From the time I can understand spoken language, I was already taught the value of conserving and taking good care of my personal things, things at home, and things everywhere my feet takes me. I had dolls that accompanied me all the way to my adolescent years. Lucky were those who got my outgrown dresses as these were very clean, no spots or stains, and no tears. My textbooks and notebooks in school were all in plastic covers. At the end of the school year, it only looked slightly used. Not that I did not use it. Rather, I know how to take care of my things even at an early age mainly because I do not want to be scolded at by my guardians. My school shoes were not replaced as long as it can still be worn. I did not get to wear new school uniforms every year. These were only replaced if it did not fit me anymore, if there were changes in the uniform, or if the maroon color is getting a little bit faded.
Food was abundant but I was taught (and forced) to finish everything on my plate. I could cry and sit at the dining table the whole day but I cannot leave food on my plate. It applies even to parties and get-togethers outside the home.
I was taught how to recycle even if that word was not so commonly used then.
These were some of the things my guardians inculcated in me and my generation that up until now, conserving and preserving is just second nature to us. This is also what we are teaching the next generation in our family. I think that it is a bit easier for us adults to teach them how to take care of the environment because environmental preservation is already taught and practiced at school. Nevertheless, the adults should see to it that the children do what is required of them as citizens of Earth.
Today, breads that have gone stale and cooked rice that sticked in the rice cooker are given as food to birds. If possible, rice is cooked once for the whole day and reheated in later meals. Boiled water inside thermos that cooled are poured in glass containers and also used as drinking water. As we are buying mineral water for drinking purposes, we see to it that what we pour on the glass is only what we can drink.
Electric lights are turned on only on those areas where there are people that need it. Papers that can be re-used are cut into small sizes and used as scratch papers. If I have to leave the computer for a few minutes, I turn off the monitor and just turn it on again if to be used. All plugs are unplugged when not in use.
All sizes of plastic bags are stored and used primarily as trash containers instead of buying garbage bags.
I do not go somewhere where I can buy useless things. I only go to malls and shopping places if I have to buy something I really need or if I have to do something at that place.
In gift-giving, my friends and I agreed to set a budget for gifts and then the celebrant can choose things she wants to buy. This way, gifts will not be useless and sometimes, senseless. When receiving gifts that we have no need for, we recycle them to others or give them to others that we think will appreciate the gift instead of setting aside the gift until, after an age, it gets thrown away.
Sometimes, if family celebrations are not milestone events, we set a date when the celebrants can party all at the same time. This way, money, resources, time and energy are conserved.
My husband and I, together with my in-laws planted a garden in front of our house. My father-in-law started planting trees at the side of his house this year.
Sometimes, if we need to go somewhere mostly out-of-town, we do car pooling or we rent a bigger vehicle. Expenses as gasoline and toll fees and/or car rental fees are equally divided among the families.
In our area, public parks and circles are being constructed. Trees and flowers are planted. Smoke emission testing in public places is regularly done. Drainage is unclogged and metal bars are put on top so as to stop some wastes in falling inside the drainage. Wastes are collected daily, rain or shine.
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