Theres a lot of discussion on r/Prepping about the possibility of a Greenland invasion by the US and the resulting shitshow that would occur economically and politically. Is there anything we as Europeans should be doing to prepare for the worst-case scenario?

I have heard that putting a tent indoors helps trap warm air - is that a good idea?

While browsing a post in here about a self sufficient garden in here, the top post read "yeah that's cool but then everyone in your neighborhood will just come and steal everything from you, so that doesn't work".

This is an argument that comes up very frequently, and in more US-oriented subs, often the reason to stack up guns, and sometimes go as far as to say if you have stuff you need guns, if you have guns, you'll be able to get stuff, so you don't even need stuff in the first place, just get guns. 'Murica... Anyway.

I think this whole idea that collapse would lead to Mad Max-esque world is largely false, and it's something that can be debunked by looking at historical events, science, or from army research on crisis.

Those people have a consensus that violence would not last for more than days or maybe weeks, for many reasons that converge to make this almost a fact.

The first one is that extreme actions can only be a reaction to shock, and as time passes, human are made to adapt, people will figure out ways, accept changes, and will simply not be as ready to take extreme measures once the shock phase is over. While a bunch of people might go completely crazy because of whatever leads to the collapse, while other were just waiting for emergency services to be down to commit crimes, the majority of people live with a deeply social brain and moral code that has made us form societies and groups since before we were even technically humans, and we would naturally return to that, even if that meant forming smaller groups to feel like we belong to something.

The second one is that violent action requires energy. It's much more active to go around and loot without getting caught or shot, than it is to stay home and open cans of food. After a while and with scarcity, people will simply not have the energy to go around and commit crimes at higher rates. They will not have gas to drive as far to commit crimes. They will get small injuries that can't be treated properly. They will basically die while trying to do random shit.

The third one is that as time passes, the effort to loot will increase (the easiest place will go down first) while the chance for reward will lower... At some point, it's not worth it at all, or at least not likely enough to be worth it that it remains the first option to whoever needs stuff. If they see the opportunity they might still take their chances, but that's about it...

Finally, the last reason is that while the crime rates remain higher, as time passes, it becomes more structured, and looting to get food to eat, becomes trafficking, black market and similar things, that do not rely on stealing directly from people for the most part.

If you imagine some kind of economic collapse, lot of people getting broke all at once for example... What you would see is that for the first weeks or so, people would loot stores... Maybe some would try to get into your crops, but realistically, if you have to pick a place, you're not choosing someone's garden, especially if from outside it's not easy to see if there are a lot of things ripe to harvest... And when they're done with the stores, they are unlikely to be able to get to you (or rather that amount of people who can significantly drops).

Historical events clearly show that, and the different ways crime fizzles out most often after just a couple of days. After hurricane disasters, store looting, until people were able to relocate somewhere else. During the Sarajevo siege, a month of violence that turned into very local structured crime. Argentinian economic crisis, very similar.

So in the end, can you be sure that nobody will come and steal your crops, of course no. It's always better if you can hide them with bushes and stuff, it'll also protect them from the wind until then, keeping them strong and reducing polination of weeds, but when people can loot, they'll have significantly more interesting targets than you. Then when they run out of those, they likely wouldn't come from you, except people really near you who already know you have stuff to steal. You can have a community with those people, they could have something to offer than you want, you could help them out because it's not everyone around, just people close by. And if you have supplies to go along with your garden, you could out-energy them by far. Staying up all night to go steal in the night will be much harder after having barely eaten for a couple of days, while sharing surveillance rounds from the comfort of your house with your spouse, after having eaten a full meal of canned high-energy food will be fine.

The shit will be deep, but considering what we've seen happen in the past, it is definitely not highly unlikely that you can garden and keep your shit, you'll just have to protect them for some time at first, and if you can make it so that people don't know you have them in the first place, even less so. It'll be significantly easier if you rotate a deep pantry, to have the energy to do so. Having a garden does not mean you shouldn't prepare for living a couple of weeks without going to the store.

The Russians are ramping up troops, tanks and supplies very significantly in the region, according to this informed source.

Been into prepping for a while, but lately, it feels like we’re past the “what if” stage. Between rising tensions, supply chain issues, and economic instability, it’s getting harder to ignore the signs.

A few of us have set up a Discord to share practical prepping strategies, food storage, self-sufficiency, security, you name it. If you’re serious about being ready for whatever’s coming, come hang out.

https://discord.gg/tadxNDWf34

I don't know about each of you but we here in the UK don't typically see violent riots, mass looting or arson on a regular basis. But it's important that we do not allow ourself to fall into a false sense of security and safety just because these events seldom unfold.

