The word prepper has gotten a lot of bad publicity because of misinformation. People assume that disaster or doomsday preppers are “crazy,” but the opposite could be true. There's nothing crazy about being prepared for the worst, even if it doesn't come.

Prepping can come in many forms and for many reasons, which is why now might be the best time to start thinking about emergency relief for you and your family. Here are some of the reasons why and how you can become a prepper.

1. Food shortages could be more common.

The possibility of a total collapse of the food industry isn't that likely, but the cost of food shortages is noticeable. Earlier this year, we saw a glimpse of chaotic supermarkets, which can be totally avoided with food storage prepping. This Augason Farms Emergency Food Storage Kit Review highlights the need for food reserves, which is a growing concern when shelves are empty. It's also good to have extra food on hand in general.

2. Too many people lack basic survival skills.

The reliance on electricity and technology to do our daily tasks has left a lot of people lacking basic survival skills. Things to know like building a proper fire, hunting, foraging, fishing, building shelter, and so much more have become a luxury for those that choose to learn. This leads to a society that lacks a basic understanding of how to function outside of society, which causes chaos.

3. Living far from cities is becoming more popular.

The big cities offer something for most people. The convenience and entertainment aspects are undeniable, but many opt to fly the coop and find homes in the countryside, away from the metropolitan spaces. This is leading to a need for more necessities on hand because there's less convenience. You can no longer walk down the street to a store. Instead, you may need to drive miles, so having everything close to home is a big plus.

4. Environmental sustainability helps everyone.

Using too many plastic water bottles, overloading the grid with electricity use, and being wasteful in general is evidently harming everyone. Being able to be a sustainable person or household helps everyone live better, and it helps the environment. If everyone started living this way, there would be less concern about the future, so it's a good time to start now.

5. There are infinite resources to learn the prepping lifestyle.

Becoming a prepper is a lot easier now than ever. This lifestyle really took off in the 1990s, but there were limited resources just by virtue of the lifestyle itself. Now that the Internet is more easily accessible, people can find forums, websites, and retailers that can offer advice or guidance, like this article, and purchase goods they need.

The stigma around the word prepper and the connotations of what it means is hopefully a thing of the past soon enough, but even if it's still a buzzword for some, there's no denying the relevance. Learning how to become a prepper helps people become more reliable and sustainable people, which is great in our modern, hectic world.