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Your guide to using this book effectively

What is Weltaufgang?

Weltaufgang (German for "world rising") is a practical survival and regeneration manual for the 21st century. It's designed for households, neighbourhoods, and communities who want to build genuine resilience—not through hoarding or isolation, but through care relationships, local food systems, and bioregional knowledge.

This isn't a doomer manual. It's a practical guide to thriving in a world of ecological limits, supply chain fragility, and climate change. The goal is regeneration, not just survival.

How to Use This Book

Step 1: Identify Your Bioregion

Start by understanding where you live—not politically, but ecologically. What's your climate? Your watershed? Your growing season?

Find your bioregion →

Step 2: Read the Foundations

Chapters 0-2 provide essential context. Why now? What is a bioregion? How do care relationships become infrastructure?

Start with Chapter 0 →

Step 3: Learn the Survival Systems

Chapters 3-7 cover the practical systems: food, permaculture design, water, energy, and shelter. These apply everywhere, with bioregional adaptations.

Browse all chapters →

Step 4: Go Deep on Your Bioregion

Chapters 12-19 provide specific guidance for each bioregion type. This is where general principles meet local reality.

Your bioregion survival guide →

Step 5: Follow the Action Plans

Every chapter and bioregion page includes action plans: what to do in 72 hours, 30 days, 1 year, and 2 years. Start small, build consistently.

Book Structure

Part 1

Context and Orientation

Chapters 0–2

Part 2

Survival Systems

Chapters 3–7

Part 3

Social, Economic, and Cultural Systems

Chapters 8–11

Part 4

Bioregional Deep Dives

Chapters 12–19

Part 5

Pathways and Futures

Chapters 20

Key Principles

Care before tech.Relationships with neighbours matter more than gear.

Local before global.Build from your bioregion outward, not the other way.

Regenerate, don't just survive.The goal is thriving ecosystems, not bunkers.

Start now, start small.The 72-hour actions are designed to begin today.

Knowledge is commons.This book is meant to be shared, adapted, and improved.

Reading Paths

Complete Beginner

Read Part 1 (Chapters 0-2), then your bioregion's survival guide, then return for Parts 2-3.

~4 hours reading

Experienced Permaculturist

Skip to your bioregion (Part 4), then read Chapter 8 (Governance) and Chapter 2 (Care).

~2 hours reading

Urban Dweller

Start with Chapter 16 (Urban), then Chapters 3 (Food), 8 (Governance), and 9 (Circular Economy).

~3 hours reading

Community Organizer

Chapter 2 (Care), Chapter 8 (Governance), then your bioregion for local context.

~2 hours reading

Ready to begin?

The best place to start is identifying your bioregion. This determines which specific guidance applies to your situation.

Find Your Bioregion Read Chapter 0