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Supposing Europe is headed for a serious energy crisis this winter, what can/should one do as an individual to prepare?

by Erich_Grunewald
31st Aug 2022
1 min read
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Practical
Personal Blog

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Supposing Europe is headed for a serious energy crisis this winter, what can/should one do as an individual to prepare?
6Elizabeth
6Caridorc Tergilti
4jchan
4YimbyGeorge
3Dirichlet-to-Neumann
2abstractapplic
2arunto
1btakeda
1Derek M. Jones
1James_Miller
3James_Miller
-8Phil Tanny
6jefftk
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10 Answers sorted by
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Elizabeth

Sep 01, 2022

61

Buy an electric blanket for super localized heating

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[-]Caridorc Tergilti3y60

Even lower tech: buy very warm and comfy sweaters to wear at home and while sleeping, it could save you a ton of money considering the astronomical power bills that might arrive this winter. Cashmere is really good but expensive.

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jchan

Sep 01, 2022

40

Texas Freeze Retrospective may have some useful info.

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YimbyGeorge

Aug 31, 2022

40

Move to a better flat. My flat is so well insulated and sun side facing that I do not need heating even in winter.

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Dirichlet-to-Neumann

Sep 01, 2022

30

It really depends on where you live : which country first, and how good is the heat proofing of your house/appartement ?

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abstractapplic

Sep 01, 2022

20

Buy battery packs for charging phones so you can stay connected during a local blackout.

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arunto

Sep 01, 2022

21

1. Make sure to have a good sleeping bag that is suitable for colder temperatures.

2. Prepare for power outages. I believe in most countries there are official agencies providing advice for such a situation (e.g., in the case of Germany: Bundesamt für Bevölkerungsschutz und Katastrophenhilfe)

3. Maybe get a dehumidifier (for situations with reduced heating but still with electricity) in order to prevent mould with reduced temperature.

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btakeda

Sep 01, 2022

10

Invest in a portable generator to keep the heat and lights on in case of long power outages. Grab a few foot warmers too.

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Derek M. Jones

Sep 01, 2022

10

Stock up on paper books, candles and tin food.  Buy several pairs of half-finger gloves and a good pair of walking boots.

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James_Miller

Sep 01, 2022

1-19

Build up your cold resistance by taking showers with cold water.

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[-]James_Miller3y30

Since this is currently at negative 19 for agreement let me defend it by saying that I take cold showers and ice baths.  Over the last winter whenever it got below 0 degrees Fahrenheit I would go outside without a shirt on for 15 minutes or so.  You can build up your cold resistance with gradual cold exposure.  Same with heat exposure (via saunas) and heat resilience.  I like exercising outdoors with heavy clothing on whenever it gets above 100 degrees Fahrenheit.  I'm in my mid 50s.

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Phil Tanny

Sep 01, 2022

-80

Keep in mind that endless generations of Europeans brought you this far without the need of Russian oil and gas.   

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[-]jefftk3y61

Living in a society that where people have adapted for the current situation is very different from living in one that has recently lost an important input.

For example, at one point most cold countries heated with coal, and so weren't using any Russian oil and gas, but your house isn't set up to burn coal, you don't have a way to cheaply get coal, and it's probably not legal to burn anymore.

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All suggestions welcome, including "nothing" if that's the right answer.