That's a good metaphor regarding people living in places without enough water . The article includes some good ideas for household-scale measures to cope with water shortages. Look at what you can do for yourself, because the authorities pretty obviously are not reliable. It also introduces this valuable term: Subsidiarity is a principle of social organization that holds that social and political issues should be dealt with at the most immediate (or local) level that is consistent with their resolution . This is good sense that much of humanity has forgotten. Supply lines are always vulnerable, and that increases the longer they get. Therefore, security requires that all needs be met as close to the source as possible. Only ship food long-distance to places that can't grow their own. Otherwise you're screwed when something interrupts the flow, which always happens sooner or later. New York's entire food supply is routed through a single shipping area right on the waterfront. One bad storm hitting that will cripple the city until it can be replaced -- and they only have about a 3-day supply of food. 0_o This is not what I consider a safe situation. So if you needed another reason to "shop local," there it is: so you don't get your supply lines cut.