We are in the throws of summer. No matter where you live, summer is usually a time of increased heat and decreased water supply. In some places, government imposed water restrictions are already in place. We all love our green lawns and flower beds and if you have a vegetable garden it is necessary to water to maintain production. Have you ever thought about how much potable water we use to water our lawns and plants? Rain is better for plants, but isn't always available, so it is important that we think carefully about whether or not our water usage is necessary and make every drop count.
When rain does occur, we should be prepared to take advantage of it. I strongly encourage you to invest in or create a rain barrel. If you already have a gutter system, it will be fairly easy to place a container below your downspout to collect water. If you do not have gutters around your house, it will be necessary for you to put up at least a few feet to channel the water in to your rain barrel. Last summer we put gutters across the back of the house to channel water into a rain barrel near our garden. It had the added benefit of helping reduce the leakage on the porch roof.
Our rain barrel is also an upcycle of a barrel that had a previous use. A quick google search will turn up several youtube videos and blogs advising you how to make your own rain barrel at home or of course, you may purchase one.
In addition to using potable water on our lawns, we also send gallons and gallons of perfectly usable water down the drain. Showers, rinsing vegetables, waiting for the water to get hot...when I think about it too long I feel so wasteful!
One way to help with this problem is by collecting "gray water." Gray water has been slightly used, but is still safe for things such as watering plants. We have had quite a bit of success with keeping a dish pan in one side of our sink. I use the water we collect to water the flowers inside and in the front yard.
Probably our biggest water waste is waiting for the shower to warm up. I have yet to figure out a good way to collect that water. SO many gallons of clean, good water down the drain!! We just don't have a container big enough. I welcome any suggestions.
In school we teacher water as a renewable resource, that it goes through a cycle and renews itself. While this is basically true, the cycle requires that water be put back into the environment to continue the cycle.
I'm not a scientist or a waste water expert, but it seems to me that water in the ecosystem is better than water down the drain. So take a watering can of gray water as you take your next...
...tiptoe through the tulips!
