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As a prepper, it’s important to get your preps ready for different survival scenarios. This means even if you have a bug-out bag, you should take the time to learn how to forage for wild edible plants.

If SHTF and you lose your gear or run out of supplies, knowing how to conduct the universal edibility testcan help you find wild herbs and plants that are safe to eat.(h/t toTruePrepper.com)

The universal edibility test will guide you through a detailed process to determine which plants or plant parts are safe to eat.

While the test may seem tedious, doing each of these steps properly ensures that you can stay safe and avoid poisonous plants while trying new plants.

Through the test, you will gradually expose yourself to the plant in a controlled manner. It will also help you monitor any symptoms that may develop between exposure.

This wilderness survival skill will be useful both in the wild and in your own backyard after dealing with a long-term scenario where your food supply may run out. Choose a plantthat is abundant in the area you are foraging in

If you are planning to do the universal edibility test, focus on a plant that you can harvest a lot of.

The universal edibility test is a thorough and lengthy process, and the last thing you want to do when your supplies are running out is to waste time doing it if you don’t have plenty of the plant you are testing. Separate the plant parts

Start by putting all the plant parts into separate piles for testing: Flowers Buds Leaves Stems Seeds Roots

Make sure you try each part of the plant separately since some components could be toxic while others are edible. One example is rhubarb, where the plant stalks are edible but the leaves are toxic.

You should also check the plant you forage. It must be in good shape, not rotting and doesnt have any insects in this step. (Related: Prepper foraging tips: 6 Wild lettuce lookalikes to avoid.) Start with one part of the plant

Picking a part of the plant that you can harvest a lot will help make sure that the time you spend on the test is worth it. Smell the plant

If the plant you select has an unpleasant odor, do not eat that part of the plant. Strong or acidic smells should be avoided.

Avoid any plant or partthat smells like almonds since that is an indicator of a toxic compound. Touch the plant

Touch a piece of the plant to your wrist for 15 minutes.If you experience itching, burning or numbness, do not eat that plant part.

Wait for eight hours until moving on to the next step to check for the development of rashes or other reactions.Do not eat anything during this step. Touch the plantto your lips

If you want, you can cook the pieces of the plant for this. Prepare it as you would eat other vegetables.

Cooking plants is preferred because some plants are toxic when eaten raw, but not when cooked.

Once the plant part is prepared, touch it gently to your lips to test for any burning, itching or numbness.If you experience any of these side effects in the next three minutes, do not eat that part of the plant. Put the plant on your tongue

Once you confirm that you can safely touch the plant to your skin, try placinga small portion of the plant in your mouth.

Place the plant on your tongue for 15 minutes. Chew the plant

After 15 minutes, chew the plant and then hold it in your mouth for another 15 minutes without swallowing.

If the plant tastes soapy or bitter, spit it out. Do not eat that part of the plant. Swallow the plant

Swallow the plant part. Wait for at least eight hours for any adverse reactions.

If you don’t notice any negative side effects, prepare at least 1/3 cup of that plant part and eat it.

If you have no reaction after waiting another eight hours, then that part of the plant is edible.

Keep in mind that you need to repeat this entire process for all of the parts of the plant. In some cases, the entire plant could be edible, but some plants may have select parts that are edible. More foraging tips for preppers

Here are more tips that can help you forage for wild edibles safely when SHTF:

Do your research

When foraging for plants, make sure you can identify a plant properly before touching or consuming it.

Improve your foraging skills by attending plant walks with an expert, studying basic botany, cross-referencing different illustrated and updated guidebooks, or using educational websites.

Familiarize yourself with the area

Study up on the area you plan to forage. Read up on poisonous or endangered plants that grow there, and find out what edibles are abundant.

Avoid locations near factories, golf courses, roads, or places where the water and soil could be contaminated. Look for off-trail areas away from human activity, which are usually safer.

Harvest responsibly

Check local land management guidelines for any harvesting or foraging limits. Forage only in areas and amounts that are permitted so you don’t get in trouble.

Take only what you need and leave enough for the wildlife and for regrowth. This means taking no more than five percent of one species in a certain area.

Look for edible weeds

When foraging, look forweedy patches where edible species grow in abundance. Look for edible weeds like dandelion and nettle.

Walk lightly

Be mindful of your impact when venturing off the trail while foraging.

Leave no trace and walkon durable surfaces like logs and rocks. Avoid trampling other flora as you explore an area.

Read up on poisonous plants and mushrooms

Once you learn how to recognize edible plants, take the time to also learn how toidentify poisonous plants.

Some poisonous plants can give you a rash, but others could kill you if you consume enough of them.Learn how to recognize the traits of toxic species, especially those that look similar to edible and medicinal plants.

If you want to save time, buy and review an illustrated edible plant guide.

Remember that the universal edibility test does not work for mushrooms or other types of fungus. If you want to forage for mushrooms, get a mushroom guide.

Learning about local plants using a guide may be easier, but knowing how to test a plant’s edibility is a useful skill for any prepper.

VisitGreenLivingNews.comto read more articles about foraging.

