One New Year’s resolution for 2012 all homeowners should consider is to create or update their home emergency kits. The safety and well-being of your family could depend on whether or not you have the proper emergency equipment. Be it a storm, earthquake or flood, there are many scenarios in which an emergency kit will come in handy. So get out that LED flashlight and head up to the attic (or down to the basement), and start assembling your 2012 emergency kit.
For starters, pick a large, sturdy, preferably water- and fire-resistant container that can hold your emergency kit. Make sure it has a solid lid and ample room for larger items such as a backup emergency LED lantern. Next, decide where you will store your kit and make sure there is enough room for everything to fit before you go about filling it.
Occupy Wall Street began with a tent among the trees. Admittedly, the tent was surrounded by hundreds of others, and the trees were in Zuccotti Park, in the financial district, but the point remains: The people who are “occupying” Wall Street – and Portland – are living in the urban wild, with no connection to local power utilities for electrical needs such as lighting.
Cold weather does not mean the end to outdoor fun. The winter season can provide an exciting challenge if you love to camp because of the new experiences it provides and because it gives you a good excuse to use your 
Artists often depict winter as a cranky old man – and for good reason. Winter weather can be harsh and unforgiving, and it isn’t unusual for severe winter storms to wipe out electricity and isolate families in their homes. During such emergencies, preparation is key. Read on to learn how to maintain your winter emergency kit and keep your family happy and safe while Old Man Winter rages outside.
Few things in life are as freeing as hitting the road. A road trip can be an exciting adventure you and your companions will talk about for years – or a nightmare you’ll be groaning over for decades. Either way, you’ll have a story to tell, but if you’d prefer to go the exciting adventure route, here are a few tips for making your trip a success:
Some people are just natural MacGyvers. Send them into the woods with nothing but a compass and a multi tool, and within hours they’ll have a shelter built, a campfire blazing and a foraged meal cooking away.
Pop quiz: Where do you keep your LED lantern?
