How Algae Can Save Your Life

In case of a post-apocalyptic scenario, be it for an enemy invasion, energy shortage or economic collapse, the need for “unorthodox” resources will arise. Everything we’ve grown accustomed to, everything we’re used to taking for granted now will slowly but surely disappear. No more abundant food rich in protein and vitamins, no more drinking water at the simple turn of a tap. But there’s a simple solutions to all of our problems: algae. It serves many purposes in nature and its versatility can be easily harnessed and put to use to benefit mankind. They’re easy to come by and are easily sustainable in pretty much every environment that’s moist and sunny enough. Where ther0’s water and sunlight, there’s algae. And there’s just so much that they can do.

Algae as food

Algae have high nutritional value if included in the human diet. They are full of protein which can provide all the amino acids necessary for the human body to produce enzymes and energy. Not only that, but it’s also a provider of carbs (both simple and complex), which the body stores and then uses as a source of instant energy. It also comes packed of other natural goods like: calcium (way more than a regular cup of milk studies suggest), iron, potassium, vitamin E, Vitamin K, riboflavin, thiamine, niacin, magnesium, zinc, vitamin B-12 (very rare in plants) and essential and beneficial fatty acids (omega 3 and omega 6). Even if eaten on their own, algae are more than nutritious enough to make for a complete meal on their own. If you don’t want to eat algae, know that there are other uses for it, like fertilizing the soil, because of the high amount of nutrients it posses. You can also check out this break thru in long time food storage.

Algae are not completely innovative to human diets, as many oriental dishes seem to include the “wonder-weed”. In sushi, for example, the fish filet is cover in algae, called Nori.

Algae used for maintaining bowel bacteria

Algae like the choleralla algae are considered green algae, rich in chlorophyll. It goes through a process which uses carbon dioxide, converting it into oxygen. This oxygen packed algae fights off the potentially bad bacteria in your digestive system and encourages the growth of probiotic bacteria (healthy and beneficial bacteria). It also helps peristalsis, the contractions done by your tract in order to push and eliminate food. Regular contractions mean a healthy and disease-free gut. They would be very useful in a survival scenario, in case you swallowed something potentially harmful. If you really want to go deeper with medical preparedness in survival situations, just visit this link.

Algae used as water / air purifier

In industrial settings, algae are already being used for water purification reasons. It’s a clean and “green” method, just as efficient but less harmful then purifying water with chemicals. So using it to purify drinking water is a no-brainer. In chemical reactors, it’s used for air purification purposes, in order to reduce CO2 emissions. So come the need of clean air, algae should be looked passed. Maybe there’s a way in which they could make the air breathable again if SHTF.

Algae as biofuel / biomass converter

Algae are more than easy to grow and harvest. They could easily be grown in swamps and other watery places, which have no other utility. They do well enough on their own, and they don’t mix or afflict the ecosystems they’re in. These algae, under normal conditions, produce far more natural oil than land plants. After harvesting the oil, the algae leftovers could easily be used as fuel for heating and even electricity. The biodiesel fuel resulted from algae is a far less expensive and Eco-friendlier source of fuel than petrol, and will be largely available once the industry takes off.

Algae as medicinal stabilizer

In a survival scenario, you’re going to need a lot of the modern day commodities in order to make it. And algae will come very in handy in this situation. The Irish moss (Chondrus crispus), is highly reactive with ceasin (a protein) that’s found in milk. It’s excellent for thickening ice-creams or cream-based soups. The alginates in algae (thickening agents) area absorbed easily absorbed through the skin, making them perfect for lotions or skin treatments. Soap and ointments are also easily made with algae, based on the same principle of skin absorption.

The Irish Moss (Chondrus crispus)

Algae as protection against radiation

In the past, certain scientific tests have been conducted, in which certain algae (chlorella and spirulina) have successfully removed radioactive agents and particles from human tissue. After the Chernobyl catastrophe, radiation victims were in fact treated with spirulina, and the effects were obvious, as their condition improved little by little. After further testing, spirulina has proved to be the most efficient in radiation poisoning. Other algae (like Closterium moniliferum), are successfully used in cleaning water sources of nuclear residue, especially strontium 90, which is very dangerous and can last for long periods of time in water.

