Leveling the playing field.

As our Steem Skillshare community grows, we are developing a wide range of talents and educational backgrounds we can draw on. Sometimes it just takes a person to ask, and other people on our platform have the necessary information. I like to refer to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs for inspiration on what to do.

Aside from air, the most immediate basic need is drinkable water. A few years ago, I was conversing with a Steemian who was on an island destroyed by a hurricane. Supplies were short. Water was especially a problem. If you are surrounded by salty or contaminated water, what can you do. Does this suggest anything? Depending upon the availability of resources (barrels, stones, gravel, sand, wood to make charcoal, water supply), it is possible to create systems that will filter hundreds of litres of water per day.

Once you have access to a continual supply of fresh clean water, a person in survival mode can then turn their attention to food. While foraging can provide an immediate source of food the fastest way to grow food sustainably is to harvest microgreens. After watching this video, I would be interested in learning people's opinion on this. Remember that the grow trays can be anything as long as the seeds are kept in the dark for the first few days. The growth material need only retain moisture. It could be any sterile material that the seeds can grow into and retains water (example paper towel). Many plants considered weeds are edible so it is a question of harvesting their seeds.

Harvest can happen in as little as seven days. One of the most important classes that I had while growing up was in biology. We went snowshoeing in a bush area, and taught what foods were available to forage. It is surprising the smorgasbord that is available even when the snow is three feet deep. I don't know if those types of courses are offered in other countries, but I would think that most people should at least know the edible plants in their region.

A longer term solution is growing your own garden. I have had a regular garden, hydroponics, and microreens but the most satisfying experience was to put the bulb of a green onion in a glass and within a couple of days have it produces roots and soon after harvest the greens. I would do this a couple of times and then transplant them outside.

If everyone can become self-sustaining on their basic needs, they I hope we can rise to better horizons.