A new game of 6 Degrees : Where to live to survive Warmaggedon?

[Aelwydd]

So, in my depressing ongoing research into climate change, and finding out that first Australia's doomed, then Africa is doomed, and then we're all doomed shortly thereafter, I came across an interesting scientific article full of very sciency reasons why certain places will fare better than others during the relentless descent into Earth-as-Dune, to be thereafter inherited by a new species of sandworms, forever and amen.

 

I've been thinking about this question for a bit now, and wondering where's a good place to set up house and for ds to lay down roots, to hopefully avoid the worst of the 7 bowls of wrath and all that jazz. Norway is intriguing, but then there's always Chile or Argentina.  They seem fairly well situated for the coming Great Flood II.

 

Iceland sounds nice after Faith's description of her vacation there, but I don't know how I feel about built-in steam heat during a year round season of global greenhouse effect. 

 

Choices, choices. 

 

So, I'm wondering where the hive would go, if money, or other factors (or a general ideological disbelief in the concept of, well. . . you know. . . Detroit's climate attracting anyone) didn't stand in the way? 

[Michelle My Bell]

My environmental science teacher said the Great Lakes area (where I live) will be pretty unaffected compared to the rest of the world. We have abundant fresh water. However after last Winterggedon, I can't say I am sure about this. 

[mom31257]

I already live in the southern parts of the US, so I think I'd stay here with friends and family. 

 

 

[Melinda in VT]

It sounds like I'd do well to just stay put.

 

After this last winter, I can see the benefits to a little global warming. (Just kidding! I promise.)

[Aelwydd]

My environmental science teacher said the Great Lakes area (where I live) will be pretty unaffected compared to the rest of the world. We have abundant fresh water. However after last Winterggedon, I can't say I am sure about this. 

 

Yes, but I'm having a mental image of the Great Lakes sort of boiling away during summer of 2057 or so. 

 

 

 

 

 

...In which case, who is going to fill that pothole?  Canada or the U.S.?

[Trilliums]

So, in my depressing ongoing research into climate change, and finding out that first Australia's doomed, then Africa is doomed, and then we're all doomed shortly thereafter, I came across an interesting scientific article full of very sciency reasons why certain places will fare better than others during the relentless descent into Earth-as-Dune, to be thereafter inherited by a new species of sandworms, forever and amen.

 

Oh my, so funny!  Others are so sobering though.  We just had another flash flood warning yesterday and DS suggested he eliminate potential colleges based on how much they might be affected by climate change.

 

Ok, slightly related, but I had this massive overgrown blackberry patch that I decided to take out last year.  I have a few plants still hanging in there and in the back of my mind I keep thinking that I probably should let some of them grow in case warmaggedon hits and our food production is thrown into chaos.  MY FAMILY MIGHT DEPEND ON THOSE BLACKBERRIES ONE DAY!

 

[Heather in Neverland]

Vote for Detroit. That's my hometown and really, could it get any worse there? Global warming might be an improvement for that city. :)

[Aelwydd]

Vote for Detroit. That's my hometown and really, could it get any worse there? Global warming might be an improvement for that city. :)

I am stunned at how airtight that bit of logic is. Bravo!

[Trish]

I'm thinking the U.S. is still good because if you're not in a good spot you can still GET to a good spot. Obviously the bad parts of the U.S. would be the coasts, anywhere along the Mississippi, the Gulf states. All of California.

 

The Great Lakes region would probably be okay as long as you don't get TOO close.

 

There remains the question of whether you'd actually want to SURVIVE the coming difficulties.

 

 

Edited to say: if Yellowstone goes, then I think anyplace east of that quickly becomes uninhabitable for a long while.

 

 

[Liz CA]

I am of the persuasion what does not kill you make you stronger. We have  been practicing here in CA with temps around F100 - 105. I think I will be acclimated by then.

[Moxie]

Pretty high on the list of things I can't control is the weather. Ergo, I'm not going to worry about it and just continue to live in the good 'ole Midwest.

[Lady Florida.]

We're in Florida. We're doomed. Always have been. We heard years before climate change was common knowledge, that eventually Florida would go back into the sea.

 

 

[Violet Crown]

Austin, Texas. Finally, all the Californian transplants will have left, and the freeways will be clear.

[Liz CA]

Austin, Texas. Finally, all the Californian transplants will have left, and the freeways will be clear.

