Just imagine how it would be to live without electrical power! Total chaos, as we became so dependent on this power source that we can’t even imagine life without it. But in case there would be a natural disaster or another survival scenario, would you know what to do and how to replace electricity? Just think about your ancestors for a second and that fact that they managed to live without electricity or found a way to solve the lack of it. The best example is to take a look at the alternatives they found for a refrigerator, an appliance that is present in our everyday lives.

Solutions for keeping food cold in case of no electricity.

Here’s five ways to do that:

Go underground. One idea they had is that you must go deep underground in order to keep your food cool. For this purpose, caves or a well are the perfect place for a natural way of preserving food. Milk products, meat and other foods have been proven to resist rather well in these conditions. Some people living in the countryside prefer this method instead of using a refrigerator, calling it a root cellar. The solution is easier than you might think.

The ice box. The ice box may sound like a modern invention, but the basic idea behind it traces its origins ages ago. The solution we are suggesting doesn’t involve the ice chest you’d take with you on a picnic. But an actual place in the kitchen, a separate room, preferably underground, where ice is stored – an ice house. Harvesting ice in the wintertime, from lakes and using straw and sawdust to store it in a well-insulated area, for use in warmer times, may sound complicated. But for some people in the right circumstances might just be perfect!

Hand washing your personal laundry, especially delicates, may be an experience most of us choose to skip or pass onto technology. Washing machines normally do this tasks, but not with the same low environmental impact and hygienic results than The Drumi. Making it easier for you to save time and money on cleaning your delicates, the slick design machine you see in the picture will quickly become your trusty assistant. The device has lots of features which make it more attractive. These characteristics include the outer lid can hold 5L of water, the rolling drum is easy to load and is capable to hold up to 5 lbs. of clothing. The detergent tray has a built-in measurement cup and requires 80% less detergent than standard machines. A few twisting motions are required to start working the device, but it’s best you watch the video to find out more about how to use the Drumi properly.

More ideas:

Did you know that rocket stoves can be used for other things besides cooking? Scott Hunt will show you in this next video how to heat water using a rocket stove. All you need to do is have some chopped wooden pieces and you’re ready to heat water without using electricity. Just imagine how much money you could save by applying this technique in your own home.

The way this works is actually very easy and the video below contains a thorough explanation and a demonstration, so you don’t need to be an engineer to put this great idea into practice. Just watch the video below and listen to Scott Hunt. Scott Hunt is the owner of Practical Preppers.

Solar cooking is a cool alternative to electrical cooking and a more environmentally friendly one too. Of course, this type of cooking is conditioned by the weather, but with the help of this awesome gadget called GoSun stove you can cook any meal you want in less than 20 minutes. The best part is that you don’t need to add any kind of fuel to it as it is powered by the sun. The stove costs around $269, but it’s definitely worth the investment for those who like to cook outside. It is made of an aluminum outside that attracts the sunlight and it transfers the solar power through the GoSun’s glass tube. With this solar stove you can cook anything from pizza to meat and you can even use it to simmer vegetables. The GoSun can also be used to keep your cooked meal warm for several hours as the high temperature of the glass structure allows you to do so.