The EAC Hosts Popular Rain Barrel Workshops
A rain barrel lets you collect and store rainwater for use on your lawn and flowers, to wash your car, etc. There are several advantages to using rain barrels.
Environmental:
Because of developments like buildings and parking lots, much of the rain that falls gets directed down storm drains and goes untreated back into the environment, rather than filtering naturally
though the soil. A rain barrel can catch and store some of that water for later use. This can be helpful in short periods of drought. Using rainwater to water the lawn or wash a car can help
reduce the burden excess runoff water can pose on the city’s stormwater system.
Financial:
It costs money to have water treated, cleaned, and chlorinated so it is safe enough to drink. After all that work, expense, and energy, the potable water might be used to flush a toilet, wash
a car, or water a lawn. Rainbarrels are a better way to get water for some of those purposes. If you are using free rainwater, you are not paying for treated water.
Healthy plants:
By using rain water, you will avoid putting chlorinated water on your flowers.
The EAC is currently taking names for a waiting list for a workshop to make a rain barrel.
These workshops have proven very popular and fill up quickly. The workshops are in high demand because at the time of this article,
there are no area retailers who sell rain barrels. The only practical way to get a pre-made rain barrel in
Bloomington/Normal is to buy one from an internet source, with prices from roughly $75.00 to $165.00, plus shipping.
Spending only a little time and money, you can produce a rain barrel that will last for years. Fittings, spigots and other supplies can be found at hardware stores. You will likely need to have a jig saw (or hack saw or coping saw) and a drill. Use caution and follow the manufacturer's instruction for use. Also, do NOT use barrels that contained petroleum or chemicals.
There are different designs and methods to make rain barrels, and you will want to compare several options before committing to one. Common features of most rain barrels include:
- A 55-gallon food-grade plastic barrel
- A spigot to connect a garden hose
- An overflow outlet with a hose or pipe to direct excess water away from the house
- A cover or screen to keep debris and insects out
- A universal adaptor (a flexible downspout extension) to direct water from gutter to barrel
Rain barrels can also be connected in series, increasing the amount of water that can be stored. Many rain barrel websites offer information on the fittings and hoses required to
connect multiple barrels.
You will want to make sure that the cover or screen is sturdy and can be secured to the barrel. You want to prevent children or animals from entering the barrel, as there is the
danger of drowning.
Rainwater should not be used for drinking. Bird droppings or chemicals from roofing, shingles, gutter solder, or pollution may be carried in the water.
Only with very specific testing and required treatment could water be consumed by people, so we advise against it.
The barrel should be placed on a flat surface not in direct sunlight.
In the winter, you will want to empty your rain barrel to avoid freezing.
More information about the benefits of rainbarrels can be found on the EAC website. If you would like to be put on our waiting list for future workshops to make your own rain barrel, please email us at eac@ecologyactioncenter.org or call us at 309-454-3169.
If you have not been able to attend one of the rain barrel workshops, you can make a rain barrel yourself. There are many sources online
with directions and advice to help you get started:
The City of Chicago
The University of Florida Extension Office
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
The US EPA
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As the summer sun blazes away, thousands of people flock to beaches in search of relaxation and relief from oppressive heat. While this annual migration to water does bring people closer to nature, it also opens our coasts to littering and other environmentally unfriendly behavior. Many beaches have been forced to close due to water pollution, erosion, and even shark attacks. While some of these issues would occur naturally, it’s safe to say that human influences have greatly affected the well being of beaches. But what can you do to help?
One of the easiest ways to keep beaches clean is to carry-out your trash at the end of a visit. Soda cans, water bottles, plastic toys, and leftover food can do serious damage to both the beach and ocean ecosystems. Pets can also leave behind their own litter, so please clean up after them. If you’re boating, do not throw anything overboard. Use the trash cans provided. And if you’re traveling to Lake Michigan near Chicago, cleanup is easy with their new solar powered trash cans. These trash cans automatically compress garbage to avoid overflow and deter seagulls.
Beaches are homes to thousands of organisms, ranging from birds to seaweed to hermit crabs. By leaving everything as you found it, you’re protecting an entire ecosystem. Also, be aware of posted signs concerning the wildlife. Many beaches are home to sea turtle eggs, and shouldn’t be disturbed.
