Most food spoils far more quickly without refrigeration. Whether you are storing meat, fruit, vegetables or dairy refrigeration will extend it’s useful life. Virtually all Americans run a refrigerator, 99.8% according to government data made available in 2018. 

Conventional refrigerators typically have a starting wattage of 800-1200 watt-hours/day, and a running wattage of around 150-watt hours/day. The average American is charged 12 cents per kWh, so you can assume that your fridge could cost you 77 cents per day or $23.10 per month for electricity, more for a freezer. 

Should you ever have a power outage without a back up generator it won’t take long for your food to spoil. There are a few refrigeration techniques that do not require electricity.

1- Root cellars take advantage of the consistently cool underground temperatures at most latitudes. A root cellar 10-12 feet underground can usually keep a stable temperature between 32 and 40 degrees F. Root cellars generally have dirt floors in order to increase the humidity which also chills the food.

2-Zeer pots consists of two unglazed clay pots, one larger than the other. The small pot is placed inside the larger one and the space between the two filled with sand. Food is placed inside the inner pot and the sand is filled with water and refilled after evaporation.

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Since the pots are unglazed, the water will soak through them, making the clay wet. Water on the surface of the outer pot will then evaporate, cooling the pots and their contents. Zeer pots work best in arid climates, in shade and with wind. With all three conditions a Zeer pot can lower the temperature to 40 degree F even in hot weather. Covering the top with a wet cloth will increase the overall cooling, helping to keep the food inside fresh. In tests, vegetables kept in a zeer pot last four times as long as comparable produce kept at room temperature.

3- Running water is another means of cooling food. Running groundwater stays cool due to evaporation. That’s why running water is usually cooler than standing water. The movement of the water exposes more of it to the air, increasing the amount of evaporation. In cases of whitewater, where the water is being thrown into the air by rocks and other obstacles, evaporation increases even more, making the water even cooler.