If one is living in the country, main rain barrels can be installed at various places to collect rainwater and in a city, water collected from the roof can be used to water the plants and the lawn as well as reduce water bills. Apart from the monetary benefits, you will also be helping maintain the municipal water grid and hence help the environment. When you harvest the rain water you are not just saving water you are also reducing the amount of chemicals that run into the water bodies. When rainwater runs on the ground, it collects harmful chemicals like agricultural pesticides, herbicides, petro- chemicals like oil and gasoline, pollution, etc. This water then runs in the gutters and joins the rivers and lakes hence polluting them. When we harvest the rain water, we reduce the quantity of running water to some extent hence protecting the environment and erosion.
The rain water that gets into the water treatment plant is treated with chlorine and other chemicals before it is sent back to us. Therefore by using the rain barrel, we consume pure water, free of chemicals and we also reduce the work done on the water hence conserving energy. Healthy vegetables can be grown with this water. So your savings will not just be because of the reduced water bill.
Plastic, food grade rain barrels are the ones you should choose. The barrels that were used to hold chemicals or wax should be avoided as the chemicals found in the residue may harm the plants and the environment.
Some simple tips can be followed to make the best of the rain barrel.
An estimate was done and it was reported that 1 inch of rain on a 1000 sq. ft. roof would yield 623 gallons of water. Imagine the amount of water you could collect over a rainy season.
Many people can be interested in starting a compost pile but aren’t exactly sure how something like that would work, if they have enough compost material for the pile to give good results or even what it takes to get something like this started. As such, many give up on even trying to make their compost pile, even though in reality, there’s nothing to it. If you are worried that the ingredients you add to your compost pile won’t be enough, you can always rely on compost starter and accelerator to lend you a much needed hand.
Some sources say that compost starter and accelerators aren’t necessary and that everyone should have everything they need for a good compost pile around their household, but truth be told, for one thing, not all organic substances tend to decompose at the same rate, and for another, throwing all sorts of organic materials into the pile in hopes it will help with the decomposing process can give way to toxins or unwanted materials to show up in your pile.
The secret behind a good compost pile is the equilibrium between the carbon and nitrogen content. While carbon
can be found in pretty much any organic residue, such as leaves, grass and other compost materials, nitrogen can make itself scarce, and as such, some help is needed in order to get things moving and the decomposing process under way. A compost starter will usually contain the necessary nitrogen the compost needs in order to start working.
Depending on the contents of your compost pile, you might find that while some of the things you’ve thrown in there have no problem decomposing, other things, such as pine needles or pine cones might take a lot longer. By adding a compost accelerator you can get everything to decompose at a quicker rate and as such, you wouldn’t have different ingredients in various stages of decomposition floating around your compost pile, but rather a balanced, homogenous mass that is ready for use.
By using commercial compost accelerator and starters you are making sure that the ingredients you put into the compost pile are pure and of high quality. Any sort of replacements for the substances commercial accelerators contain, that you might find around the house are likely to contain other ingredients which would bring toxins or unwanted substances into your compost pile. Some are even likely to use food leftovers or animal litter as compost material, something that is extremely unsanitary as well as damaging for your compost pile.
Commercial compost starters and accelerators can help you create and maintain your compost pile in optimal conditions, making your work easier and the end result much better.
You love your pet and you want to do the right thing for the planet, but sometimes, the pet care product manufacturers don’t lend you a hand in this department. Some of the pet care products contain chemicals or environmentally damaging products and you would like a solution to appease your conscience and do the right thing for the planet. Fortunately, eco-friendly pet products, in the form of biodegradable waste bags or eco-friendly collars and leashes, not to mention the option of composting pet waste.
Biodegradable waste bags come as a solution to a very popular problem: using a non-biodegradable plastic bag for a biodegradable product such as pet waste. Whether it’s the waste bag people use to pick up after their dogs or the one used to line cats’ litter box, the use of biodegradable waste bags can open the door to the new age of environmental pet care. The biodegradable waste bags are made of celluloid or other biodegradable materials, mostly corn-extracts, which makes it very easy for them to decompose either in a compost pile or after being buried.
Eco-friendly pet collars and leashes have become more and more popular because of the many fun designs they can
have, the ease of use and the ease with which they can be cleaned, not to mention the growing eco-awareness of pet owners. Eco-friendly collars and leashes can be made from a variety of green materials, ranging from hemp and other natural textiles to recycled, petroleum-free plastic. Some pet care companies have even developed eco-friendly collars and leashes made out of bamboo, for the renewable material savvy pet or pet owner.
Composting pet waste is a somewhat debated practice because
of the potential germs or bacteria that can be contained in animal feces, however, while the composting of cat waste is not entirely recommendable, dog waste has a relatively green light for such things. Cat waste can also be composted if you take certain precautions and if you keep in mind that in order for cat waste to be composted, a minimal 18 months is required. Where dog waste is concerned, things are a little easier because dog waste, while still prone to carry parasite eggs and other pathogens is not as toxic as cat litter. Composting dog waste is a responsible way of getting rid of pet waste without having to resort to petroleum based plastic bags or other eco-dangerous methods. Adding enzyme-active biological compounds into the compost bin in order to speed up the composting process and to get rid of unwanted bacteria is recommended. It’s not recommended that you use the compost resulted from pet waste on food crops, only on ornamental plants, to keep things as safe as possible.
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