 

What? You don't like us?

[Wheres Toto]

I wonder if we're far enough inland/above sea level to make it through the initial rising sea levels.  We're not that far from Lancaster so when there's no gas, we can hop on a bike (or a horse) and head over to the farms for food, or head down the hill to fish in the river.

 

 

[Liz CA]

We're in Florida. We're doomed. Always have been. We heard years before climate change was common knowledge, that eventually Florida would go back into the sea.

 

Build a large boat. It's been done once before... :laugh:

 

[Mergath]

I'll probably stay right here in Minnesota.  I know it's not going to turn into an uninhabitable desert, we're pretty well able to deal with just about any weather extreme, and the lakes and islands will come in handy during the inevitable zombie apocalypse.  'Cause everyone knows zombies can't swim. ;)

 

Seriously though, I do think this will be one of the better places to survive in fifty years when things have gotten really, really bad.  I'd like to think we'll turn things around before then, but too many people want to live in blissful ignorance inside their personal cloud of fossil fuel pollution for that to happen.

 

ETA: Oh, and if the rising sea levels do get us here, we have enough boats to go around for everyone, and being the socialist-commie-fascists that we are, we're happy to redistribute the boats so that everyone gets one. ;)

[Violet Crown]

What? You don't like us?

We love you. We especially love you at SXSW and Austin City Limits and the like. Please come, enjoy our beautiful city, let us show you the best we have to offer, spend freely, and tell all your friends about us when you Go Back. :D

 

Seriously, even us locals usually came here from somewhere else. Heck, I was all of seven years old when I breezed into town and started being a burden on the infrastructure.

[Roadrunner]

I was going to go to Sahara. I heard it was getting greener because of the warming.

[creekland]

Our farm in PA has worked for us and would likely continue to work.  We can grow our own food, have our own water supply, and there's plenty of wild meat all around.  Everyone around us is nice, knowledgeable about so many things, and would be willing to work together.

 

We're also far enough away from the major cities to avoid the deluge of hungry people who aren't in enough shape to walk this far (or can't find it without a GPS).  ;) 

 

However, I've always loved Hawaii...

 

And if we change our minds due to excessive heat and my mom is still alive, she lives further north along the St Lawrence River (drains the Great Lakes), so perhaps we'd head there.  It's a pretty area.

[Jane in NC]

Waving at you from my catamaran because this coastal gal is in deep trouble.

 

My plan is to move to Creekland's farm. She doesn't know it yet but she is starting the Well Trained Commune. 

[KungFuPanda]

I aspire to move back home and own the first beach front property in southern WV.

[Lady Marmalade]

Waving at you from my catamaran because this coastal gal is in deep trouble.

 

My plan is to move to Creekland's farm. She doesn't know it yet but she is starting the Well Trained Commune. 

 

I'll vote for this plan.  The collective abilities of TWTM would be astounding and could survive any impending apocolypse.  

[creekland]

Waving at you from my catamaran because this coastal gal is in deep trouble.

 

My plan is to move to Creekland's farm. She doesn't know it yet but she is starting the Well Trained Commune. 

 

 

I'll vote for this plan.  The collective abilities of TWTM would be astounding and could survive any impending apocolypse.  

 

You know, I actually love this idea!  Not only would we have a wealth of knowledge for the survival part, we'd also have a wealth of knowledge for "fun" too!  It sounds quite ideal...

[Aelwydd]

You know, I actually love this idea! Not only would we have a wealth of knowledge for the survival part, we'd also have a wealth of knowledge for "fun" too! It sounds quite ideal...

Until someone expressed an opinion on shopping carts or something. Then, it's a vicious battle to the death. Even the zombies would be intimidated.

[Aelwydd]

Also, I'm sort of impressed that Detroit is beating out Antarctica in the poll for favored spot to live.

[elegantlion]

Unless I can get my oceanfront property in NW Missouri, I vote for the place with the lowest humidity. Otherwise, Colorado maybe. 

[freeindeed]

I say Scandinavia. No scientific reason. I just want to go somewhere really cold, seeing as how I detest summer and am melting here in south Alabama.

