Editor’s Note: I have never used a Berkey water filter but many if not most of the long-time preppers I respect use them. This could be a major blow to the prepper community, and I’m sure these same silly regulations are going to hit others, including my personal choice at Alexapure. Whatever filter you use, I’d recommend stocking up on replacement filters while they’re still available. Thankfully, most last through thousands of gallons of water each so just a few can last for years. Here’s S.D. Wells with the article from Natural News…
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has decided to ban Berkey water filters, officially labeling them as pesticides. Berkey has sued the EPA in response to their sudden and unorthodox reinterpretation of their own regulations. Berkey water filters are regarded by many as some of the best filters money can buy, and several of Berkey’s products have been featured on Good Morning America, Martha Stewart, Food Network, Thrillist, Goop and Forbes. Berkey products, which have been on the market for a quarter century, became popular due to their gravity purifier and filtering elements that can remove hundreds of waterborne pathogens and contaminants.
According to Berkey’s website, their products can “dramatically reduce bacteria like E. coli, Chlorine, Chloramines, Parasites, Fluoride, Heavy Metals, Inorganic Minerals, Trihalomethane (THMs), Pharmaceuticals, Petroleum Contaminants, Bisphenol-A (BPA), Perfluorochemicals (PFOAS), Herbicides & Pesticides, Protozoa, Inorganic minerals, VOCs, Petroleum products, Perfluorinated chemicals, Rust, Silt, Sediment, and even Radiological.”
One of the main elements in Berkey water filters that contributes to their successful purification is silver. Silver is an active ingredient in many pesticides, thus partly explaining the EPA’s decision to label Berkey as such. However, there were several decisions made by the EPA before this nonsensical label that shed greater light on their true intentions.
The EPA announced at the beginning of the COVID “pandemic” that they were considering reinterpreting their own regulations regarding water filters capable of removing viruses. Concerned by this announcement, Berkey owner Jim Shepherd contacted an EPA consultant for guidance. They provided none. In fact, they even told Shepherd that Berkey products were exempt from the reinterpreted regulations.
EPA pretends to care about Americans’ health, but does very little to protect us from contaminants in water
Following his lackluster consultation from the EPA representative, Shepherd decided it was best to continue manufacturing Berkey products. Shepherd was confident Berkey products were not only safe for the American people, but also incredibly helpful. Arguably the most important role that Berkey filters play in terms of American health is their removal of fluoride. According to a Harvard study, “results support the possibility of adverse effects of fluoride exposures on children’s neurodevelopment.” The EPA identifies fluoride as a dangerous chemical, yet the US government still introduces it to the public water supply to supposedly reduce tooth decay.
As the EPA continued to review its regulations, they did not do anything to reduce the amount of fluoride being spoon-fed to the American people in their tap water. But what they did do was begin banning the filtration product companies that provide effective ways to remove the fluoride. Shepherd said that representatives of the EPA have shut down Berkey’s production plants and delivered stop sale orders to their part manufacturers.
Currently, all Berkey products are listed as unavailable on their website. Shepherd said that he may be faced with having to lay off over 500 American workers if he is unsuccessful in his litigation.
Why would the EPA, out of nowhere, change their minds about this company that so clearly creates a positive impact on American society and health? Even more puzzling is the timing of the decision. As pawns of the Biden administration seem to be preparing for a revamp of COVID, the federal government wants to make water filters that remove the virus unavailable to the American people. Interesting.
Berkey water filters are some of the best filters money can buy, by the way. Use their website below to cover how they filter like 99% of all contaminants, including fluoride, which can cause cancer, brittle bones and lowered IQ. Keep your truth news in check by adding Preparedness.news to your favorites list and tuning in daily for updates on real news about surviving and thriving in the near future, and news that’s being scrubbed from MSM and social media as you read this.
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Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
In my 40 years in the OIL BUSINESS, I had to deal with EVERY ENVIRONMENTAL ‘agency’ on Earth.
I see not many ‘agencies’ that truly WORK FOR US TODAY. “They” ARE CRIMINALS PAID TO DO NOTHING BUT TAKE from OUR MONEY TREE. The ENVIRONMENTAL side is the WORST. I used to advise my gas station owners to go along with ‘them’ because, without ‘oversight’ ‘they’ are as out of control as ANY. If you fight-you will lose. I conclude today that what I see is GOVERNMENT (as Ronald Reagan said), GOVERNMENT IS THE PROBLEM. Put a bunch of sexually and mentally confused in office and you have THE BIDEB CABAL…ALSO THE WORST OF MY LIFETIME – and I LIVED THROUGH BARRY A. SOETORO and his ILLEGAL CABAL.
THE EPA is just a ROGUE bunch of ‘confused’ beings ‘believing’ they are someone in POWER. Each time an AMERICAN challenges them the ONLY court that can stop them from LEGISLATING instead of enforcing law upends their stances.
I can almost imagine what their ‘conversations’ in the office are. “Who do we go after today”…at coffee break.
This ‘agency’, if GONE from existence, would be a BOON TO ALL OF AMERICA.
I still am seeking the ONE AGENCY that ‘WORKS’.
PS: ‘They’ seemed to work when I was younger…a creeping ineptitude has fallen on our ‘government’.
PPS: F- JRB