Get Ready

During the Great Depression of the 1930s and again during World War II, life on the homefront was all about conservation of resources. Gasoline, food, and other items were precious, so the responsible housewife made the best of what was available.

David Stockman, former budget director for the Reagan administration, recently noted that we've been living a financially decadent and unsustainable lifestyle for the past 30 years. The current recession is not over and, according to Stockman, won't be over for a long time.



What a difference from the way our parents and grandparents lived! During this week's holiday shopping binge, we saw the masses pushing into department stores to snap up the 'sale' items. Over and over again, these consumers said that they wouldn't have been able to afford Christmas without the discounts.

What necessary purchases were they making? Video games, large screen televisions, and jewelry.

What would previous generations make of that? And is it possible for us to return to a balanced and affordable lifestyle while still enjoying life? Of course! Until the most recent generation, Americans were happier and still frugal.

It's a matter of mindset. Living within our means isn't difficult nor does it require great sacrifice. All the basic needs of a family can easily be met with a bit of work and planning, and there is still more than enough luxury for those who truly understand what matters.

The New Homefront blog is here to share ideas and thoughts about regaining our strength as individuals and as a nation through sensible action and sustainable living. As a first step toward taking back control over your own life, I suggest you have a look at the 72-Hour Survival Kit assembled by the University of Colorado.

Everyone should have a fully stocked survival kit and be able to survive alone for a minimum of 72 hours. This is an important lesson that has been relearned with every natural disaster that strikes our country. With internet, cell phones, and automobiles, we feel as if there is nothing standing between us and the rest of the world. Victims of disasters such as Hurricane Katrina know better!

Remember: the first step toward taking back our own power is being able to take care of ourselves without any help from the outside world. We must make the best of what we have, waste nothing, and gain the skills needed for creatively using and reusing materials on hand. Knowing that we can do that (as all other generations of Americans did) gives us the courage to move forward toward rebuilding our society.