How to Prepare for Climate Change by David Pogue
Learn simple ways to ready your family, home and business for an unpredictable world.
Simon & Schuster, 2021, www.simonandschuster.com.
The Sustainability Book Club met on December 7 to discuss How to Prepare for Climate Change: A Practical Guide to Surviving the Chaos. The book is written by David Pogue, New York Times bestselling author and longtime science and technology correspondent for CBS Sunday Morning. With the help of 50 experts in different fields, Pogue explains how you can get your family, home and business ready for a chaotic future.
The hefty book provides information on basic emergency preparation as well as step-by-step instructions for living through climate-related disasters such as floods, heat waves, droughts, hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, and social breakdown. Though the events are frightening to consider, Pogue offers sensible advice and accessible ways you can make sure your family is prepared. He explains the best places to live, how to build, what to grow, the insurance you might need and more. He also gives tips for managing the anxiety associated with these scenarios.
During the December meeting, book club members discussed the most likely events we might experience in North Carolina. Hurricanes, tornados and ice storms might cause wind damage and power loss. In the future, excessive heat and drought and flooding from heavy rains are expected for our area. Storing clean water for drinking is one way to prepare for a power loss. Plastic water storage containers are lightweight, easy to fill and relatively inexpensive. Generators are helpful for powering appliances and lights, but larger ones are costly and require some knowledge and maintenance. Lack of air-conditioning would be an issue in the summer, and members talked about how houses used to be designed for cross-ventilation and many had awnings over windows to shield them from the sun. Take a look at your house and think about how you might keep it cool during a power loss.
Another topic discussed was insurance coverage and the need to review your policies and take photos of belongings to ensure they’ll be covered if destroyed. The author recommends making photocopies of your insurance documents, as well as other important paperwork, and putting them in a “go bag” (see below) with other supplies in case you have to leave your home.
Putting Together a Go Bag
A “go bag” is simply a backpack or small duffel bag filled with enough basic supplies to see you through three days away from home. Among the supplied suggested by Pogue are:
-Water and food
-Clothing
-Toiletries
-Copies of personal and property documents
-Photos of family members
-Cash in small denominations
-Portable NOAA radio
-Flashlight, duct tape, multi-tool, lighter
-First-aid kit
-Medicine with a copy of the prescription
-Hand sanitizer and baby wipes
-Plastic zip-top bags
-Charging cable for phone
-Tarp or poncho
There are many more thought-provoking topics in How to Prepare for Climate Change. Consider picking up a copy to keep on your shelf—or in your go bag—so you’ll be ready for any future emergency.
The Sustainability Book Club
Join a small group of avid readers who meet monthly to engage in lively discussions focused on books about sustainability. The club meets at 6:30 p.m. on the first Thursday of every month on Zoom. Contact us to join!
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