I read this book:
It was very informative. I plan on reading it again soon to further commit the information to memory. I spent a great deal of this last summer working on my native plant identification skills.
I also live with three Eagle scouts. Two of them are extensively trained in backcountry survival. What's interesting is I'm the one of the four of us more prepared for disaster. I have a supply of food stored, water stored, a first aid kit, and other emergency supplies all ready. I also make sure before winter that I have a windstorm preparedness kit ready (flashlights, battery-powered radio, bottle of wine). I have my first aid and CPR certifications up-to-date. We had a bad windstorm a couple years ago and I was the only person in the house ready with a flashlight. One of the foremost skills needed in greeting disaster is a level head and general preparedness.
Nuclear war could lead to a total economic collapse, depending on where the bomb(s) dropped. It could also lead to a collapse of government.
I am generally preoccupied with the thought of the Apocalypse. It might strike some people as odd, but I believe I've shared this fascination with the board before. Given that, and where I live, I believe that the impact of a nuclear attack on the United States on my particular area would be interesting. It's unlikely that anyone would outright drop the bomb on the Willamette Valley; there's nothing worth bombing here. But we are a rich agricultural area, with a temperate climate, and therefore we are attractive to outsiders. If large numbers of people had to be resettled elsewhere in the United States, I imagine they would think of the Willamette Valley as a prime area for such a resettlement--Oregon Trail Redux, I suppose. For my end of things, I have to be prepared that any infrastructure within my community will be overwhelmed by the needs of the many and be prepared to provide for myself and my own for some time independently, without access to services. To this end, we are planning a garden for planting next spring. We learned to can this fall. I suspect next fall we'll be able to put up even more food than we did this fall. However, this sort of independence doesn't come at the cost of the community; rather, it strengthens our community ties--another thing key to survival--as we generally share the fruit of our labor with our friends and neighbors.