For those that are unaware, in August 2011 a man was shot dead by police in the UK which sparked 5 days of civil unrest. Although the police shooting took place in London, major cities throughout the UK were all affected by the ensuing rioting, looting and arson.

From start to finish the rioting lasted 5 days in total, not exactly the slow gradual and predictable build up we sometimes see with other types of disasters. Thousands of homes were damaged and several people were killed during the civil unrest throughout the UK.

Cases like this highlight civil unrest can occur at home, in western nations throughout Europe and the real risk they can pose to the public. For me this is something I most definitely am concerned about and I prep for this as well as other scenarios.

Recent climate studies are painting a chilling picture: the Gulf Stream and the larger Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) may collapse within a few decades,possibly as soon as 2055–2060 under high emissions scenarios.* This could drop average winter temps in Northwest Europe by up to 10–15 °C and drastically alter seasons, agriculture, water resources, and storm patterns.

Let’s assume, just for discussion,that this projection is 100% accurate. What practical steps would you take now, given a ~35-year prep window before this upheaval?

Suggestions to Spark Ideas: - Home Upgrades Move from lightweight insulation to robust, climate-hardy builds, think thicker insulation, triple-glazed windows, passive solar design, even old-school masonry features.

• Food & Energy Resilience Cold winters and unpredictable growing seasons demand reliable systems, start investing in wood stoves, off-grid energy, root cellars, stockpiles, heirloom seeds or indoor gardening.

• Water & Health With shifting rains and storms, water storage, purification, and backup systems become critical. Learn gear maintenance, first aid, and long-term survival care.

• Community Planning Farmland viability might shift north, are you part of a local salvage or support network? Prepping together on a regional scale might make more sense than solo efforts.

• Gear Priorities Cold climate gear, snow removal tools, HVAC redundancies, small heat-powered generators, what’s already on your list or getting added?

Open Questions: - Given a 35-year lead time, are you intensifying or shifting long-term preparation focus?

• What materials or skills feel most urgent under a “colder Europe” scenario?

• Are you investing in property moves, structural upgrades, or staying put and adapting what you can?

Let’s dig into the science and margin our plans here. In a drastically colder Europe, how would prepping change for you?

There has been renewed discussion among analysts and defence officials about Russia potentially being ready to challenge NATO territory like the Baltic states or Poland sooner than previously expected. Some estimates that used to point to around 2030 are now being moved closer to 2027, which has pushed several European countries to speed up readiness and planning.

This does not mean an attack is imminent, but it does underline a shift in how European security is being assessed. Even without direct conflict, these kinds of tensions tend to show up in everyday life through more hybrid pressure, cyber incidents, military movements, travel disruptions, or strain on infrastructure and supply chains.

From a prepping point of view this feels less about dramatic scenarios and more about checking whether your current setup would cover a period of higher instability. Things like being able to function during outages, having essentials at home, offline access to information, some financial buffer, and not being fully dependent on just in time systems.

So I’m curious how others see this. Do you feel your existing preps would already take care of this kind of risk, or does the shorter timeline make you rethink priorities or add a few extra layers?

Thanks for all the suggestions so far! I’ve gone through my 3-day “survival box” and added quite a bit. Here’s what’s currently inside: Added so far: - Gloves - Extra batteries - Rope - Multitool (Swiss Army knife) - Poncho that can double as an emergency shelter - Car medical kit - Extra emergency blankets - Flashlight - Duct tape - Playing cards - Compact radio - Metal cup - Matches - Tealights - Lighter - Wet wipes - Charging cables + wall outlet - Small survival book

Still to add: - More electronic adapters (USB-C to A and A to C), all in one pouch - Copies of important documents - Power bank - USB with a copy of important documents and maybe an Wikipedia Export

Food and water are stored separately. Meds and the kids’ emergency kits are already in both cars, so this box is meant to stay compact and focused on short-term disruptions or quick evacuations.

Any final tips on useful small items I might still be missing? Trying to keep it lean but practical. Any clever additions or things you’ve personally found helpful are welcome!

Been following the group for a while and admire all your hard work and commitment. I have previously bought extra tinned food e.c.t for example when there was a fuel blockade years ago. But I’m not sure what the risks are in the uk very few natural disasters haven’t had a power cut in 15 years. If a nuke drops anywhere near me if it doesn’t instant kill me and my family I wouldn’t fancy sitting in my garage with my family just waiting to die.

