Scenario: How to survive a nuclear winter

[DaddyOh]

An event occurred and the sun's light is reduced 20%, but that 20% is mostly in the red and blue spectrum. So even though it seems like there is plenty of light out there, nothing will grow for ****. The world is in a crisis. Worldwide crops on the vine start to die, and the grocery stores run out of food in just a few weeks.

So you need to start gardening indoors to feed your family. You can find plenty of soil or hydroponics, electricity or energy like gas are still available, you grab seeds while you can, but the shortage is grow lights. You need grow lights and the hardware store is all out. The government has taken over all factories that can manufacture grow lights so no luck there. Where do you get grow lights?

I actually stole this from a book I read recently. I was surprised at the writer's answer. Post your answers here, or you can cheat and read the book Calizona yourself for the answer. Let's see if anyone can figure out where they can get a whole lot of grow quality lighting cheap, before their families starve.

[SlowRide13]

At the local tanning salon? But why would you need grow lights with no electricity?

[Kudos]

A Nuclear Winter by definition would result from a major Thermonuclear exchange. It has been speculated that it would last for at least seven years until the clouds of Radioactive particles fell from the skies in sufficient quantity to allow sunlight through again. This Radioactive Fallout would deposit all around the planet contaminating all life both organic and plant life. In addition, many Nuclear Power plants will likely have gone critical and suffered a massive meltdown. Add to that picture the fact that a major Thermonuclear exchange will have destroyed the Power Grid and the Power Generating Plants meaning there would be no means to provide fuel, gas or electricity.
At this point, the unlucky survivors will be living in a Radioactive environment and becoming sicker by the day with few resources and consuming radioactive food and water with inevitable end results.
I hardly feel that the burning question for them would be "Now, where can I find Grow Lamp Bulbs?" As a discussion, I am sure there are many would like to know what other Lamps could be used, but, you painted an unrealistic set of circumstances.
If you want an idea of what the Aftermath of a Nuclear exchange would be like, watch the Movie "Threads" on Youtube. Even that is watered down to make it palatable.

[Rick]

In a nuclear winter we are referred to as corpses....just saying.

[Kudos]

A nicer term is "Collateral Damage" but it means much the same.

[cowgirlup]

In a nuclear winter we are referred to as corpses....just saying.

And that why we love Rick..... LOL

[BENESSE]

If you're right with the Lord, you don't give a flying flick about little climate changes like that.
So get busy.

[Wildthang]

I'm not sure I would even want to survive a nuclear winter. I think I would just start partying like there was no tomorrow and die with a nuclear hangover

[Rick]

And that why we love Rick..... LOL

I will make just as lovable a corpse too.

[BENESSE]

Now, there's a thought to wither the imagination.

[Rick]

Why, thank you. I ..... hey, wait a minute.

[DaddyOh]

Actually a nuclear winter is more of an atmospheric condition. Radiation and nukes are optional. The tem was coined during the cold war. We here in America have actually survived a nuclear winter, not long after becoming a nation. A european volcano put up such a plume that we had snow throughout the upper states in july. Only lasted one season.

Someone responded that there would be no electricity. A real survivalist would never say such a thing.

The answer is that most of the grow quality ligting in the world is not used to grow anything. High pressure sodium and HID lights are commonly used in commercial lighting. Your local bank or mall probably has enough to set up a good farm. Many cities are switching to LED streetlights which have lots of blue growth spectrum.

An event that diminishes sunlight would otherwise leave the rest of the world intact. 7 billion people got to eat, but if there is no red or blue spectrum then you are dead in 6 months or less. A couple of volcanos, or an extraorbital impact could cause it. This is an entirely possible scenario.

[Rick]

Actually a nuclear winter is a very specific thing. The other name for it is atomic winter and it is the direct result of countervalue nuclear war. What you describe in the U.S. is a specific combination of factors termed The Year Without a Summer. It was a combination of volcanic ejecta, low solar activity and the end of the Little Ice Age. I doubt we'll ever see such a combination again. Certainly not in our lifetime. They are steeds of different hues.

Your answer doesn't explain how you would manufacture electricity on a large enough scale to run those lights.

[Kudos]

In a "Survivalist" situation it is important to plan for not having Electricity and to see the fact that you have power as a bonus that may only last for a while.
These days we all are so dependent upon electricity being available at the throw of a switch and life without it fills most with horror.
I lived in the remote Jungle for some time without power. It can be done but, of course there was no TV or Refrigerator etc. We cooked using Gas or on an open fire and light was either from a 12 volt battery or candles. Sure it was primitive but it was great training and made you appreciate electricity and water flowing from a faucet.
To really make it in a dire situation we have to be ready to get through it without electricity or fuel and mentally break our dependency on it. Even if you have a Generator it is inevitable that sooner or later it will run out of fuel, break or be stolen.
If you can make it at a basic level then any additional "comfort" is a bonus.
But then I suppose it depends on what level of "survivalist" you see yourself as being.

[Rick]

And it depends on what you plan for.

[SlowRide13]

...To me, anything above and beyond the "Ten C's" is either a Creature Comfort or a Luxury....

I guess that makes me a thrivalist instead of a survivalist.

[CNL]

I grew up in a "off-grid" lifestyle in which we had no power. and no running water and for me in my earlier years that was just life. It wasn't hard it wasn't harsh it just was they way of things. Now after years of pampered living I look forward to going back to that style of life and it just goes to show that you can adapt if the need is there. Well most can some will just die sitting outside the grocery store waiting for the little neon lite to say "open".

As for the ops first post. Grow lights really are a mute point. In your scenario power world wide would not last long enough to make grow lights a viable solution. Outdoor plants die >> livestock and all wild animals die >> chaos and the complete breakdown of our society and governments follows. Nobody is going to be keeping the lights on for you. You are better off immediately hording all you for foodstuffs and supplies, and hiding as best you can for as long as you can.

[Rick]

Gee whiz. Not sure I want to live in that world. But whatever killed the plants and animals probably killed me so no worry I guess.

[Kudos]

I don't think that people really grasp the magnitude of such an event.

[Rick]

Or a cockroach. They seem to do okay.