"Be the change you want to see in the world." - Mahatma Gandhi
In keeping with my commitment from Week 50, it is now almost spring, which means it’s time to start collecting rainwater! Of course, I needed to construct the rain barrel first 
So, here are my instructions for making a ridiculously easy (and super low cost) rain barrel. Enjoy!
What you’ll need:
- A garbage can with a matching lid
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- Note that the lid is the most important part! Look for one that has a bit of a dome shape, as this will help water drain towards the middle. I would also recommend a lid that is plastic, unless you have the tools to be able to cut/drill through metal. The matching lid ensures a good seal between the garbage can and the lid, and prevents bugs from getting in.
- A mesh sink strainer
- A pencil
- A utility knife
- Duct tape (what DIY project would be complete without it?!)
- 2 rubber bands (optional)
The Instructions (remember to read them all before you get started!)
1. Collect and/or purchase the supplies.
- I picked up a 98 litre plastic Rubbermaid garbage can (with matching lid) for $16.99 at Home Depot
- The mesh sink strainer cost $1.50 at a local dollar store
2. Turn the lid upside-down.
3. In the centre of the lid, draw a circle that is the same size as the basket of the sink strainer (i.e. the part that sticks out). There are a couple of ways to accomplish this:
Option A: Find something that you can use to trace around, that is just big enough for the sink strainer to sit in. For me, the inside of the duct tape roll worked well. A cup or mug might also do the job.
Option B: The high school math way - for this method, you will need a compass, and a measuring tape or ruler. To jog your memory, measure the diameter of the basket. Set your compass to half this distance. Place the pin end of the compass at the centre of the lid, and turn to draw the circle.
4. Now that you have a circle drawn, use the utility knife to cut it out.
5. Place the sink strainer in the hole. If you held the lid right side up, the basket would protrude through the top of the lid. If the strainer does not sit flush, trim the hole slightly to make it a little bigger. Ensure that you do not make the hole too big otherwise the sink strainer will fall right through!
6. Using the duct tape, tape the edges of the sink strainer to the lid. This ensures that water and debris go through the strainer instead of slipping under the edge.
7. The final step! Place the lid upside down on the garbage can, and put the rubber bands around the handles to secure the lid to the can. This prevents the lid from blowing away in the wind or being knocked off by children or pets. You could also use string, bungy cords, or even just a few rocks to hold the lid down.
Your rain barrel is now ready for use! Move it outside and wait for the rains to come. Make sure the barrel is not under a tree or a roof overhang, otherwise the rain will hit those first and less water will reach the barrel. I have had my barrel out for just over a week, and it has already collected about 10 litres of water. Woohoo!
When the time comes to use the water for your plants, simply remove the lid and scoop out water with a bucket or watering can. Happy watering!
It’s hard to believe that it’s been over a year since I started my Greener by the Week initiative. It has been challenging at times to come up with commitments and to abide by them, but it has certainly been a rewarding process and I am proud to have made it all the way. Thank you to everyone who gave me suggestions and encouragement!
Over the course of the year, I recycled over 1200 litres of water, avoided generating over 200 pieces of garbage, bought 24 non-toxic products and services, took the stairs 210 times, and reduced my ecological footprint from 3.89 Earths to 2.76 Earths. Wow! Since the commitments were introduced throughout the year and since I was travelling for part of it as well, I will continue to track my progress throughout 2011 (and beyond) to get a true “after” picture of my greener lifestyle.
All in all, doing this challenge has enlightened me and changed the way I see the world, and the choices I make within it. For example, shopping has become a whole new experience – not only do I shop less frequently, but now it is so much more rewarding as I find items and stores that meet my “green” criteria. I actually get excited when I find clothes that aren’t made of polyester or conventional cotton and beauty products that don’t contain nasty chemicals! Buh bye instant gratification, hello quality goods that I am proud to own (and proud to tell others about!) Even my habits at the grocery store have changed, simple things like picking pasta that is in a box instead of a plastic wrapper, so that the packaging can be recycled.
So, although I won’t be making weekly green commitments anymore, I will continue to make green changes to my life, and maybe one day achieve that loftly goal of a one Earth footprint (or less!) Hopefully Greener by the Week has inspired you to make changes to your lifestyle as well. Even if you are able to make just a handful of them, know that you are helping to create a greener future. A Hand Full of Change…the change is in your hands.
This is it – the final commitment of my Greener by the Week challenge. With 51 commitments already under my belt, making a significant difference in my lifestyle over the past year, it’s time to share my newfound knowledge with others and help them green their lives and green the world. So, whether it’s time, money, knowledge, ideas or manpower, I commit to contributing towards at least one green initiative each year. It could be as simple as teaching someone how to recycle certain items or as challenging as finding the solution to global warming, but every action counts towards making our world more sustainable.
I challenge each of you to make one green resolution this year. Whether it’s something that I have done or something you come up with yourself, together we can change the world.
Alright, this commitment doesn’t apply at the moment (no, there is NOT a bun in the oven!), but when we start having a family, I am committing to not using disposable diapers. The amount of diapers that get used by each baby (and the corresponding amount of waste) is rather frightening! Just think about how many times you go to the washroom each day. Multiply that by 365 days in a year, and the roughly 2 years it takes before a child is potty-trained, and you’re looking at close to or over 4000 diapers!! That is one big stinky pile of garbage 
.
