Germany’s Energy Crisis Is a Cue to Chop Wood and Stock Up

Tightly stacked cords of wood line the side of a couple’s home in southern Germany, while another family farther north has lined their basement with shelves stacked with pasta, rice, cooking oil and cans of chickpeas, lentils and tomatoes.

In central Germany, a man long wary of relying on the government has ensured that he can make it through weeks without power or heat; he’s filled his attic with coolers to hold food, along with a camping stove, gas canisters and solar power equipment to keep the lights on and stay connected online. Others brave the chilly waters of a local lake for a daily dip, forgoing a hot shower at home.

Across Europe’s largest economy, people are stocking up and battening down. Even as the authorities publish lists of essential items to prepare for power outages or natural gas rationing, many Germans are taking matters into their own hands to ensure that they have a warm home and food on the table through the winter.

A majority of Germans, a full 60 percent, trust their government, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. But with a seemingly endless barrage of Russian-fired missiles falling on Ukraine, helping to send prices for energy and food at home soaring, many Germans have decided that if faced with the worst, they might be on their own. They want to be prepared.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/25/business/germanys-energy-crisis-is-a-cue-to-chop-wood-and-stock-up.html