When it comes to survival, understanding your environment can be the difference between life and death. Whether you’re in outdoors in trapped within a property; knowing how to control your environment is a priority.

The first thing that you’ll need to do is to identify where you are. Pay careful attention to any sights or sounds that are around you, whether they are natural sounds or those that you’d associate with a busy highway.

You’ll want to keep track of the time of day too, especially if you don’t have access to a clock or watch. The time of day will help you to understand any shifts in your environment and will help you to survive if you are stranded in the wilderness specifically. To tell the time of day, calculate the position of the sun and the angle that it is from the horizon. When the sun is at it’s most central, it’s generally accepted to be 12noon. The sun will also rise in the east and set in the west.

Once you’ve established where you are, you’ll want to start making plans for foraging and sourcing food and water. If you don’t have access to a water purifier, then simply boil water and then allow it to cool before drinking to remove any toxins or impurities. At this point, you’ll have the option to signal for help when able, or make your way to safety.