[Just Another Jen]

I'll probably stay right here in Minnesota.  I know it's not going to turn into an uninhabitable desert, we're pretty well able to deal with just about any weather extreme, and the lakes and islands will come in handy during the inevitable zombie apocalypse.  'Cause everyone knows zombies can't swim. ;)

 

Seriously though, I do think this will be one of the better places to survive in fifty years when things have gotten really, really bad.  I'd like to think we'll turn things around before then, but too many people want to live in blissful ignorance inside their personal cloud of fossil fuel pollution for that to happen.

 

ETA: Oh, and if the rising sea levels do get us here, we have enough boats to go around for everyone, and being the socialist-commie-fascists that we are, we're happy to redistribute the boats so that everyone gets one. ;)

 

Sometimes I play where should our apocolypse cabin be? I almost always end up choosing MInnesota.

[creekland]

Until someone expressed an opinion on shopping carts or something. Then, it's a vicious battle to the death. Even the zombies would be intimidated.

 

If we could catch it on film and some sort of distribution were still possible, then the survivors would also be rich...

 

We might be able to keep a subset away from the start by reminding folks we only have one very small bathroom on our property - not even double sinks. There used to be an old outhouse, but the weather finally got to it.

 

And we don't have granite countertops in our kitchen.

 

And we have cats who will expect anyone who is here to be their personal servant...

[Jane in NC]

If we could catch it on film and some sort of distribution were still possible, then the survivors would also be rich...

 

We might be able to keep a subset away from the start by reminding folks we only have one very small bathroom on our property - not even double sinks. There used to be an old outhouse, but the weather finally got to it.

 

And we don't have granite countertops in our kitchen.

 

And we have cats who will expect anyone who is here to be their personal servant...

 

:ohmy: But, but how could your kids be so well adjusted having been so deprived?  ;)

 

Obviously we'll engineer composting toilets in the compound.  No worries.

 

 

[Mrs Mungo]

I think the Hawaiian islands would be problematic. Oahu is already extremely stressed from a population standpoint. Most people live around the edge of the island because there are two mountain ranges in the middle-very cliff-like mountains, not something you can live on very easily. If the seas rose enough to destroy homes around the edge, then I'm not sure what would happen? Pretty much all homes on the Big Island are around the edge because there are active volcanoes with lava in the middle. Maui might work, unless everyone from Oahu decides to take refuge there.

 

Types of mountains we have in Hawaii:

http://www.garyreedart.com/images/LEprints/jpg_hires/Koolau_Shadows.jpg

 

I would think more Northern US would be the thing.

[Audrey]

Oo! You bugger!  You won't let me vote for 2. :(

 

I voted Canada.  I would specifically vote for the region where I am as climatologists here claim that we'll be all right -- hotter, but all right.  No one here is going to mourn -40° winters, but they say we'll probably have to invest in some strange thing called air conditioning.... whatever that is... for the summers.

 

I would have also voted for the Scandinavian trio of Norway/Sweden/Finland.  I'm specifically excluding Denmark.  I think they'll be sunk for sure.

[creekland]

I think the Hawaiian islands would be problematic. Oahu is already extremely stressed from a population standpoint. Most people live around the edge of the island because there are two mountain ranges in the middle-very cliff-like mountains, not something you can live on very easily. If the seas rose enough to destroy homes around the edge, then I'm not sure what would happen? Pretty much all homes on the Big Island are around the edge because there are active volcanoes with lava in the middle. Maui might work, unless everyone from Oahu decides to take refuge there.

 

Types of mountains we have in Hawaii:

http://www.garyreedart.com/images/LEprints/jpg_hires/Koolau_Shadows.jpg

 

I would think more Northern US would be the thing.

 

I agree with Oahu, but disagree regarding the Big Island.  There is plenty of space on the Big Island in the center, esp toward the north.  Kauai would also appeal to us.  We haven't really explored Maui, so can't comment on that one.

 

For all, great growing seasons and the ability to get food from the ocean, but I suspect newcomers won't find themselves terribly welcome.  Hence, I'd take my chances here I think.  We have actually discussed it on some of our long roadtrips.  It's a great way to pass the miles. (long discussions)  ;)

[Audrey]

Yes, but I'm having a mental image of the Great Lakes sort of boiling away during summer of 2057 or so. 

 

 

 

 

 

...In which case, who is going to fill that pothole?  Canada or the U.S.?

 

 

Umm... have you seen Canadian roads?  We can't even fix the regular potholes.  In our defense, we only have 3 weeks of summer to do road repair.

