Rain barrels, whether home made or purchased, are 50 to 100 gallon containers made to catch and store water collected from rainfall. Rain barrels are usually attached to eaves trough, catching all runoff from the rooftop. The water stored can in turn be used to irrigate gardens, flowerbeds, lawns or for added moisture to compost.
|
| How do they help the environment? |
Rain barrels are another means of waste reduction. Water in the rain barrel can be stored for an infinite amount of time, which means in case of drought there is a small supply of water available for irrigation. What's better is that valuable drinking water from your home is not wasted, nor is any water paid for! This not only reduces the strain on your wallet, but also removes added stress put upon your local aquifer during growing season. Water from rainfall, used for irrigation, replenishes water that would have drained into the aquifer naturally. If you pay for the utility, calculate what you think you spend on watering and see how long before investing in a rain barrel would pay off. (A perfectly good rain barrel can be made for less than $20.)
|
| What is the cost of a rain barrel? |
Often rain barrels are sold by environmentally-focused organizations as a means of fundraising. If you can afford to spend $50-$75 to help support a local organization that is awesome! (Usually those rain barrels have neat designs, too!) However, a perfectly good rain barrel can be made out of reused garbage cans or plastic/metal drums for anywhere from FREE to maybe $30, depending on size and material. Just be sure that whatever you use/reuse is free of contaminants, such as oils, chemicals or anything you wouldn't pour on your vegetables.
|
 |
| Here is one of many rain barrel designs. |
|
|
| Helpful tips for making your own |
> Include a child-proof and mosquito-proof screen.
> Mosquito-repelling "donuts" can be purchased and left floating inside the barrel.
> Holes, or some other mechanism for overflow, should be included.
> A water spigot for attaching a hose is very handy!
> Place under eaves trough, connect tube to drain to direct flow, if necessary.
> Create a second barrel for extra storage!
| > Connect a hose to your rain barrel for watering or gently dunk potted plants in the water.
> Use a rain barrel to make compost tea, an excellent and organic way to fertilize!
> Clean once a year, or as necessary, with eco-friendly cleaners that won't contaminate your soil or plants.
> Watch your water bill shrink and your plants flourish!
> Brag to your neighbors about how green you are and tell them how to make their own rain barrel!
|
|