As we talked about before in Part 1 there are many ways to waste less through reusing, repurposing and recycling that will help us be better stewards of God’s creation. Here are additional ways that I and others have been finding help us waste less.
1. Composting
Starting a compost pile or bin is a great way to use up most of your food scraps equalling less in your garbage can. Plus you get the added benefit of adding nutrients into the soil for your garden. Don’t have a garden? Ask your neighbors if they would like your compost. Any gardener will say yes to free organic compost. Want to send any my way? 🙂 Holly has some great tips on how to start a worm compost bin.
2. Stock
Saving bones and egg shells to make stock is a great way to add calcium and other important minerals to your diet. When you’re done making your stock add the bones and shells your compost pile/bin.
3.Vinegar
I recently started saving my apple cores from my apple butter, sauce and dried apple making. I put them in a jar, covered them with water and added a l/2 cup of apple cider vinegar. Now I have apple cider vinegar in the making. Peels are great to add as well but I always leave them on when I’m cooking with apples because of all the fiber they have.
I also make tepache, a pineapple vinegar out of the husks, core, water, chili flakes and oregano. So simple to make!
4. Plastic Shopping Bags
While I prefer to use my cloth or canvas bags for my shopping my friend Britt and her husband Danny have great ideas on reusing plastic shopping bags. They make shoe soles, bags and wallets out of fused plastic shopping bags. Not that either of us encourage using plastic bags but if you or anyone you know has them why not put them to use, instead of throwing them in the garbage.
What are ways you like to be a waste less?
This post is part of Pennywise Platter Thursday@ The Nourishing Gourmet, Simple Lives Thursday, Hearth and Soul, Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways, Your Green Resource,
ill have to try making apple cider vinegar!
I recently started saving veggie scraps in the freezer and when i had 2 big gallon size bags full, I made veggie stock. I should have a good supply when soup season returns in the fall!
I would do that too if I didn’t have chickens. Great idea!
I didnt know you could add egg shells to stock to add calcium! Thats a great tip. I also didnt realize you cuold make apple cider vinegar so easily! thanks for these great tips!
My apple cider vinegar is still brewing! We’ll see how it turns out. I got the idea from he Little House Cook Book.
I love how you are trying to reduce your waste! And you make egg “stock?” Boil egg shells?
I actually just add the egg shells to the stock along with the bones and veggies. Here’s how I make it: http://mexicanwildflower.blogspot.com/2011/01/nourishing-chicken-stock.html
I love to recycle, compost and use as little of God’s gifts as I can. Recently our town installed water meters, which I think is a good idea. Now I keep a large bowl in my sink which I let the water run into while I wash my hands, I do the dishes in it and then I take it outside and put it on my garden. If I have to run the water to get it hot, it goes in an used milk carton to again use on the garden. Feels good to not even waste a drop of water! Keep the good ideas coming.
Wonderful idea Bonnie! I’ve been thinking about doing that, you’re an encouragement for me to start!
My grandparents were incredible stewards of what they had and wasted not an ounce of anything!
If she were here today she’d scoff at the bulk water bottles that people buy….instead she’d look at them and say “Why buy it when it comes out of the well for free??”
Great post and thanks for sharing at the hearth and soul hop.
Butterpowerbike
It is astonishing what we are having to learn to do that used to be second nature. I was talking to a grandpa like friend and he was talking about all the things they used to do on his farm growing up. My last pineapple vinegar got moldy too. 🙁 I didn’t cover it with enough water.
Isn’t it astonishing that all of these things used to be second nature, and now they must be learned. I’m hopping back to your pineapple vinegar recipe. I tried to make some last summer and it got moldy 🙁 Thanks for sharing with the Hearth and Soul hop.
Great tipI’m following from the blog hop.
I’d love a follow back at http://www.mikaspantry.blogspot.com
Thanks,
Mikas!