Some see the current economic downturn as tough — but temporary — times to be endured. But others see it as a harbinger of even grimmer days ahead. So they’re preparing for the worst by stockpiling food: piles and piles and piles of it.
Call them “suburban survivalists,” or call them, well, a little goofy. But they’re dead serious about being ready for a big crash … by making sure they have a nice little nosh in case of a catastrophe. Across the country, there are people preparing for the possibility that we will not have access to food by ensuring that their cupboards, at least, will be far from bare.
Postapocalyptic Pathmark
Take Bill Cole, a dad and doctor who runs a successful chiropractic office. He seems like the guy next door … which is where you may have to go to politely borrow a cup (or a barrel) of sugar should a fatal financial meltdown occur.
Cole has turned his home in the suburbs of Pittsburgh into a virtual postapocalyptic Pathmark. “I’ve got enough to last two years for me and my immediate family,” he says. His stockpile is filled with foods that can stand the test of time — from peanuts to pancake mix, canned peaches to peas.
There are also 23 jars of peanut butter — which means, no matter how bad things get, at least his kids won’t be lacking for lunch. “It will last forever,” Cole says. “And it’s nutritious.”
And if he needs a nice beverage to wash down his warehouse worth of dry goods, Cole has that covered too: He's stored pounds of powdered milk and a thousand bottles of water. And if he really fears that his family will be left high and dry, Cole’s contingency plan is ... their swimming pool. They’ve got enough water purification tablets to turn it into a personal reservoir that would last them a full year.
Cole explains that he was initially inspired for this kind of future preparedness by the Y2K bug, which many feared would trigger a technology meltdown a decade ago. It didn’t, but the current economic downturn has only intensified his apprehension.
He also believes that his concerns are far from irrational, and compares them to the sorts of security measures that average people take in their everyday lives. “If you're gonna buy life insurance in case you die, or auto insurance in case you wreck, to me it makes sense to have security in food in case you don’t have access to it,” he says.
Scary scenarios
And Cole isn’t alone in his hunger to be ready for a foodless future. In fact, there is a Suburban Survivalist Web site devoted to teaching people how to stock their shelves in the event of economic Armageddon. Their mission statement? “To provide vital information, key knowledge, and vital tools necessary to make proper plans for surviving as many possible future scenarios as possible.”
Many “practical” people are tapping into these resources so that they won’t be left looking for table scraps. Retailers across the country have seen sales of emergency supplies boom in the last year as more Americans frightened by the tough economy hoard products that used to be the exclusive domain of hardcore survivalists.
Web sites like Joe Branin’s “Living Fresh” sell survival gear, food and other provisions for people concerned with possible catastrophes. In the last year, he’s been flooded with requests for survival supplies.
Be prepared
Such people include even seemingly average folks like Massachusetts’ Kathy Harrison, who has a basement brimming with food supplies. She considers herself practical, not crazy. “This isn't about bunker mentality or storing weapons in the basement,” she says, “This is about: ‘How do I prepare my family for a crisis?’ ”
In upstate New York, Kathie Breault is just as prepared, and just as convinced of the need to be ready for the worst. “I think there's a possibility we won't be able to get food in the stores,” Breault says, adding that she’s researching and preparing for all the possibilities to be ready for that dire scenario. “I want to grow all my own food. I'm studying permaculture.”
And while some people might want to label these modern-day fruit-and-berry gatherers, well …nuts, psychologists say the trend is being caused by legitimate (albeit intense) anxiety caused by the dire economic climate.
“People who engage in this survivalist lifestyle are exhibiting what I would call an extreme reaction,” says Columbia University’s chair of psychology, Dr. Jeffrey Lieberman. “They revert to behavior designed to ensure their security.”
Bill Cole admits that his behavior might be extreme — but at least he’s certain he won’t be the one left holding an empty lunch bag.
“Most everything I do is over the top,” says Cole. “But I feel it's better to be more prepared than less prepared.”