Watch the video below to learn how to forage for wild yam.

This video is from theForaging Truth channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories:

5 Medicinal mushrooms you can grow in your home garden or forage in your backyard.

How to start an herbal medicine cabinet.

Prepper recipes: How to make delicious acorn pancakes.

Sources include:

TruePrepper.com

Backpacker.com

Brighteon.com
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Labor Day Sales from Anker SOLIX, Jackery, and Rad Power Bikes, score massive $683 savings on Luckeep X1 Lite e-bike at $466, more

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August 22, 2025

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Labor Day Sales from Anker SOLIX, Jackery, and Rad Power Bikes, score massive 3 savings on Luckeep X1 Lite e-bike at 6, more

Closing out this week’s Green Deals is several holiday sales from some of our favorite brands, lead by Anker’s SOLIX Labor Day Sale that is taking up to 61% off power stations and solar bundles starting from $120. We also have further Labor Day Sales from Jackery (up to 50% off with bonus 5% and 7% savings) and Rad Power Bikes, a massive $683 price drop on Luckeep’s X1 Lite Folding All-Terrain e-bike at $466, and much more waiting for you below. Plus, all the hangover savings are at the bottom of the page, like yesterday’s Lectric Labor Day Sale with the $500 price cut on the ONE e-bike to a new low, Anker’s eufy SoloCam S220 deals, and more.

Head below for other New Green Deals we’ve found today and, of course, Electrek’s best EV buying and leasing deals. Also, check out the new Electrek Tesla Shop for the best deals on Tesla accessories.

Review: The ST3 Pro e-scooter brings serious suspension alongside smart controls and more as Navee’s latest flagship

As a long-time rider of Segway electric scooters, my expectations are quite high for new brands looking to climb their way up to the standard that the household-name has set in stone at this point. Only within the last few months did Navee come onto my radar, with the brand offering me the chance to test out its latest flagship model, the ST3 Pro Electric Scooter, which has been quite the surprise, to say the least. At first, it seemed like it was full of gimmicks that were destined to fail, but after riding around for several weeks now, I can happily say that Segway may just have found a new challenger. Head below to get my hands-on impressions of this high-end e-scooter that still retains accessible pricing for the stunning list of features.

To get our full hands-on impression of this new flagship e-scooter, be sure to check out our review here.

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Anker SOLIX power stations

Save up to 61% on Anker SOLIX power stations and solar bundles during its Labor Day Sale – deals start from $120

Anker has launched its Labor Day Sale running through August 30 and taking up to 61% off the brand’s lineup of power stations, solar bundles, accessories, and more. Coinciding with the new pre-launch promotion on the upcoming C1000 Gen 2 station, we spotted Anker dropping its first-gen C1000 Portable Power Station bundled with a 200W solar panel and protective waterproof bag back to $729 shipped for the second time. This bundle normally fetches $1,598 in full, which we saw discounts take as low as $799 until last month’s Prime Day Sale when it hit this low price for the first time. At Amazon, you’ll only find the station and solar panel pairing for $700 shipped, so you’re getting the waterproof bag (valued at $100) for $30 more. This is a 54% markdown that cuts $869 off the tag for a second chance at the best price we have tracked. Head below to browse this sale’s full lineup.

The Anker SOLIX C1000 power station is one of the brand’s best compact backup power companions for camping trips, right alongside the smaller C800 Plus, C300 series, and C200. While not as big as its home backup models, it still brings a solid 1,056Wh LiFePO4 battery (expandable up to 2,112Wh) along for your off-grid adventures with 11 output ports that provide up to 1,800W of steady power that can surge as high as 2,400W. It can refill its own battery to 80% in 43 minutes through a standard AC outlet, with it taking 58 minutes to reach full. There’s also the 600W max solar input that can recharge it in 1.8 hours, so with the included 200W panel, you’re looking at things taking a little longer, around five or so hours. And your solar setup gets the added protection of the waterproof bag that fits the station and keeps it safer from the elements.

Anker’s other SOLIX C1000 Labor Day Sale deals:

Anker’s SOLIX C800 Labor Day Sale deals:

Anker’s SOLIX C300/C200 Labor Day Sale deals:

Anker’s SOLIX F2000 Labor Day Sale deals:

To check out Anker’s full SOLIX Labor Day Sale lineup, including the larger power stations and solar generator bundles, be sure to check out our original coverage of this sale here.

woman riding Rad Power RadRover 6 Plus e-bike through farm

Rad Power’s Labor Day Sale takes up to $600 off three legacy e-bikes starting from $999 + 25% accessory discounts

Rad Power has launched its Labor Day Sale promotions through September 3 with up to $600 taken off a selection of e-bikes alongside up to 25% discounts on accessories (applied in cart). Alongside the ongoing $999 low on the RadExpand 5 Folding e-bike that now sports a “last chance” mention, Rad has added one of my favorite models to the deals lineup, the RadRover 6 Plus Step-Thru Fat-Tire e-bike at $1,299 shipped. We last saw this model come off its $1,599 price tag back in June for the brand’s Father’s Day sale with a $200 discount, with today’s deal being the first we’ve seen its $1,299 pricing show up in 2025, which has mostly kept costs at $1,399 or higher, except the brief fall to the $1,199 low at the top of the year. Aside from that low price in January, you’re otherwise looking at the best deal of this year, saving you $300 off the going rate. Head below for more on this and the other models seeing discounts.