Thankfully, there are a lot of companies out there that feel the same way and are offering reusable alternatives. Just type in cloth diapers into your favorite search engine and you’re bound to find a bundle. If you’re in the Greater Vancouver area, check out New and Green, which has a variety of diapers and even a trial program if you’re not totally sold on the idea. If you’re squeamish about washing the diapers, there are even diaper laundry services to do it for you. Gosh, they’ve thought of everything! If you’re expecting or already have a child, why not make the switch? You’ll not only help save the environment, you’ll save money too. Happy New Year!
Let’s face it – I live in Vancouver, and we get a lot of rain. Most of the rain runs off roofs and roadways into the sewer system, where it gets sent to the wastewater treatment plant before being discharged into the ocean. So, why not put this commodity to good use instead of taking up capacity in the sewer system?
From now on, I am going to use a rain barrel to collect rain water, which can then be used to water the plants or wash the car. If you pay for the amount of water you use, this will save you money! This will also lower the load on the sewer system, allowing the city to use your tax dollars for something other than maintenance. Check out this link for some of the other benefits of using a rain barrel.
Rain barrels can be purchased at many home and garden stores, or may be offered at a discount from your municipality. Most rain barrels divert water from a downspout (i.e. the run off from your roof), but since we live in a townhouse, I’m not entirely sure how they would feel about us altering it. So, I’m going to make my own open top rain barrel that will basically catch water as it falls from the sky.
If you are a DIYer, here are some ideas to get your started, depending on the type of rainwater collection system you want and the space you have available. Try to use a dark coloured container to prevent algae growth, and screen any openings to prevent mosquitoes and other debris from getting in.
- Roughneck rain barrel, made from a garbage can
- A drain barrel, for homes without gutters
- An alternative for apartment dwellers
Happy constructing!
By now you´ve hopefully checked most of your Christmas gifts off your list and are preparing to wrap them up. Sometimes stores give you a box to make your item easier to wrap, but other times the items are large or oddly shaped and awkward to package. In any case, once Christmas day rolls around, the wrapping paper is eagerly torn off to reveal the gift inside. After all the excitement dies down, you end up with not only a bunch of gifts, but also a bag of scrunched up wrapping paper destined for the trash. Seems a little wasteful, doesn´t it?
From now on, I will no longer use wrapping paper. Instead, I will put gifts in reusable bags, or wrap them creatively like in pieces of fabric that can be used over and over again. Whether it be for Christmas, a birthday or an other special occasion, pitch in and green your givings.
Christmas is a time of sharing – sharing love, laughter, food, and of course, gifts. It´s scary how commercialized Christmas has gotten, as people head to the mall in droves in search of the ¨perfect¨gifts. This being the 48th week of my Greener by the Week challenge, I reflect on how my spending habits have changed and how the urge to buy has dissipated. Instead, I think more deeply about whether or not I need something, and if yes, searching for an item that meets the commitments I have made this year. The end result is having things that are useful, environmentally friendly and satisfying to the conscience.
From now on, I am vowing to only give green gifts – gifts that meet the commitments I´ve made this year, such as not containing the Dirty Dozen chemicals and not being made of conventional cotton. That way, my friends and family can enjoy the environmental benefits as well, and all our consciences can rest a little lighter.
It´s the beginning of December and some have already begun putting up Christmas decorations, including Christmas trees. Some prefer a live, fresh-cut tree, and others are happy with an artificial one. But which one is better for the environment? There are pros and cons to each, and I would tend to say neither.
Live trees may be natural, but doesn´t it seem wasteful to put so much water and nutrients towards something that will only be enjoyed for a few weeks? Not to mention the fact that some people are too lazy to bring the tree to the compost station and instead leave it out with the trash. Artificial trees aren´t much better…while they can be reused year after year, they are still made of metal and plastic, and will eventually end up in the landfill as well. What to do?
From now on, I will choose neither. Instead, I will decorate the indoor plants that we have, or, I will get my creativity flowing and create a tree of our own, perhaps from pop cans, an old phone book, pine cones or whatever else I think of. Time to bring out the glue gun!!
Isn´t it odd how any time you need a tool that you don´t have, whether it be a hammer, a chainsaw or a 20 ft ladder, your first instinct is to head to the hardware store to buy one? Yes, I know how much certain people like their power tools, but let´s face it: we´re not all handypeople, and we don´t all need to have a Home Depot in our garage/basement/tool shed. Why not ask your friends, family or neighbours if they have what you need? You might be surprised at what you find, and might even gain some helpful advice on how to tackle your project or problem.
So, from now on, instead of heading straight to the hardware store to buy a tool, I will first browse the “free” hardware store – my social network. Collectively, I am sure there is more than enough knowledge and materials to satisfy us all.
Dec 27 Update: I came across this link the other day that sounds like a perfect fit for this commitment. Give it a try the next time you need to borrow something! www.ecosharing.net
I´ve always wondered: do people who have swimming pools or hot tubs in their backyard or apartment buildings actually use them on a regular basis, or do they sit idle for months at a time, full of water and growing bacteria? For amenities that use so much water, energy to heat the water, and loads of chemicals to keep the water clean, doesn´t it seem like a huge waste of resources for something that might only get used a few times each year? Plus, backyard swimming pools aren´t nearly big enough to do laps in (unless you really love doing turns), and the effects of a hot tub can easily be accomplished with much less water in a bath tub.
So, from now on, I will never own a home with a swimming pool or hot tub. After all, the community center is just around the corner…who gave them such a bad reputation anyway?