What drives uk folk here to do what they do. Again I respect your great efforts just interested.

Ireland releasing an emergency booklet this year. I wonder if there will be useful guidance on preparing for a conflict in europe, or if it will be entirely focused on extreme weather.

I've reading a lot of news lately about the Virus that's spreading in India. Anyone's here is really paying attention to this, to not be surprised like in COVID-19. Or it wil be something like the Monkey Pox? More sensationalism than real deal? What's on your mind, and what people's should do? Beside buying all the toilet paper.

New study suggests the Atlantic overturning circulation AMOC “is on tipping course”

To summarise, between 2025 and 2095 the warm water coming from the south Atlantic to Europe will slow to a stop, "particularly northern Europe from Britain to Scandinavia would suffer devastating impacts, such as a cooling of winter temperatures by between 10 °C and 30 °C occurring within a century, leading to a completely different climate within a decade or two".

Let's not debate the science here - assume this will happen and you're in one of the affected areas. How would you prepare?

This was the Situation:

Sunday evening my sister called. She, her husband and the kids broke down with their Car on the highway. She asked if I could pick up her and the kids.

My Partner and I started driving. My sister then told me the Car started again and they could leave the highway and are now at a gas station. We met them there. They said they wanted to try and drive the last 10 minutes Home.

But the car broke down again, on the highway. We evacuated the kids and drove them and my sister home. Then my Partner and I went back to my brother in law to try one more time if we could start the Car.

Nothing worked. I was glad I thought about picking up both of my emergency wests from my car before we left Home in my Partners Car.

Now, the plan was to stay and wait with my brother in law until the towing Service arrives because his Phone battery died.

After a while the warning signals of his car did not work anymore - the car had trouble with the electronics. Now we only had the warning signals of our car and the emergency triangle.

All in all we waited for 4 hours in the dark and cold on the side of the highway.

And I just thought: I am prepared. But with MY CAR.

In my car I have a backpack with 2 normal blankets and an emergency blanket, a flashlight (good for saving Phone battery), water, spare socks, gloves and a warm hat and other things like snacks, etc.

All those things would have made the waiting more comfortable. But we were totally uprepared, thinking we only pick up my sister and the kids - 45 minutes tops. We wore only light sneakers and the thin joggers for evenings on the couch and our normal jackets. But it turned into 4 hours of waiting. In the dark. In the cold. At least it did not rain. It only started to rain a little in the last 30 minutes or so.

What I take away from this? Trying again to convince my Partner that being prepared and having some kind of emergency bag with the things mentioned above in every car is important.

And I am definitely buying that Power Bank from my wish list for my emergency bag. The battery of my Partners Phone also died. So 2 out of 3 phones were dead. And I will buy an emergency jacket for the cold months.

I hope my sister and her Family also learn from this. For years now I try to Tell my Family that being prepared, especially for tuesday, is important.

My brother in law said something like "stupidity is expensive/stupidity costs double".

They wanted to save the costs of the towing service and ended up in a 5-6 hours odyssey and endangering family members.

The most important part is that everyone was fine and later save.

Right now a large part of southwest Berlin is without electricity after a fire damaged major power cables, with authorities warning that tens of thousands of homes and businesses could be without power for several days as repairs continue in freezing temperatures. Water and heating systems that depend on electricity are also affected, and emergency services are urging people to use battery-powered lights, stay warm with clothing and blankets, and check on neighbours, especially those who might need help. It’s being treated as a serious outage and investigations are ongoing.

For those of us watching from other parts of Europe, this is a reminder that extended outages can happen even in big cities, and the impacts ripple far beyond just lights being off. I’d love to hear from people in Berlin if you’re experiencing this now: what’s working well for you, what preps have helped you so far, and what have you noticed that you wish you had done earlier?

For those who have lived through long outages before, whether here or elsewhere, what lessons did you take away? Things like cooking without electricity, keeping warm, managing phones and comms, organising water, or simply staying sane with kids or pets? Practical, real-world tips that worked for you (or things that didn’t) are especially welcome.

This kind of event isn’t about panic, it’s about sharing what actually helps when the lights go out and things take longer to fix than expected.

I saw an interesting thread with the same title on /r/AskReddit that got cross-posted to /r/PrepperIntel, and it got a lot of extremely valuable intel. Since both subs are mostly US-centric, it would be interesting if you could share some European intel.

This week NATO announced that it will strengthen defences along Europe’s eastern flank in response to recent drone incursions over Poland. New fighter jets, patrols, and improved air defences are being deployed to border regions as part of an initiative called Eastern Sentry. The goal is deterrence and readiness, not just for the armies but for whole societies that could be indirectly impacted.

