Rain, Rain, Don’t Go Away!
Even if you don’t live in California, you’ve probably heard that we are in a major drought. Let’s just say, water conservation is on my mind.
It was great to have not just one, but two days of rain this weekend. Even though it got a little humid (something I was used to growing up in the South), I still had the door open so I could enjoy the sounds of the rain. The sound of the rain won out over listening to some of my favorite songs on Pandora. I was busy doing your typical weekend housework–cleaning, laundry, etc., but this time I added one more, the Bucket Brigade.
I have different buckets and containers that I’ve saved from Home Depot, Fresh Step, Folgers and Nesquik (yes, I’m a kid-at-heart who enjoys chocolate milk with her breakfast!) Frank and I took all of these containers and strategically placed them to catch the runoff, or gray water, from the roof for our bucket brigade. As they filled up, we put them in the large green waste bin from Waste Management.
Why is water conservation important?
We are in a drought and need every bit of water we can. A couple months ago, I was able to tour a local Eastern Municipal Water District plant. That day, one of their board members informed our group that California has less than a year’s worth of water reserves. YIKES!
What gave me this idea? A few months ago I was visiting my cousins in Sacramento. While there, we discussed not just the drought, but ways to conserve water. This included putting a bucket in the shower to catch extra water.
What to do with your gray water?
Of course, you can’t use gray water for everything. My cousins are using it to water their houseplants. As I have no houseplants, I reuse it on the roses and other garden plants in lieu of the sprinkler.
I’ve heard people use gray water to wash their cars or even to flush their toilets. Of course, we can thank Mother Nature for washing the cars for us that day! So, what other ideas do you have for gray water, or for water conservation?
And, some friends are talking about getting a cistern to save rainwater in the future. I’d love to hear what other rain-catching ideas you have!
Keep on conserving that water!
Meghan
P.S. I learned last month when saving water to not let it sit too long or the mosquitoes start buzzing around. This option is for short-term storage only and if you get a cistern, make sure not to have it near any entryways.