Army Europe Libraries

2012: Year of Sustainability

Introduction

In light of the apocalyptic year 2012, the libraries are bringing awareness of the broad meaning of sustainability with a mixture of basic and survival life skills in a variety of formats. These skills include basic survival, domestic survival, science fiction or more theoretical survival, and self defense as well as climate science, urban farming, and heritage skill sets.

Review: Good Omens

If you are looking for a funny British comedy-style story about the end of the world, look no further! Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett ham it up with angels, prophecies, and an absent-minded Satanic nun who misplaces the Antichrist.

Highlight: Apocalypse Recommended Movies

Watch the apocalypse unfold before your very eyes with these stories of doomsday — horrific, inspiring, or just plain entertaining.

Survival

Survival is a basic instinct, but in today’s world it is difficult to be completely prepared for everything that can come our way. Preparedness is always the best prevention, and many of the resources below offer guidance from disasters to diseases. Make sure you have the skills and knowledge needed in case of an emergency.

Online Resources

Ready.gov: Prepare. Plan. Stay Informed. Created by FEMA, this is an easy-to-use resource devoted to disaster preparedness.
Discovery Survival Zone: What would you do if you were alone in the wild with your life in your own hands? Be a survival expert. Get tips below on how to be prepared in any situation. Also find tips for the desert, disasters, drinking water, the cold, the jungle, making fire, and out at sea.
Preparedness for All Hazards: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides resources that are intended to help take an all-hazards approach to preparedness for any situation.
Survival X: This Web site includes survival advice for the wilderness, urban survival, nuclear or biological warfare survival, and hurricane survival.

Healthy Living

Living a “green” or “eco-friendly” lifestyle has been a topic of discussion for the last few years. Despite its popularity, many people still aren’t sure where to begin or how to live healthier through smarter consumerism, healthier eating, and do it yourself approaches to life’s essentials.

Online Resources

Sustainable Table: Sustainable Table celebrates local sustainable food, educates consumers on food-related issues, and works to build community through food.
Green Living Ideas: Provides ideas, tips, and information to help you improve the environmental sustainability of every aspect of your life: home energy, green building and remodeling, cars, food, waste recycling, and everything in between.
Super Green Me: Convince Me Why to Go Green: Learn how “going green” can affect your life and the world around you.
Environmental Protection Agency on Sustainability: EPA efforts in the area of sustainability practices and approaches include labeling green products and promoting green chemistry and engineering. Learn about sustainable communities, water, materials management, and energy.

Heritage & Domestic Skills

Could you survive without technology, electricity, or the mall or grocery store down the street? Heritage skills cover a broad range of pre-industrial needs for how to make your own clothing, food, shelter, and other essential needs of life.

Online Resources

EcoFriend D.I.Y.: EcoFriend provides monthly posts for do-it-yourself projects that harness natural energy sources.
Root Simple: Get back to basics, DIY living, encompassing homegrown vegetables, chickens, herbs, bicycles, cultural alchemy, and common sense through Root Simple.

The Apocalypse

The Apocalypse, the end of civilization or life on Earth as we know it, has been predicted over and over with 2012 as no exception. It could come in many different forms from natural resource depletion to as far out as alien invasions. Wired magazine looked at a scientific report suggesting solar flares with unchecked use of electricity may be more realistic.

Online Resources

Apocalypse!: PBS Frontline provides a general overview of the apocalypse idea, its history, Biblical relevance, and scientific discussions.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Zombie Apocalypse Preparedness: “If you are generally well equipped to deal with a zombie apocalypse you will be prepared for a hurricane, pandemic, earthquake, or terrorist attack.” So please get a kit, make a plan, and be prepared!
NASA 2012 Apocalypse FAQ: NASA answers some of the questions regarding 2012 and a potential apocalypse. Be sure to check out the articles mentioned in “People Who Read This Also Read...” for more interesting reading.
Zombie Hub Survival Skills: Zombie surivival requires very specific skills. Preparation is the key to surviving any type of hazardous situation, so learn the essentials, zombie taxonomy, grades and stages, creating a survival kit, and weapons to use. Enjoy some videos regarding zombie survival.