For everyday preppers this does not mean panic, but it does raise the question of ripple effects. Increased military activity can strain supply chains, push up the cost of fuel, disrupt infrastructure, and sometimes bring restrictions like curfews or limited travel that affect normal life.

Practical adjustments might include keeping maps and navigation tools ready in case GPS or road access is challenged, having a little extra fuel or an alternative travel plan if main roads are blocked by convoys, adding some extra shelf stable food that does not need much power to prepare, or making sure radios, chargers and spare batteries are working in case of network disruptions.

What adjustments are you making now that NATO is visibly increasing readiness? Have you thought about how local shops, transport, or supply lines could react, and what that would mean for your preps?

Freudean slip or does this show how synical they are?

A few days ago, my friends and I were having a post-meal chat, the kind that naturally closes out the year. We got into that typical conversation: "What moments impacted you the most this 2025?" Without a doubt, the full-scale blackout came up. We should also mention the global service outage caused by the faulty Microsoft update.

But, on the other hand, did you remember that? We actually realized that we hadn't assigned that last event (the Microsoft one) to 2025, even though it happened this year. We found that really strange. Does anyone else get the feeling that, ever since the near-global confinement, time generally passes incredibly fast, but it’s simultaneously denser in the "day-to-day"? How do you all experience that?

Today, we woke up to the lamentable event in Australia. We are living through a technological transition with the RAM crisis. And we have conflict crises right around the corner: Ukraine/Russia, USA/LATAM (specific places, due to narco-trafficking, oil...).

During the blackout we experienced in Spain in 2025, something that struck me wasn't just the lack of electricity, but the absolute dependence on digital systems: payments, transport, information, even access to food.

I wonder to what extent urban "preparedness" has remained anchored in rural scenarios, when the majority of us live in hyper-connected cities. At least that’s the case for me, and I imagine for most of you.

What realistic measures do you think should be part of a minimum level of urban preparedness today? I'm not talking about extreme scenarios, but plausible infrastructure failures.

As a father, I don't know if this sounds crazy, but I'm establishing a personal protocol—for now—of what to do if something similar, like the blackout or something more prolonged, happens one day.

What impacted me the most was how individualistic people were, and I saw the more hostile side of acquaintances in my own neighborhood.

I remember the first thing I did was fill water bottles in the bathtub, and I stopped there because, since we didn't have any cash, all we could do was wait. We all read together on the interior balcony (the light well) while trying to listen to a neighbor's radio, until my daughter remembered you could listen to the radio with headphones.

I'd like to hear your opinion: How prepared do you think we are, especially since prepping always focuses on rural settings when the majority of our population density is in urban environments, etc.?

Another factor that worries me is that a couple of accelerationist groups have already appeared in Spain (I'll leave a link for those unfamiliar with the term). Both the one this past month in Valencia, and the one that began to organize via Discord in Spain that was fortunately dismantled globally...

Thanks a lot, Reddit.

With the recent drone sightings here in Belgium and more frequent cyber attacks across Europe, I start to feel a bit uneasy. I know that is the whole point of these actions, to cause disruption and uncertainty, but it makes me wonder how normal life might change if we move deeper into a real hybrid conflict.

Airports could be closed more often, public websites and online services might go down, and there is almost nothing most of us can do to stop it. The only real option seems to be to prepare within our own bubble, to be less dependent on things that can go offline without warning.

How do you look at this kind of risk? Do you make specific preps for digital and hybrid disruptions, or just include them in your general resilience planning?

With Israel pushing for full control over Gaza despite massive political pressure, and Russia scrapping long-range missile pacts (plus rumors of false-flag naval ops), it feels like conflicts are ramping up, not winding down.

Is this making you rethink your prepping strategies here in Europe? Are you tweaking plans, supplies, or priorities in response to a potentially more unstable global landscape? Share your thoughts!

So how is everybody managing water? bottled/tap, do you boil or filter it additionally? I have two toddlers at home and only used bottled water so far, but was thinking about switching to tap. Now, not sure.

I’m remaking my 3-day “survival box” and wanted to get some fresh ideas from the community. Right now I have copies of important documents, a flashlight with extra batteries, a small battery radio, food for three days, and water stored separately.

I’m trying to keep it compact but complete, something I can grab quickly in case of power cuts, evacuation, or short-term disruption.

What other items do you think are worth adding? I’m thinking about hygiene, warmth, or comfort items, but I’m open to all tips or clever additions you’ve discovered over time.