🍇 Kangina: Ancient Method of Preserving Grapes


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Two open kangina full of red grapes in Afghanistan. Image Source


What Kangina Are:


Kangina is an ancient preservation technique still used in Afganastan today that makes use of clay. Produce is sealed within two clay bowls, and stored somewhere cool.

It is thanks to Kangina that even people in remote communities can still enjoy fresh produce in winter months. [1]

If stored somewhere cool, they will remain fresh for up to 6 months. This is because the vessels are a form passive controlled-atmosphere storage. Due to restricting the airflow and moisture, is is harder for microbes to thrive, but at the same time, the clay still supplies enough oxygen to keep the grapes alive. 2

How They are Made


After making bowls out of clay, they are left in the sun to bake. Once they are completely dried, they are ready to use. [3]

The produce (often grapes) are placed inside a bowl, and another bowl is placed on top and the seams are sealed with mud. [4]


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🧽 Homegrown Luffa Sponges


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Did you know that you can grow your own bath sponges?

“Luffa is a genus of tropical and subtropical vines in the pumpkin, squash and gourd family.“ Wikipedia


Image of a Luffa

Luffa plants are from southeast Asia, and can be grown in places with a long warm summer. The fruit can take a long time to grow and toughen it's inner fibers (about 150-200 days), but after that time, they are ready to become sponges. Explaining it simply, you peel the skin, wash the insides, hang them to dry, then you are done.

“Getting all the seeds out can be a challenge, but the drier the sponges are, the easier the seeds will fall out. Save the best ones for next year. You can also cut open the sponges in any shape you want to remove seeds or make a loofah fiber mat.“ luffa.info


When done, you can use the sponges for bathing, washing dishes, and even as industrial filters. [1]

Luffa sponge photo


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🐟 Kabata: a mutually beneficial relationship with fish


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In Harie, Shiga(Japan), water canals run through much of the town, and the people there use it to develop a mutually beneficial relationship with fish.

Imagine a pool of water that people use for washing fruits, vegetables, and dishes. That same pool has carp that call it home, and the carp eat the scraps and keep the water crystal clear. This could be inside the home or outside, but it is constantly added to by natural spring water, and the water exits in to a canal. This system is called “Kabata,” and has been used for over 300 years. [1]

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The Wider Benefit:


That running water then heads to rice flats, which benefit from the natural fertilizers the fish provide. That water then heads to wetland area, where the water is cleaned by reeds and other vegetation before entering a lake. [2]

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#cityplanning #greenliving #water

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