When hearing the word doomsday, many think of the end of life on earth. The word “doomsday” actually means the end of life as you know it. This leaves many ideas and possibilities on how exactly the world will end. With the recent news of the 2012 apocalypse, people have begun to prepare for the end with equipment and shelter. Now, new reality shows have brought light upon this small craze, giving viewers crazy ideas.

Doomsday Preppers: Airing on the National Geographic Channel, Doomsday Preppers shows the lives of people who are preparing for the end of the world. These people, or “preppers,” stock up on food, water, energy and valuables in order to survive a catastrophe. They will go to whatever extreme in order to be fully equipped. Not all preppers prepare for the same reason, like Braxton Southwick who is preparing for a smallpox outbreak while Big Al from Tennessee is stocking up for  a Russian nuclear attack. Whatever Armageddon fears each prepper may have, they all agree that if and when the world stops, everyone needs to have a suitable backup plan. The National Geographic website offers free guides for anyone interested in becoming a prepper on their own. Four sections titled food, storage, water, and security provide an in depth, step by step plan on what resources to have and also why it is important to stock up. The second season of Doomsday Preppers premieres November 13th, 2012 at nine P.M.

Doomsday Bunkers: Airing only one season thus far, Doomsday Bunkers shows the work of Scott Bales, owner of Doomsday Bunkers, a company that designs, builds, and installs safe homes for the end of the world. These safe homes or “bunkers” are built underground in a disclosed location and can hold as many as 20 people. The bunkers are nearly indestructible, weighing more than 13 thousand pounds and made out of steel. Buried under seven feet of dirt, these 12 hundred square foot hideaways use filtered air and state of the art heat and sewage systems. On the outside, the bunkers look like a large steel box. But on the inside, the bunker seems like a home that is suitable to live in. “Our customers don’t want just a box with supplies. They want a place with furniture, walls, carpet- they want a place like home,” said Scott Bales. The company also extends to safe rooms and tsunami pods that provide shelter in heavy storms.  Quotes start as low as $80,000 dollars.

Whether you believe in the preparing for the end of the world or not, it is important to prepare for emergency situations. Television shows similar to the ones of Doomsday Preppers and Doomsday Bunkers provide some valid information that can help you out in the long run.