Overview
Saving water is one of those things that your parents drilled into you as a young kid as you recklessly allowed the tap to run a little longer than you're supposed to. And while water supply has not been under the same scrutiny as global warming of late, it remains a top environmental concern beaten only by climate change and the issue of finding alternative sources of energy.
Luckily saving water can be as simple as capturing rainwater in some sort of dispenser to be stored, treated and reused. The Rainbarrel Man Co. builds wood clad, steel banded rain barrels from repurposed material; they use western red cedar wood purchased from local saw mills (usually salvaged lumber). The result is an attractive rain harvesting system that can be paired with a drip irrigation kit or a storm water manager.
While the storm water manager allows you to direct the collected water to your bioswale or rain garden, the drip irrigation kit can be used to water your plants at the roots. An added bonus to this is that collecting rain water and reusing it prevents the polluted storm water (which carry pesticides and animal waste) from entering our drains and contaminating natural surroundings.
Once your Rainbarrel is installed, you'll need to add a pump system that distributes your stored water around your garden year round. RainPerfect is easy to install, costs just US$139 and converts the sun's rays into sustainable energy.
And if you want to take your environmentally habits indoors, Pensar Development's Indulgence concept shower learns your individual shower habits and routines to reduce water usage in the home. Cycles consist of a low-flow initial rinse, followed by warming mist jets before finishing with a second low-flow rinse.
