Light is very important. It is very difficult to do anything after the sun goes down without light. You’ve probably realized this if the power has ever gone out at night-it strikes you all at once how much you rely on light. Obviously, in modern life we are very dependent on light. Not just the lights in our homes, but also street lights, the light from our cellphone, and even light pollution to illuminate the light.
But after disaster strikers, if power grids are down, there won’t be much light anywhere. Here are some options for light sources for when there’s no electricity, as well as suggestions for sustainable energy for light.
Flashlights
This is most likely what everyone has in their homes. Flashlights are a quick and easy way to find your way in the dark. The downside is most flashlights take batteries. There are, however, solar batteries and hand-crank batteries. While these also might not last forever, they can be a nice back-up for when the supply of batteries you should keep in your home or bug-out bag at all times is running low.
Here is one of my favorite battery operated flashlights
Lanterns
Lanterns are great for lighting whole rooms or areas, and, like flashlights, can also be transported from place to place. There are battery-operated, solar, and crank lanterns, which are all good options light the types of flashlights mentioned above. But lanterns traditionally harness the incredible light-giving power of the oldest man-made light source: fire. While typically fueled by oil, you can easily make some long-lasting homemade lanterns with items you most likely already have lying around the house.
Torches
Very crude but reliable! The advantage of torches is they typically require less oil than lanterns, although you will need some type of fuel to keep them burning. A very basic torch is to soak some strips of t-shirts in oil or gasoline (definitely use caution!) and wrap them around a large stick.
Solar Lights
Solar lights will definitely not last forever, but the only energy they need is that of the sun. There are tons of different types available today, and you can buy the very cheap ones usually designed to light outdoor walkways at night and put them into jars for an easy DIY solar lantern.
Candles
Candles deserve a mention because while they also do not have infinite energy, they’re one of the oldest and most basic forms of light. They can easily be used in lanterns as well, and they can be cheap and easy to hoard. Don’t ever forget about candles! They’re always a simple and reliable way to light up the night.
What will be your light source of choice after SHTF?
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