If you want to learn more about this model or the other models seeing discounts, be sure to check out our original coverage of this sale here.

Man standing next to Luckeep X1 Lite folding e-bike atop mountain

Affordable get up to 60 miles of commuting support on Luckeep’s X1 Lite folding all-terrain e-bike at a $466

AliExpress is offering a great deal for commuters shopping for e-bikes on a budget, with the Luckeep X1 Lite Folding Electric Bike currently available for $465.77 shipped, after using the code USAFF100 at checkout for an additional $100 off, which beats out Amazon by $84 and the brand’s direct website pricing by $283. This model normally fetches $1,149 at full price from the brand, and is now seeing a giant $683 price drop for one of the lowest prices we have ever tracked and delivering a much more affordable means to commute to your daily appointments.

If you want to learn more about this budget-friendly model, be sure to check out our original coverage of this massive discount here.

Jackery power stations sit atop box with flag in background for Labor Day sale

Jackery’s Labor Day Sale offers up to 50% off on power stations and more with bonus 5% and 7% savings starting from $89

Jackery has launched its Labor Day Sale through August 28 with up to 50% discounts on its lineup of power stations, as well as bonus 5% and 7% savings on orders over $1,300. Among the offers this holiday season, we spotted Jackery’s legacy Explorer 1000 Plus Portable Power Station bundled with an expansion battery and two 100W solar panels for $1,519.05 shipped, after using the code EMAIL5 at checkout for an extra 5% off your cart’s total. This bundle would normally cost you $2,099 in full, with discounts having usually being on the station and solar panels for $1,299. The addition of the extra battery would cost you $459 right now, meaning you’d normally be spending $1,758 for this same setup. You’re looking at a combined 28% markdown here that cuts $580 off the tag for the best price we can find. Head below to get the full lineup of deals we’re seeing during this sale.

If you want to learn more about this solar bundle, or browse the full extent of Jackery’s Labor Day lineup, be sure to check out our original coverage of this sale here.

woman cutting branch with greenworks 60V 16-inch cordless chainsaw

Clear storm debris with Greenworks’ 60V 16-inch cordless chainsaw kit at $190 annual low

Amazon is offering the Greenworks 60V 16-inch Cordless Chainsaw with a 2.5Ah battery at $189.99 shipped, which beats out the brand’s direct website pricing by $50. While it normally carries a $300 MSRP, we’ve been seeing it recently keep down at $240 at Amazon, with discounts having only gone as low as $200 this year. You’re looking at the best price of the year so far on this model, which has shed $50 off the going rate ($110 off the MSRP) and lands as the second-lowest overall price we have tracked – $40 above the low we last saw during Christmas sales.

If you want to learn more about this chainsaw’s capabilities, be sure to check out our original coverage of this deal here.

woman handing man drink from goal zero alta 50 portable electric cooler

Save 30% on Goal Zero’s Alta 50 single-zone and Alta 80 dual-zone electric coolers starting from $560

By way of its official Amazon storefront, Goal Zero is offering its Alta 50 Portable Electric Fridge and Freezer for $559.89 shipped, with its larger Alta 80 variant also seeing an equally significant discount (more on that below the fold). This smaller unit normally goes for $800 at full price, which we’ve mostly seen discounts this year drop between $640 and $560, though there was one fall to $559, not to mention the falls to $550 and the $522 low back in 2024. You’re looking at the second-best price of 2025, though, with the 30% markdown here cutting $240 off the going rate, landing it at the fourth-lowest price overall that sits $38 above the one-time all-time low from Black Friday.

If you want to learn more about this cooler or its larger variant, be sure to check out our original coverage of this deal here.

Best Summer EV deals!

Best new Green Deals landing this week

The savings this week are also continuing to a collection of other markdowns. To the same tune as the offers above, these all help you take a more energy-conscious approach to your routine. Winter means you can lock in even better off-season price cuts on electric tools for the lawn while saving on EVs and tons of other gear.

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US retirement plans could fuel Bitcoin rally to $200K despite downturn: Finance Redefined

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August 22, 2025

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US retirement plans could fuel Bitcoin rally to 0K despite downturn: Finance Redefined

US retirement plans could fuel Bitcoin rally to 0K despite downturn: Finance Redefined

Crypto inclusion in 401(k) plans may be more significant for Bitcoin than the 2024 launch of US spot Bitcoin ETFs, according to Bitwise’s European head of research.

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Coinbase predicts trillion-dollar stablecoin era by 2028

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2 hours ago

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August 22, 2025

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Coinbase predicts trillion-dollar stablecoin era by 2028

Coinbase predicts trillion-dollar stablecoin era by 2028

The forecast, which was published on Thursday, came amid renewed interest in stablecoins from several governments around the world.

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