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Rain Barrels Are Good For You and the Environment
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by: georgewonderman
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We moved to a new house this year and finally have a yard that has enough plants and bushes that we actually have to water from time to time. Most of our neighbors have the same philosophy that we do about the grass. No one really waters, since the grass will easily grow back after a dry spell. The bushes and other plants, however, do require some attention. A dry spell can do them in. The rainfall in our area has been above normal this year. In between those really wet weeks, though, there were really hot weeks. My kids often left their sand buckets outside and they would be full after it rained. I wished I had a bigger version of that, so I could utilize the excessive amounts of water that went unused after those huge rainstorms. It was time for some rain barrels.
I read a shocking statistic once that an estimated 40 percent of household water in the summer months is used to water gardens and lawns. Capturing rain water with a system of rain barrels can decrease the demand on our municipal water supplies significantly. The state of Maryland estimates that a homeowner could save 1,300 gallons of water during peak summer months by utilizing rain barrels. Water is already scarce in many places. It should not be squandered. City sewer infrastructures are more frequently overflowing during downpours, due to population increases. Rain barrels can decrease the demand on those systems. In a world where almost nothing is free anymore, rain water is one of the exceptions. Harnessing rain water via rain barrels is the cheapest way to water your plants and lawn. If your town has certain times when you are allowed to water, your own supply in rain barrels gives you the option to water anytime you please. Rain water also does not contain chlorine, unlike public water sources.
Rain barrels attach to your gutters and downspouts and store the water for future use. You can find all sorts of rain barrels, depending on your budget and needs. If your are looking for beauty in your barrel, more and more companies now offer gorgeous barrels that look like planters. I recommend child proofing your rain barrels, which means making sure all barrels have a secure top or are too narrow for a child to get inside. Many barrel intakes can be fitted with a filter to help keep mosquitoes at bay. Make your life easier by buying rain barrels that have a tap at the bottom to attach a hose, as well as an overflow hose.
Everyone should be utilizing rain barrels. Even if you do not own your home, get your landlord on board and offer to install a barrel yourself. Help your bottom line and the world by installing some rain barrels. I am the ultimate recycler and am ashamed it took me so long to get on board.
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Find more related to water conservation, read www.palmettorainbarrels.com.
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