There is never been a more important time to prepare for the unforeseen. The global food supply is in the midst of an historic harvest; yet, in areas hit hardest by climate change, food prices are increasing and the poor are left struggling to keep their heads above water. More than six million people have been displaced since the Arab Spring uprisings began in Egypt and Tunisia in Tunisia and Egypt in Libya; more than half of the displaced have taken refuge in neighboring countries. Up to one million more people are in need of aid and protection. This is a case of when technology fails the most.
In preparing for these contingencies: Stein’s book covers just how unprepared people can be by the kind of emergency they face. Surviving a food shortage, for instance, means having access to clean drinking water and being able to sterilize water with salt and soap, as well as having storage to keep food fresh and cold longer. He estimates that up to two million families may become homeless due to the seasonal nature of food scarcity. Those left temporarily homeless will find themselves in desperate need of basic services such as shelter, safety, clean water and food, electricity, communication, medical care and social assistance. In a society where many people know very little about how to prepare for these kinds of scenarios, it becomes more complicated to find the right resources and the right solutions.
When technology fails: when people are left temporarily homeless and the potential for harm is higher than the potential for reward, what do you do? How do you get through your period of crisis with limited resources and little hope of improvement? In Surviving the Shock of Technology: Food, Water and Energy Security in a Crisis (Springer 2021), Matthew Stein provides answers. This guide offers detailed information about the different kinds of energy and water security threats and how to respond to them.
As the author describes: “Food security has become a critical issue in the United States since the recent impacts of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. In response, communities have been developing and implementing new strategies to meet their needs. Yet despite new approaches and announcements, many regions face daunting challenges as the demand for food rises while supplies dwindle.” As the author argues, “In order to understand the magnitude of this crisis and the potential solutions, it’s necessary to develop a comprehensive primer on sustainable living and emergency preparedness.”
Stein makes several recommendations for dealing with this crisis: The first step is developing a comprehensive primer on sustainable living and emergency management. The second step is developing “an emergency toolkit of key elements, each of which can be used in emergencies to help make life easier.” Finally, according to Stein, it is important to develop a “road map toward a comprehensive and enduring strategy.” The road map referred to in this comprehensive primer is described as follows:
The author concludes her article by stating: “The future looks brighter for people living in low-income communities as utility failures and increasing environmental pollution create the need for adaptation and planning. A complete reading program on the critical issues of global warming, water scarcity and climate change will teach the reader how to become prepared for the day when technology fails.” This article is posted on the World Wide Web as a news story and appears in the non-profit online publication “The Energy journal” (accessed from the Web site listed below). In an article written by Tom W. Bell, California State University, Los Angeles, it is suggested that, “strategy and planning for a collapse of traditional electricity systems should include a thorough review of the status of public utilities and a look at ways that the new technologies can be implemented to eliminate present problems.” (letter to the editor,
The Energy Journal, Spring 2021).
