Read N Seed 2: First Quarter of "Man vs Wild"

This week I started Man vs Wild, and I am really enjoying it. The first chapter is basically an introduction to nature.  Bear Grylls discusses how most people think of the natural world as "wilderness", but it's not. The natural world is much simpler than the complicated man made world that we live in. We are meant to do more than stare at pavement, go for a hike, its good for you, I promise. "The world is small", is a myth, think of all the places you've only seen pictures of. Was there a Walmart in that picture? Also he discussed how we have two responsibilities to the planet: one is to understand and protect it, and the second is to enjoy it. The point of this book is to encourage you to explore and enjoy what nature has provided.
What happens when all the technology you rely on fails, or is unavailable? Say the power goes out. You can't sit at the TV for entertainment, you have to interact with people, step out of your comfort zone. If you depend too much on technology, you will won't be able to survive in an emergency without it.
The first step in a survival situation is psychology. I think this relates a lot to everyday life. I once had a coach that I think summed it up pretty well, "Whether you think you can, or think you can't. You are probably right". In every survival situation, although physical fitness plays a role, you are dead the instant you give up mentally.
The second step is fire. Fire will do amazing things for you. When you are alone, in the cold, in the dark, or all three, fire might seem like your best friend. Fire can provide you with all of the following: light, warmth, somewhere to cook, a way to get dry, and keeping away animals and insects. Grylls goes in depth on how to build a fire without all the modern tools, but here is a quick video overview on how to. As you can see it takes lots of patience, and maybe some practice.
The third step is food. It may be hard to believe, but most people can actually go at least a week before eating. Finding stuff might be easier if you just look around. One thing that a lot of people forget is hygiene when preparing meat, as well as just eating with soiled hands. Just one small stomach bug could leave you dangerously dehydrated and tired. Here is one thing you might not have known you can make a meal of.
The rest of the chapter is about not making your situation worse. Things that might seem like common sense now, can be questionable in a survival situation. First is stay out of the elements; stay by the fire if it is snowing, under a pine tree when it is raining, etc. And the second is don't get more lost, unless you know where you are going, don't waste your energy.
The implication of this part of the book is both to tell you about all the things you could be doing besides sitting in an office, but to lay out some guidelines on what to do when things go wrong. So instead of sitting on the couch drinking beer this weekend; take a hike, go canoeing, or spend a night in a tent somewhere new. But before you go, make sure you are prepared if something goes wrong.