LEAF SWEAT

Mindy’s got me thinking about water: the containers I need for storage, the amount of clean water I have ready for an emergency, sources for when the stored water runs out, and unconventional ways to collect water in an emergency.

Zoe, my eleven-year old granddaughter, and I went to a bona fide survival camp. We marched into the woods carrying our water, food, and shelter.

And then learned that survival is ninety percent positive mental attitude and a few important skills.

Water – It’s everywhere.

Our survival instructor showed us how to pluck water out of the air around us by making transpiration bags.

Transpiration is the process by which plants excrete water back into the natural system. Plants take in water through their roots. Leaves transpire excess water. Think leaf sweat. Heat and sun keep the process moving.  

Capturing the leaf sweat is as simple as tying a plastic bag onto a branch, putting a weight in the bottom of the bag (rock, pebble, or we used a chunk of metal from our tent gear) and waiting. Takes a while, so be patient. We set our bag up in the morning and had a glass of water in the afternoon. That's one transpiration bag. 

The water collected is pure and does not require purification the way water from an open water source (pond, ditch, stream) would.

Strain out any leaves and sticks with your handy dandy bandana (more about bandanas later) and drink up.

Linda (Full Glass) Zern