Tales - Sweden's Crisis Preppers

I recently watched a very interesting show by SBS Dateline titled

Sweden's Crisis Preppers. Because Sweden is viewed as a country that takes complete care of it's citizens, I was confused by why Swedish people would need to prep. My American acquaintances often use Sweden as proof that free college and free healthcare are doable. Because I know precious little about Sweden, and because I'm ultra-nosy, I watched the episode. It was so interesting that I've watched it three times since. I think there are indeed some important lessons to learn from Sweden. But maybe not the lessons my friends have been trying to tell me.

photo courtesy of fotojet

Sweden's Crisis Preppers

Sweden is often cited as the country that is doing "it" right. The country that provides free health care and free education. We all should follow this example, my friends and acquaintances tell me. Then I learn that the citizens of Sweden being sent literature encouraging them to prepare for crisis or war via "prepping".

Say what? 

Yes. The citizens have been sent literature from their government explaining how they should prep. This video interviews a couple of citizens who are prepping, and who have received the literature (but I believe both were prepping prior to the literature). The video also shows persons who are involved with Sweden's government, military, home guard, and civil emergency agency.

What I learned was that this video highlights "one of the world's most peaceful countries preparing for the worst" by educating students and citizens about prepping and decision-making during emergencies.

I learned that in the early 2000s, the defense spending was slashed. And a military of 700,000 is now only 50,000. And half of that number consists of the Home Guard. The Home Guard is comprised of citizen volunteers who train for military and medical emergencies approximately twice a year. 

I learned that the defense knowledge was lost because people thought they were safe. Currently, the government is slowly increasing the investment into military defense. But the current plan, if war occurs in their country, is to "get other countries to come and help us".

Say what?

Swedish preppers know that if something happens "you can't depend on the government to bring you food or get you water. You have to do it yourselves." It seems that this thinking is validated by the literature that was sent to the citizens and by the government deciding there is a need to rebuild their defense.

I do feel the need to say that I've never viewed anything by SBS Dateline prior to this video. I know nothing of their typical reporting styles, trends, or biases. Here is the Youtube version of SBS Dateline's Sweden's Crisis Preppers if you'd like to watch. 

My Idea of Prepping

Preppers are often viewed as outliers. There is a stereotype that preppers are only a handful of fringe people who are a bit off. The recluses that want to live as hermits and are a bit paranoid. 

In my opinion, there are some extreme preppers who are a bit over the top. A bit more extreme than I ever could be. But overall, I think there is something exceedingly important about being prepared and self-sufficient.

There have been portions of my life when there has not been enough food to eat. I had relatives who were impacted by the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl. Though they did not talk about it, I knew that was why they were very frugal and saved many items because they "might need that later."  I was a teenager during the midwest blizzard of '78 and we were cut off from anything for days. And now I live in Maryland, where hurricanes can cause some damage and power loss. These experiences have given me a desire to be able to take care of myself for at least a few weeks at a time.

I think prepping has a very personal definition for each person who prepares. For me, prepping means that I'd love to have a large, well-stocked pantry. I'd also love to go into retirement at The Shack with the skills to feed myself with the food and animals I've grown. For me, I believe these skills help to keep a healthier me and a healthier environment. I do not think my goal is to be 100% fully self-sufficient. I don't know if that is possible for many people and I'm certain it is not possible for me.

I do know that I don't want to depend on the government to take care of me. I don't trust that will happen. Especially in light of this new knowledge that not even Sweden is prepared to care for it's citizens during a crisis event. The video, Sweden's Crisis Preppers has only reinforced my desire to continue to increase my prepping and self-sufficiency.

*This article may contain affiliate links. If you shop via one of the affiliate links, I may earn a small commission - at no additional cost to you. I am very appreciative of every reader who visits my articles. Thank you.

Reviewing the Anker Portable Solar Power Charger

The ease of portability with the Anker PowerPort.

I have found a treasure that is not so very expensive but is worth it's weight in gold if you need to charge your cell phone and have no way of doing so. The Anker 21 watt PowerPort is portable, small, and powerful.  If you go camping, hiking, or if you want to be prepared for power outages at home, you may like this solar charger as much as I do.

The Anker 21 watt PowerPort Solar Charger

This little charger can be kept in the seat pocket of your car, in a hiking backpack, your bug out bag, or many other small storage spaces. The four sections of the gadget fold up like a pamphlet. The velcro holds it closed.  When folded it measures only 11" x 6".  When fully opened it measures only 26" x 11".

When opened, you access the pocket with the USB port. The PowerPort has two ports so you can charge two items at a time. The PowerPort comes with one charging cord. I could charge my Kindle and my cell phone at the same time.

As soon as you open the Anker PowerPort Charger, you can immediately see if the item is collecting sun via the indicator light. 

Anker PowerPort with 2 USB ports, indicator light, and cord included

As soon as I received my Anker, I took it out to the balcony to give it a try.  It was an extremely sunny day. Even so, the charger charged my phone far more quickly than I expected. I've never timed it, but I believe it takes longer to charge when it's charging in the Jeep up at the Shack! I know it seems like forever when I am waiting to bed but I want a full charge on the phone for overnight.

4:54 pm - Charging at 62%

6:02 pm  - Charging at 81%

The Many Uses of the Anker PowerPort Solar Charger

I bought this on the recommendation by a friend who has owned his for a year or more.  He uses his for camping, hunting, and traveling. He charges his items while in the woods or while in the truck without putting strain on the truck battery. He has not had a single complaint with his Anker. 

I bought mine for hiking and camping purposes as well as power outages that occur in the neighborhood where my metro apartment is located. I will also take mine with me when I travel to the Shack. Even though I have a large solar panel and inverter there, I need to replace the donated batteries (which are expensive). So in the meantime, I can use the Anker to charge my phone (rather than take my phone out to the Jeep in the dark and the wilderness and charge it there). 

I did see some questions on Amazon and I want to make it clear... this is not an inverter. You cannot charge items with "plugs" with this. You can only charge things that can charge with a USB cord. That includes phones, kindles, and tablets. Maybe some cameras. If you item plugs in with the cord that fits into the hole shown in the photo above, you can use this mini-solar panel to charge your items. 




I occasionally lose power in my apartment for most of day due to things such as traffic accidents hitting power poles and those big power boxes. We have also lost power here due to ice storms and blizzards. Finally, with the recent news of the damage caused by hurricanes, I made sure I am more prepared with the Anker PowerPort Solar charger. 

UPDATE: After using this item a handful of times, I highly recommend it. It is a very helpful item when either off-grid or experiencing power loss. I do want to add that there is one thing to be aware of. It does NOT have a diode. Which means that if you leave your phone plugged in to the charger and it becomes too cloudy or dark, the power from your phone drains back into the solar charger. I would not expect an item this inexpensive/portable to have a diode. But it was interesting to watch just how quickly the power drains in the opposite direction in the dark.

*This article may contain affiliate links. If you shop via one of the affiliate links, I may earn a small commission - at no additional cost to you. I am very appreciative of every reader who visits my articles. Thank you. 

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I also depend on headlamps for lighting at the Shack, while camping, hiking, and during emergencies. You can read my review of headlamps here. If you've ever suddenly been in the dark and needed lighting you are aware of the importance of light. Read about my choice for hands-free lighting.