Zombies Used to Promote Preparedness, the Weather, Economic Growth and Free Speech

First the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) boarded the zombie train by promoting disaster planning through the use of a zombie apocalypse scenario. The May, 2011 blog post from the CDC was so popular and well-received that the website crashed due to high volume traffic, but the word was out -- zombies, while typically forces of destruction, can actually be used for good, and now The Weather Channel has gotten in on the action of using the undead for positive purposes.

The cable weather news station posted an article on weather.com last week addressing weather concerns for a zombie apocalypse. The article entitled "How to Weather the Zombie Apocalypse" featured a Q&A format with a zombie expert that answers questions you might have about how weather affects zombies.

Important information is shared, such as the fact that zombies would probably not have the brain capacity to seek shelter during a tornado outbreak. Did you know that zombies sink when in deep water, and according to Zombie Expert Dr. Dale Dixon, oceans and lakes around the world are filled with zombies that are relegated to an undead existence at the bottom of those bodies of water?

In addition, the TWC article points out via Zombie Expert that zombies move slower during the winter months (probably due to lack of circulation) and therefore will eat less, meaning that winter is a good season for humans during the zombie apocalypse.

Considering that October is prime zombie season, thanks to Halloween, even businesses have taken a bite out of the zombie promotions. A Kansas-based hardware store chain is making use of zombies to attract customers by offering in-store displays and website information about how to deal with zombies if you are human but they are taking it one step further. The stores are also offering tips for undead zombies on how to be the best zombie and make the most of their zombie lifestyle.

Occupy Wall Street demonstrators even used zombies to make a point recently by dressing up as flesh-eaters in a comparison with corporate that feasts upon the living without mercy or conscience.

Perhaps it is a surge in popularity for using the undead to capture attention thanks to recent mainstream zombie entertainment such as the television series The Walking Dead, or perhaps the public at large is getting tired of sparkly vampires.

In short, Halloween or any other time of year -- zombies are popular and perhaps it is fitting. They serve little actual purpose but if they promote disaster planning, help boost an economy that is getting worse and worse or promote awareness of weather trends and civil discourse, then zombies are in actuality an important part of American pop culture. Looks like the undead are here to stay -- apocalypse or not.