|
Cole Hardware Subsidized Rain Barrels:
Harvest your rainwater!
Last year you may recall we partnered with the City to offer a rain barrel at a very special price to residents of San Francisco who wanted to participate in a grand idea: harvesting rainwater for use in their garden. The program was wildly successful. In half the time predicted, the subsidy ran out and over 300 rain barrels were distributed all around the City.
We still believe there is great efficacy in rainwater harvesting and we’d like to continue with the grand idea. Whereas last year both the City and Cole Hardware chipped in to offer a special low price, this year it’s just us. For a limited time, we are offering the same rain barrel as last year at just about the same low price, offering you the entire “subsidy” out of our own pockets.
Rainwater harvesting is a centuries-old practice of collecting and using rainwater that falls off roofs into cisterns or rain barrels. Early Romans used water collection as a type of air conditioning during hot months. Developing countries are rediscovering this technology as concerns over our fresh water supplies increase worldwide.
Because of Northern California’s constant threat of below average rainfall, employing a rain barrel in your garden or yard is an ideal way to capture the rain (when we’re lucky enough to have it) and provide a fresh water source for your garden. By installing a rain barrel or cistern, you are also helping to maintain the health and beauty of San Francisco’s urban watershed in many ways.
Benefits of harvesting rainwater include:
- Reducing your use of potable water (water safe to drink) used for non-potable usage applications like gardening or car washing
- Reducing the energy and chemicals needed to treat storm water in San Francisco’s combined sewer system
- Minimizing flooding and combined sewer discharges by decreasing the volume of storm water entering the sewer system.
- Reduces your utility bill
- The water is free!
During the month of November, Cole Hardware is offering a 55-60 gallon rain barrel for $89.99 – a $35 savings off the regular retail of $124.99. Our rain barrels are repurposed food shipping containers, used primarily to ship pickles, olives and syrups. Equipped with an open top design, hose bibb, overflow hose and connecting valve, a mosquito screen and drain at the base, these converted barrels also contain the maximum amount of recycled content for food grade plastics.
Don’t delay – visit any Cole Hardware and get your rain barrel set up before the next storm!
|
|
 |
| The beautiful Yerebetan rain harvesting cistern in Turkey, dating back to 527 A.D, resembles a temple and is a popular tourist attraction. |
Tips to keep your rain barrel in shape:
- Use all water regularly.
- Flush the first rainfall through your rain barrel as the first drainage from a roof will contain bird droppings and debris.
- Clean gutters regularly to reduce debris. (See Gutter Maintenance article page 8)
- During a dry spell, rinse out your barrel.
- Use mosquito dunks to avoid infestations – they’re non toxic and won’t hurt plants.
|
|
BACK
TOP