The Effect of Using a Rain Barrel on the Environment
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by: joe.moesier
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Catching rainwater as it falls is an age old idea. In fact, the idea of the rain barrel has been around for just as long as irrigation has... which is thousands of years. In the last century or so, however, households have increasingly relied on municipal water systems. And collecting rainwater has taken a back seat.
Every household with a budget to follow (and some concern for the environment) cares about preserving water. But most households do not realize the benefits they could receive from using a rain barrel. A bulky, specially designed container, a rain barrel simply collects rainwater. They do this collection at the drain downspout of your homes drainage system. When it rains, the rain that falls on your roof will go into the gutters, through its drain, and out its downspout. This allows you to collect large amounts of rain water as it falls.
How a Rain Barrel Helps the Environment
Reduced toxins in rivers. While rain is necessary for life, it can be bad for the environment. When it rains, the water that falls travels through our cities and streets before ending up on streams and creeks. In this process, rainwater picks up toxins, such as pesticides, pet waste, oil, etc. If you collect some of that rainwater instead of allowing it to flow away, you can reduce the pollution of our rivers.
Improved water efficiency. Of course, the most significant effect of using a rain barrel is the reduced water usage. During the summer season a homeowner can spend as much as 40 percent of his or her monthly water bill on watering a lawn. Because of this, there are yearly water shortages in many cities nationwide, with rationing programs and overuse fines. By catching rainwater, however, you can relive some of the burden on your citys water supply, as well as keep your garden and yard healthy and watered year round.
Reduced energy usage. We all know that reducing the amount of energy we use to power our homes is important for the environment. But many of us do not consider the power usage implied by using municipal water. The water that comes from our homes pipes is water that is cleaned and pumped through long pipes to our homes. In that process, a ton of energy is used, which in turn hurts the environment.
With the use of a rain barrel, you can recycle rainwater to save thousands of gallons of water and create a ready made source of water for your plants, lawn, or day to day jobs. The only job rainwater can not fill is satisfying your thirst. Otherwise, rain barrel water is great for washing your car, watering your garden... and doing your part to protect the environment.
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