[AlmiraGulch]

I voted Scandanavia, only because it does seem that in the event of environmental catastrophe it does seem that it will fare well, and I also have a stepson there that I can live with.  He doesn't know that yet, but we would invade, if needed.

 

I could also go for the midwest, specifically the property I already own where my parents live.  The soil is rich.  It's on a river and already has spring-fed well water. It's elevated high enough that flooding shouldn't be an issue.  Yeah....that'll do.  

[TeacherZee]

I'll just stay on top of my mountain here in Sweden :)

[Jennifer3141]

Detroit actually has a very serious permaculture population and if they ever get even more organized, the jerks running that town are in serious trouble.

 

I'm happy here in northern MI. I've got a nice little farm and enough land to support those I love. The lake has risen from record lows and except for last winter, I've always loved home. It was just too much snow last year! But hey, that wards off drought. :)

 

 

[apennieformythoughts]

I've been thinking of moving out of MN, and I think that Mergath has pretty sound logic. My butt is staying home! MN for the win! 

[Seasider]

Waving at you from my catamaran because this coastal gal is in deep trouble.

 

My plan is to move to Creekland's farm. She doesn't know it yet but she is starting the Well Trained Commune.

Now see, I think a boat - an old fashioned sailing sloop - would suit me just fine.

[Lady Florida.]

I would never have considered living in Minnesota (I do hate cold weather), but it's looking better and better. Sometime in the 1980's, there was an attempt to attract teachers to International Falls. You would get a free house and the property on which it stands in exchange for teaching there a certain number of years (5 or 10 I think). I forget the details, but I almost considered it. I was a young, single, teacher and thought it might actually be a great way to get my own home. Then I realized I'd be stuck with a house when my time was up, if I wanted to come home to Florida. And I remembered how much I hate cold weather. Maybe I should have taken them up on it back then. J/K. If I did, I'd never have met dh or had ds. 

 

 

[Susan in TN]

If Warmaggedon occurs in conjunction with the Zombie Apocalypse, we are heading to Pickett State Park in TN.

 

If not, we'll beg a corner of my brother's mini-farm in MN. He has an M16 and plenty of ammo (a gift from his best friend who we suspect is either a CIA agent or international drug dealer, or both) and really good well water.

[mommymilkies]

If I had unlimited funds to choose-Scandinavia or Northern Europe.  More feasibly-Appalachia.  Well, Southern/Eastern KY, in particular as that's where my family is from and I know the land and how to survive there, generally.  I'd rather be somewhere I "know" than tossed into a whole other place, honestly, from a psychological standpoint.

[Mergath]

I would never have considered living in Minnesota (I do hate cold weather), but it's looking better and better. Sometime in the 1980's, there was an attempt to attract teachers to International Falls. You would get a free house and the property on which it stands in exchange for teaching there a certain number of years (5 or 10 I think). I forget the details, but I almost considered it. I was a young, single, teacher and thought it might actually be a great way to get my own home. Then I realized I'd be stuck with a house when my time was up, if I wanted to come home to Florida. And I remembered how much I hate cold weather. Maybe I should have taken them up on it back then. J/K. If I did, I'd never have met dh or had ds.

If you had done it, you might have been my teacher- I grew up in International Falls and I was born in '83. Small world! :)

[Susan in TN]

If you had done it, you might have been my teacher- I grew up in International Falls and I was born in '83. Small world! :)

No kidding?! I've never met anyone from International Falls. I grew up just south of Mpls and International Falls always had a sort of mythological tinge to it.

[fraidycat]

Umm... have you seen Canadian roads? We can't even fix the regular potholes. In our defense, we only have 3 weeks of summer to do road repair.

And they waste it on roads that don't NEED it!!

 

And it's only Saskatchewan with super duper craptastic roads. Other provinces are not quite as bad.

[Audrey]

And they waste it on roads that don't NEED it!!

 

And it's only Saskatchewan with super duper craptastic roads. Other provinces are not quite as bad.

 

 

If by Saskatchewan you mean everything from the Rockies to 10 kms west of the GTO, then yeah. I can agree with that.

[fraidycat]

If by Saskatchewan you mean everything from the Rockies to 10 kms west of the GTO, then yeah. I can agree with that.

No. Alberta's highways are not as bad as Saskatchewan. It's been a while since I've been to Manitoba, but they were better than home when I was younger and traveled throughout the prairies more.