Closterium moniliferum

It seems to be very little algae can’t do. They’ll keep you fed, radiation-free and who knows what other secrets are waiting to be uncovered. Learn your algae and be very aware of how and when they might benefit you.

by My Family Survival Plan

How To Produce Your Own Fuel

In the event of a crisis situation, you never know for how long you will be isolated in your home, and how scarce the resources will be. You can be forced to live off your stored goods for months in a row, even years, and as a proper survivalist, I am sure you will not lack food or fresh water.

However, you might be missing another crucial resource for survival: fuel.

Overview

First off, you will need an alternative to gasoline. When society will suffer a breakdown, fuel will be on a high demand, for obvious reasons. Gas will be hard to find and extremely expensive, and you will need a cheap and renewable resource that you will be able to use for both personal reasons, and for bartering.

What if I told you there is an alternative fuel that is renewable and cheap to produce? You would probably shake your head in disbelief. However, there is such a product and it has been available for the past century. It can be used with small vehicles, engines and lawn tractors and its name is ethanol.

The benefits of ethanol are never-ending. It has been proven to reduce greenhouse emissions, it is eco-friendly and it can be produced at home with very little effort.

I mentioned this fuel could be produced in your community. However, in the United States, you need to apply for a permit with the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB). After the legal procedures will be completed, you will be free to produce and consume ethanol.

You will need the following tools and materials:

• 1 large container (around 20 lbs)
• 5 pounds of rotten fruit, corn or cereals
• 2 pounds of Distillers’ yeast
• 1 hydrometer
• 1 large distillery container
• 2 fuel filters

Here are the steps you need to take in order to produce ethanol on your premises:

1. Gather the rotten fruit from your local grocery store. You can get it for free, as these foods will most likely end at the cesspool, anyway.

2. Place it in a large container, until a quarter of the barrel is full. This procedure must be followed accordingly, as the barrel might overflow during fermentation, if the quantity of waste is higher.

3. Add the yeast and mix well. The main benefit of using distiller’s yeast is that it increases the speed of fermentation and can cut in half the total time needed for this production. Contact a local brewer or distillery for this product, and use at least two packs for every 5 lbs.

4. Pour warm tap water and fill the container, but not up to the brim. Cover the container and leave the fruit and the yeast in a fermentation process for the next 10 days.

5. Use a hydrometer to check the level of sugar in the mixture. This process should be repeated on a daily basis, as it will provide you with accurate data regarding the necessary time left for production. Once the sugar is eliminated, the product is ready for distillation.

6. Begin the distillation right after the sugar has been removed. Otherwise, chemical compounds could develop in the product, which might later turn the fuel ineffective.

7. Pour the mixture into the distillery container and place it over a small fire. The special plates contained by the distillery barrel will slowly evaporate the remaining water, while the alcohol vapors will journey in a vertical direction inside the container. The most powerful fumes will be collected at the top and form the basis of your fuel.

8. Use the fuel filters to get rid of all the impurities that might still be in the resulting product. This way, you will prevent water molecules from remaining in the ethanol.

9. Add gasoline. This is only an optional procedure and it can be used if your engine requires an E85 type Ethanol, which is composed of 85% Ethanol and 15% Gasoline. Therefore, you will have to add the necessary amount of gas, depending on the quantity that you want to use.

10. Store the resulting product in tight closed barrels and store them in a safe place, away from any possible fire hazard. Also, make sure that your family is perfectly aware of the dangers that might result if this substance is used improperly.

There you have it! Now you can fuel your lawn tractor, your motorcycle or any other small engine that you have in your backyard. You are no longer dependent on the oil companies and you can use this technique to produce and store fuel for darker days.