Monday, May 26, 2008

Water Redux...

Memorial Day was finally warm, sunny and almost unseasonably hot. I know, I shouldn't say that... it was 83 today, tomorrow the high will be 55, so I soaked up all the sun I could get because it might have to last me for awhile. I finally felt like it was safe to plant, so in went two new trees, four new shrubs and some Phlox little eco 'burban boy insisted were to be HIS flowers. Now, how to water them?

In our scary, dark and dreary basement (I live in an 80 year old renovated lake home, so the word DAMP is a pretty common theme down there) hums a dehumidifier that helps to take the damp out of the air and make our home rather comfy. So, rather than snake a hose to the drain and let that water go unused, we carry that heavy, sometimes sloppy, water basin up the basement stairs and use those 3 gallons to water trees, flower containers and landscaping. Of course, that doesn't water everything, but 3 gallons every day adds up over a summer - yes, our basement is that damp!

I figured I water something for about 5 months out of the year, so my water savings adds up to 450 gallons in a single summer. Not earth-shattering, but a little water goes a long way!

5 comments:

Green Bean said...

Sweet! Talk about making lemonade out of lemons.

EcoBurban said...

Yes, I would say that a damp basement is certainly a lemon! So, is lugging the water up the stairs... But my flowers really appreciate it. It's even better when I get my husband to do the lugging - now that's lemonade!

Joyce said...

And after that hot Memorial Day, back to freeeezing! Bordering on the tiresome, don't you think?

EcoBurban said...

I know! Why, why, why does the weather do this to us? I am still not giving up my flip flops though. I don't care how cold it gets!!

JessTrev said...

Hey! This is the post you mean -- and of course, this is greywatering at its finest. Fabulous idea.