5 Eco-Friendly Tactics to Endure the Apocalypse

Like many, your post-apocalyptic dream likely includes heading to the nearest mall, attaching your skateboard to a horde of zombies, sticking a samurai sword in the belt of a stolen tuxedo, and living off a steady supply of food court pizza and video games.

Wake up, buddy! You're not strategizing like a survivor. You're thinking like the rest of the post-apocalyptic crowd who — surprise — will eventually transform into the very chaotic bands of lunatics they once sought to escape.

If you're truly determined to survive the apocalypse – whether it's nuclear, biological, environmental, or cosmic – you’ll need to get well-versed in your eco-friendly skills and know exactly which green products to loot when civilization breaks down into chaos with people wielding chainsaws and running around half-dressed.

So seriously, print this article out. Fold it up and tuck it into your shorts with all your other Mytour apocalypse survival articles. Whether the world ends with an explosion or a whimper, it’d be nice to have access to clean drinking water.

5: Air That Won’t Burn Your Lungs

Amid the smoldering cities and plague-ravaged ruins, finding a breath of fresh air will be no small feat in the post-apocalyptic world.

If you get the chance in this forsaken world, grab yourself a gas mask or two. A basic painter’s respirator can filter out ammonia, chlorine, or swirling toxic dust. Just keep in mind, any gas mask you pick up from a lingerie store or swipe from a bong might not provide much protection.

Even mutants know not to skip a solid gas mask, so supplies may be scarce. Don't hesitate to craft your own from household items. The first personal air filters from the early 1900s mimicked the body's mucous membranes by forcing air through a wet sponge.

Following the Occupy Wall Street movement and the Arab Spring, various DIY gas mask designs spread across the Internet. These rudimentary devices used a soda bottle and a medical mask soaked in vinegar [source: Stone].

Other designs feature charcoal-based filters made from canisters and mesh flyswatters. The goal is the same: to adsorb harmful chemicals [source: Anderson]. If you decide to make one of these filters, try to secure some activated charcoal. Treated with oxygen, this porous form of charcoal traps even more harmful organic chemicals you don't want to inhale.

If the air is thick with particularly nasty inorganic substances, you might find yourself in trouble. But even if your gas mask isn't up to par, at least it will give you the appearance of a fearsome, rubbery aardvark-like figure.

4: Water That Won't Melt Your Guts

You often take clean water for granted, but when the fires of apocalypse scorch the earth, you'll soon realize what many around the world already understand: Purified water is the essence of survival.

Sure, you might survive on hidden watercooler supplies and a few alliances with water barons, but eventually, you'll find that the only drink left is highly suspect. You’ll need to purify that liquid before risking a gut full of harmful bacteria or chemical toxins.

If you happen to stumble upon a CamelBak All Clear UV water purification system (or a similar device) amid the ruins of your fallen civilization, you should definitely add it to your collection. This $100 bottle uses a battery-powered ultraviolet light to eliminate waterborne bacteria, viruses, and protozoa in just 80 seconds flat [source: LaBarre]. Other portable water filters like the LifeStraw can turn a dubious puddle into clean, drinkable water almost instantly.

When the CamelBaks and LifeStraws are no longer available, there are still ways to ensure your water won't poison you. Boiling will eliminate most disease-causing organisms. If the water looks murky, you can strain it through cloth or let it settle, then skim off the top. Another option is to use a barrel filled with sand to filter rainwater into safe drinking water [source: Green].

Alternatively, you can purchase it from your local wasteland warlord in exchange for your lifelong loyalty. We’re not here to tell you how to navigate your post-apocalyptic existence.

3: Sunshine on My Shoulders

Sunlight fuels our existence, so if you find yourself buried in nuclear winter, you might want to wait before diving into this entry. Come back and read it when you catch a glimpse of the sun peeking through the clouds of atomic debris.

Still with me? Good. To continue, sunlight is a powerful source of energy. It nurtures the planet's plant life, warms the Earth, and can even power life-saving devices. As you wander through the decimated stores of this post-apocalyptic world, you’ll likely come across an array of solar-powered LED flashlights, radios, and glowing lawn ornaments shaped like squirrels.

While you might plan to weather the apocalypse inside a fortified anti-zombie stronghold or an underground shelter, passive solar architecture presents a great way to harness the sun's power—while saving energy in the pre-apocalyptic world. Homes designed with passive solar principles capture solar energy during the day, absorbing it into their walls and floors through large, south-facing windows. These surfaces then radiate heat at night to maintain warmth for all within.

While this type of solar energy may not be enough to power your Xbox, it can certainly help you endure the harshness of winter.

2: Our Hipster Foodie Overlords

Here's a surprise: In the unforgiving, anarchic world of a post-apocalyptic Earth, the ability to cultivate your own food will be a game-changer.

You'll manage to get by with canned food and military rations for a time. Once you join the mutant hordes, cannibalism will supply you with the protein you need, though it'll also come with the risk of prion diseases. But eventually, even your stash of Twinkies will spoil, and human flesh will become scarcer.

So, it's crucial that you start growing your own vegetables. If you can't imagine life without meat or have a talent for hunting, mastering food preservation is key. Ever tried pickling beets or pig's feet? Know how to make jerky or fruit leather? And don't even get me started on brewing beer or making wine.

Without the benefit of modern agricultural methods (or chemicals), you'll have to rely on old-school farming techniques. In rural areas, that means family gardens. In the decimated remains of urban centers, you'll want to seek out the guidance of hipster pickle enthusiasts, brewers, and urban farmers. If you're lucky, they'll take you under their wing.

Just a heads-up, though: they might practice a little cannibalism on the side, so stay vigilant.

1: Tweeting the Apocalypse

Information is power, and telecommunication bridges the gap between us over great distances. Too bad we decided to place all of that on the Internet, right? When society falls apart and the zombies take over the streets, will the World Wide Web fall into decay as well?

Surprisingly, the answer is "no." Data centers across the globe have moved their servers deep underground, into bunkers typically reserved for Earth's genetic diversity and the British royal family.

Norway's Green Mountain Data System resides in a former munitions storage site, shielded from electromagnetic pulses and fire. This data center is powered by hydroelectric energy and relies on water from a nearby fjord to keep everything cool [source: Hudson]. Sweden's Pionen Data Center, once a military command center, is buried deep within a mountain and reinforced to survive a thermonuclear bomb. Its cooling system draws on mountain water and the naturally cool mountain air.

So, even if the world as we know it crumbles into a living nightmare of nuclear firestorms and mutated warlords, the few human survivors will still retain the ability to edit the Wikipedia page about it all.