Summer is coming to an end! You can enjoy summer fruit all year long though! Simply purchase local fruit now and can, dry, or freeze it. This way you will have local fruit in the cold winter months!
Cherries are out of season and my husband LOVES cherries, so we freeze them. You know what is better than fresh cherries, FROZEN ones. They are amazing! Frozen strawberries are amazing for smoothies, same goes for bananas and blueberries, oh my! The options are endless.Â
What are your favorite fruits and veggies to can, freeze or dry?Â
Road trips can be so much fun and an amazing way to bond with both friends and family – however, you also want to make sure you’re doing your bit for the environment. While road trips can be fun, they can also be a little damaging to the environment if you’re not mindful. If you want to not only have a fun road trip but an eco friendly trip, you’ve come to the right place!
Below, we have 7 ways you can have a fun and eco friendly road trip so that you can incorporate them into your next load of plans. Take a look, have fun, and do your bit:
Choose The Right Car
First of all, make sure you choose the right car. This may mean renting a car that is not your own – but for all intents and purposes, now might be the time to upgrade to a more eco-friendly model if you’re worried about the environment. Buy a car that is fuel efficient – or even a hybrid/electric car if you can. Those cars do come with a set of their own considerations, as you need to make sure there are charging points along the way for you. That being said, you could definitely make it work with some preplanning.
Pack LightÂ
You might be tempted to take extras with you, but make it your mission to pack as lightly as possible. Keeping the car light will enhance your fuel efficiency. You’ll save yourself a lot of hassle, too!
Take Reusable Containers and BagsÂ
Take your own reusable containers and bags so that you don’t need to purchase a load of plastic wrapped items while you’re out and about. If you do need to buy items, try to avoid buying things that are excessively wrapped and go for environmentally friendly options instead. Even taking your own knives and forks can help you to avoid needing those plastic ones!Â
Never Litter – Alway Tidy Up After Yourself
Never litter, even if it’s fruit peel. Tidy up after yourself. Have a bag in the car and use it as a trash bag and then take it to a bin when you find one. If you can still separate items to be recycled while you’re on the road, that’s even better. Just don’t throw your litter out of the window or leave it laying around for someone else to deal with – or for wildlife to eat.
Make Sure The Car Is Fit To Drive
Always check over the car, especially the tire pressure before you set off. Not only will this mean you won’t have to work with an expert personal injury attorney due to a car accident, you’ll save money and the planet as you won’t be emitting more carbon emissions.
Leave Any Area You Visit Better Than You Found It
This could mean clearing up a little mess you didn’t make, but do try to leave an area better than when you found it!
Every time I go grocery shopping, I get this question, “paper or plastic?” and a lot of times, the bagger doesn’t even bother to ask…just start loading my groceries into plastic bags. I think that paper and plastic are both horrible for the environment, so I always decline both.
Plastic bags are made from petroleum by-products and are manufactured in an unsustainable and super polluting way. Not to mention, they will sit in the landfill for thousands of years. I can not stand the fact that they are everywhere. Trees, check. Gutters, check. Blowing past my house right now, check. (be right back) OK, I had to go catch it. Bodies of water, check. Everywhere.
Paper bags aren’t much better because even if you recycle them, the process to transport them to the recycling facility and the recycling process itself is very polluting and completely unnecessary. Did I mention the fact, that paper bags are made from trees.
So next time you stop at the store, please remember to grab your reusable bags. It only takes a second. They hold more, are stronger, there are some great looking ones available and it saves the Earth.
Did you know that herbs have special healing powers? It’s true. Herbs are great for ailments including headaches, stress, sore throats, and digestion. Growing your own apothecary garden is one of the most rewarding garden projects. Herbs are easy to grow, great for beginners, and the perfect project for a family. They grow well in pots, so these would also be great for someone who has limited space or lives in a home without an outdoor space.
Choose an organic potting soil and fertilizer and a sunny place to place your pots or grow your herbs is key. Water the herbs daily until the water drains out of the bottom of the pot. You can use anything for a pot, my favorite pots are old items that you give new life to, such as; vintage milk pails or galvanized bins.
I currently have basil, thyme, and mint in my apothecary herbal garden and plan to add lemon balm, peppermint, and lavender soon.
Do you use essential oils? Do you know how to use essential oils?
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Essential oils are natural compounds found in bark, seeds, flowers, stems, roots, and plants. Essential oils are anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-parasitic, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumoral, and anti-fungal naturally. Amazing, right? They are also lipophilic which allows them to destroy viruses that antibiotics may not be able to. You can use essential oils to clean your home and heal your body. My favorite uses for essential oils are:
* Peppermint: Apply to temples for a great headache reliever.
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* Lemon: Rub into your hands for an amazing alcohol-free sanitizer.
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* Tangerine: Add to your homemade house cleaner as a disinfectant.
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* Grapefruit: Inhale for 60 seconds for the perfect appetite suppressant.
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* Lavender: Inhale for 60 seconds to alleviate depression. and stress.
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Do you feel better? What do you use essential oils for?
