Going green

During the spring the Lorain county metro parks runs a hiking stick program. The parks have a list of events, you participate in 6 hikes at 4 different parks county wide and receive a hiking stick. Lynne and I decided to ask some friends of ours if they would like to do this together

We completed the mission but in doing so we came across a program that looked interesting. This was a program on how to make your own rain barrel. So we now know how to make a rain barrel in fact I've made 2 barrels already.

One of the local service departments (Avon Lake) Has 55 gallon drums made of plastic that they get from food service usage, they give them away. You cut a hole in the top to hold a strainer to keep debris out of your water, we used a square basket with some screening. Secondly you cut hole for over flow to be diverted back to the storm sewer. thirdly you drill a 1inch hole for the faucet You screw in a 3/4 inch faucet.Next you disconnect your down spout and place the barrel so that you can run the down spout into the strainer and the over flow into the storm sewer. There are flexible down spouts to make this easier. I placed my barrels on 4 cinder blocks stacked 2 high in 2 piles. Total cost was about 16. dollars according to the program 4times using the rain from the barrels defrays the cost.

After installing the barrels I was curious how long it would take to fill them, one rainy morning filled them to the top.

Green is good when it is cost effective this seemed like a good way to save money and keep from overburdening the storm sewers. This may not be for everyone but we have a large garden and watering can be expensive. Not to mention the fact that our sewer bill is based on water used so we pay a sewer charge for watering the garden even though that water doesn't go through the sewers.