Rain Barrels: What is Old is New

Many people have jumped on the bandwagon of doing little things and tweaking their game to do more environmentally friendly things. What people have been doing all along that saves some energy is rain harvesting. Not only is using rain water barrels environmentally friendly, but it is also very budget conscious.

You collect the rain in special rain barrels, then can use the water to take care of your garden. Of course, you can use any old barrel you find, but it is better to use plastic so the barrel doesn't get soft, and you also can clean them much easier if the need arises. Some people use the rain water to fill up the bird fountain as well. I knew one woman who actually washed her hair in the rain water, especially when the power went out. Since her home was on an electric well, she lost water during bad storms as well.

I was surprised how far the design of the typical rain barrel has come. The design, at left, looks like an architectural piece. Obviously, if you tapped it, you would know that it is plastic and not plaster, but it looks very attractive. It is a good alternative for someone who does not want an item that looks like a barrel. It has a removable top planter that adds to the effect. This style is available at Simplyrainbarrels.com