This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Three years ago a storm system walloped Ron Douglas' neighborhood, blanketing it in 5 feet of heavy snow.
Such storms aren't unprecedented in northern Colorado, which is why Douglas was surprised when his neighbor, a father of five, came knocking asking to borrow his truck to get to the store because he had nothing to feed his family. "I told him, 'Here, I'll do you one better,' and I gave him some food from our food stores," recalled the 36-year-old entrepreneur and father of six.
The experience, coinciding as it did with the greatest economic recession this country has seen in two generations, solidified Douglas' belief in the virtue of self-reliance and spawned a new business venture.
Douglas is founder and president of the National Self Reliance Organization, a nonprofit in Frederick, Colo., that produces seminars on emergency preparedness, sustainable living and tips for starting and maintaining a small business.
It's a three-pronged approach to independent living that Douglas showcased this weekend at the 2011 Self Reliance Expo in Sandy.
The two-day event drew more than 10,000 people of all ages and political persuasions, from camouflage-clad survivalists to young mothers concerned about pesticide-ridden, processed foods.
"This isn't doom and gloom, end-of-the-world stuff," said Douglas. "It's about living responsibly and being prepared for emergencies, whether that's a snowstorm, job loss or catastrophic natural disaster like Hurricane Katrina."
Showcased at the expo were the usual food and water storage systems, canning supplies and 72-hour kits. There was also something for kids: a pellet gun demo.
But there were also camp stoves and solar-powered silent generators, a draw for outdoor enthusiasts.
"Being a gadget man, this is the place to be," said Pat Malan, a ham radio operator from Salt Lake City.
At one booth Jared Winger of DoTerra touted the healing benefits of essential oils for everything from bug bites to allergies and sleep problems.
Connie Nielsen, of Life Sprouts, talked about sprouts as the missing link to food storage. Freeze-drying and canning destroys enzymes that the human body needs to use nutrients in the food, she said. Fresh food spoils and growing it can take months, but enzyme-rich sprouts can be grown with little trouble or sunlight within three to four days, she said.
And one of the biggest crowd-pleasers: the Emberlit camp stove, a compact wood burning stove that requires no packable fuel, folds flat and weighs about 5 ounces (the titanium version).
"I'm always tinkering and I like the outdoors," said Mikhail Merkurieff of Lehi, who designed the stove in his garage after being laid off from his job.
"Half of these vendors, this is their first business venture," said Douglas. "Creating a community of entrepreneurs is part of what this is all about."
Douglas believes the philosophy of sustainable living applies to running a successful household and business. And he said getting started can be as simple as mapping out and sticking to a monthly budget.
"We have become a society of high expectations and entitlement. Everyone lives day-to-day," Douglas said. "But the message is catching on and we're growing. Some of the most thankful attendees are first-generation Americans."
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