out and stands in the lines for multiple days even though he has supplies and doesn't need it. Why? He said he wanted to make sure he had plenty and didn't want to miss the "action/fun" of being part of the hysteria. Stuff is being sold at very inflated prices so it wasn't free. Is that weird or what?