CONSERVATION
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1 : a careful preservation and protection of something; especially : planned management of a natural resource to prevent exploitation, destruction, or neglect 2 : the preservation of a physical quantity during transformations or reactions
We all do what is important to us. We are in an age of excess. We can all help by keeping a watchful eye on waste. Disposable items are convenient but are they really necessary? Is it really so time consuming to wash and reuse?
Instead of just listing ideas on how to conserve we thought we would show some of the things that we are doing to conserve and save money too. With a bit of planning this can be done.
Make your own handmade lotions, lotion bars, lotion butters, soaps, and laundry soap, perfumes, cards. Use baking soda as a fabric softener in clothes or in the spa. A fragrance can be added. Handmade special gifts will always be on hand for family and friends.
A wading pool for pets in the summer is a good idea. The water may need to be changed every other day. They get in and out of it all day long. They will never be out of water on these hot days. Use the water on trees as well as the water from the washing machine.
Conservation is important. If you have additional ideas, please let me know.
Canning is one of the ways to preserve food for future use. When friends have fruit trees that need to be picked or extra tomatoes, other veggies from their garden or if the store has a sale, canning is a great way to preserve them.
This is the same pressure cooker that we use to do all of our canning. We also have a smaller one for daily cooking.
Click on the picture for specifications.
There are free grocery gift cards available to help out.
Two bushels of tomatoes, some green peppers and zuchini can be canned together. The basics for ratatouli or other sauces are ready to go.
Dehydrating or sun drying foods is another good way to preserve foods and conserve energy that are not going to be used immediately. A dehydrator can be purchased from a yard sale. Use only the trays. Do not use the heater. There is no point in wasting the sun.
Apricots can be dried to make breakfast bars. It only takes a half an hour to make and yields 8 or 9 bars for the week. They do need to be refrigerated.
Dried fruits are always a great snack. This is something kids can do as there is nothing that can hurt them.
Sun dry a bushel of red peppers and tomatoes. It may take a couple of days to totally dry. If they are not dried, they will mold. They fit into two mason jars. These also make great gifts for friends.
To rehydrate peppers, use olive oil so they are ready to sauteed.
Making your own yogurt insures it is fresh. You can get a yogurt starter from the health food store or buy your favorite brand of plain yogurt and make your own.
The longer yogurt is cooked the more tart it becomes. You may have to experiment with the time.
The yogurt lasts about 9 days. Save at least 2 tbls to start your next batch.
Although this yogurt is wonderful plain, I add orgainic blue agave syrup (blue agave syrup has a low glycemic index) and blueberries or your favorite fruit when you want it sweet.
This yogurt costs $.25 per 6 oz serving and you know it is fresh.
Below are some more ideas on conservation
If you must use disposable products try to buy biodegradable ones.
Keep your car tuned up. Buy a push lawn mower. We don't really need such a huge lawns. Get electric weed wackers or a hand sickle and leaf blowers.
Ride your bicycle or walk.
Save your empty bottles of shampoo, pour half of the new bottle in it and fill the rest with water. Your shampoo with last twice as long. You will actually get better suds.
Use bar soap to eliminate another plastic container with liquid soap. Put the small pieces of soap in a soap sock instead of throwing them way. They can be easily made.
Use cloth napkins
Get storage containers that can be reused. Cut down of the use of plastic bags
Buy or make a solar oven, they are easy to use and no fossil energy is consumed
- Energy
- Wildlife
- Natural resources
- Forest
- Environmental
- Ecological
Go to Water Conservation from Conservation
