“With Covid-19, I believe its Gods way of telling us only Humans can save Humans with Humanity”-Somya Kedia
As a result of the economic crisis created by the pandemic, almost 1.6 billion informal economy workers representing the most vulnerable in the labour market out of a world-wide total of two billion and a global workforce of 3.3 billion, have suffered massive damage to their capacity to earn a living – International Labour Organization.
The current strain in resources due to the Covid-19 has made everyone everywhere to strive for the basic needs(food, shelter, clothing) of life to keep body and soul together. Many are creatively thinking outside the box to answer the ultimate question, How to live in the current times with limited resources and be self-reliant?
As I pondered over this question, I came to a conclusion that making a scale of preference to separate my wants from my needs is the key.
The average food cost for a US household was 6202 dollars in 2013. That is roughly 2641 dollars annually per person (based) on the average 2.5 people in each household -www.valuepenguin.com. Establishing a subsistence farm where I can grow maize, yam, cassava, beans and vegetables will be a priority. I will also raise some domestic animals like poultry, rabbit, goat, sheep and pigs to meet my meat demand.
These provisions will make me food sufficient as I extend a helping hand to the needy around me. I will also cut off my spending in eateries and on junk foods by learning how to cook for myself.
Car pollution is one of the major cause of global warming. Cars and trucks emit carbon di oxide and other greenhouse gases, which contributes to one-fifth of the United States global warming pollution-www.sciencing.com
Employing the use of bicycle for mobility will help me reduce transportation cost, protect the environment from global warming and keep my body exercised.
Tugba Sabanoglu reported that an average adult in the UK spends 51-100 pounds per year on clothing. While shopping for my clothes, I will invest in quality, not quantity, buy second handed wears , and get creative in dressing by rotating my clothes. This will enable me live a balanced life despite resource limitations. Learning how to do my laundry myself during weekends will reduce my weekly expenditure.
According to Joseph Johnson, the average annual spending on cinema in 2012 was 17.40 pounds per head population.Adopting the use of netflix , youtube and other online entertainment services is a wise way to manage the limited resource available to a person.
Shelter is another vital need for existence on earth. The effect of lockdown has made prices of building materials to sky rocket . To be self reliant, I willl resort to the use of burnt bricks, thatch , slime and wood ash to make a temporary abode that will keep me in safety amidst covid-19.
With these few strategies of mine , I will be able satisfy all my needs, be self reliant and have enough to spare to others in these times of limited resources.