Beach water contamination has been linked to polluted storm-water runoff. Chemicals from lawns and vehicles get swept out to sea, contaminating ocean water. Locally, our stormdrains lead to creeks and streams, which are equally polluted by the runoff. What can you do? Join us for our Stormdrain Stenciling events, or simply monitor what is flowing into your stormdrain.
Choosing which beach to go to can drastically alter your beach going experience. Many areas are inundated with tourists throughout the summer, lowering the water quality. Choose areas promoting ecotourism to minimize your impact. Overall, be smart about your day at the beach. While you're sitting back, sipping a fruity drink, and reading a good book, remember that your actions can help ensure that our beaches stay safe.
Looking for a good book to fill the remainder of the summer months? Here are a few environmentally-concious recommendations:
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life
Barbara Kingsolver
Kingsolver charmingly recounts her and her family’s year-long journey eating only home-grown and locally-produced food. Kingsolver’s husband complements the narrative with informational sidebars and her daughter Camille contributes some essays of her own. Her novel reminds us all of the incalculable value in feeding our bodies wholesome, local foods.
The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals
Michael Pollan
Pollan traces four meals back to their agricultural roots in this information-laden book. The meals include a lunch from McDonald’s, a dinner from a Whole Foods grocery store, a meal prepared with ingredients from a small organic farm, and finally one made with items he’s foraged from the land.
Radical Simplicity: Creating an Authentic Life
Dan Price
Dan Price is the epitome of what it means to live simply. In this hand-lettered and illustrated book, Price journals his adventures and challenges in living a simple life. This text is a breath of fresh air from the usual consumer-driven messages we usually receive.
Heat: How to Stop the Planet from Burning
George Monbiot
A good follow-up to An Inconvenient Truth, Heat presents options for reducing carbon emissions. Although the text centers around England, the issues and solutions are global in nature. This book is a realistic call-to-action to save the planet.
Pesticides are consistently relied upon to achieve manicured, weed-free lawns. Unfortunately, this aesthetic standard has begun to hurt communities across the country. According to Beyond Pesticides, pesticides have been linked with multiple heath problems, including learning disabilities, disruption of nerve function, birth defects, reproductive problems, hormonal imbalance, immune deficiency, asthma, and cancer. Furthermore, children are more susceptible to pesticide dangers because of their delicate developing tissues, and their frequent proximity to treated grass. Pesticide exposures of parents prior to conception, of mothers during pregnancy, and of children during early development have been linked to an increased incidence of childhood brain cancer and leukemia (The Green Guide). Meanwhile, childhood cancer is increasing at a rate of 1% a year in the U.S.
However, there are many actions that can be taken to combat the problem of toxic lawn pesticides. One important step is to hold pesticide companies responsible for the products they release into the environment. This can be done by requiring professional applicators to notify residents near the proposed spraying site prior to application, allowing them to reduce their exposure to toxic substances.
Encouragingly, New York has already passed this idea into law. In 2000, the state adopted the Neighborhood Notification Law, which requires lawn pesticide applicators to provide 48-hour written notice to all dwellings abutting the application site. The notice must include the name and number of the applicator, names of products being used, and contacts where more information on the pesticides may be obtained. The law does not require that any substances be banned, but that people are notified of their applications.
Such a notification system serves as an opportunity to reduce negative impacts of pesticides in a way that is achievable for both state and local governments. It is important for those knowledgeable of the harms of these substances to take action by encouraging similar legislation in their communities.
Currently, a group is forming in our community to fight pesticide exposure. C.O.P.E.: Citizens Opposed to Pesticide Exposure aims to work toward a neighborhood notification law. Want to help? Contact normalcope@yahoo.com or call the EAC for contact information.
Sources:
Fano, Alix. "Environmental Factors in the Rise of Children's Cancer." The Green Guide. 01 June 1998. National Geographic Society. 31 July 2007 <http://209.85.165.104/search?q=cache:B_5SwMBBbuoJ:www.thegreenguide.com/doc/54-55/environment+pesticides+brain+cancer+leukemia&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=3&gl=us>.
"Lawn Pesticides Facts and Figures." Beyond Pesticides. Beyond Pesticides. 31 July 2007 <http://www.beyondpesticides.org/lawn/factsheets/facts&figures.htm>.