Going Green!

There has been a lot of promotion of the "Going Green" campaign for the past few years. While this is not a bad idea, a lot of companies are hopping on the bandwagon for no other reason than to make a buck...and people fall for it. My take on this is..if you have to buy something, then it is not helping the ecosystem one bit. That item had to be created somehow..using some resources..and most likely during the process..emitting some toxins. This does not sound very "green" to me. It makes more sense to reuse what we have..not buy more needless items simply because some marketing ploy leads us to believe that we will be helping the universe! Recycle..reduce..reuse!

I pondered this dilemma in depth for the past few days. We are in the midst of a drought here on the Bayou making it a dire situation for the state of the garden. How in the world could I water the garden with recycled water? Each day gallons upon gallons of water simply slip down the drain. Water that could be used to revive wilted, dying plants. The same plants that provide life-sustaining nourishment need the cool, moisture to survive. Granted water that might contain some harsh substances might not be the best..but, hey, who wants to use harsh, potentially dangerous chemicals anyway?? These, too, are not good for the environment! "Used" water..such as bath water, produce-washing water and dish-washing water is perfectly fine for plants. Yes, I know there is usually soap residue in the water but most soaps are biodegradable now. There is an added benefit to most soaps being in the water! Dish soap is an ingredient in most horticultural oil sprays! These sprays help rid the plants of powdery mildew. The soap can be beneficial in ridding the garden of a lot of pesky bugs as well!

This in mind, I have been using a dishpan for just about all my washing needs in the kitchen. I use one to wash dishes and another to wash the fruit or vegetables that I home-can. This water is then toted out to be dumped by pear trees, fig trees or citrus trees. I am happy to say that these trees are enjoying their daily dousing and are flourishing despite of the arid conditions. I felt good about pouring water on them until my arms began to ache from hefting the huge tub of water! I would have to lift it out of the sink, tote it through the kitchen and laundry room, out the back door, across the porch, down the steps and to each tree. That is a "far piece"! Time to rethink this reusing bit. How could I make this easier. The wheels in my head started turning..at first with a slow grind, then picking up speed! Son knows when I start to ponder, it usually means some harebrained idea would soon develop and work would ensue. He was right. If I only had to tote the water to the porch, it would not be near so difficult! Going down those steps with the tub is what tired me. Not to mention, I usually sloshed a good bit of the water down my jeans legs with each step! If I could have a way to direct the water from the porch to the garden, all would be well! The bean and squash gardens are not far from the back porch so I just needed a short drainage system set up. Less than twenty minutes later, Son had devised a rather interesting watering system. I found a leaky, old hose and a large funnel..these along with some wire and duct tape were all he needed! The watering system worked like a charm! I merely pour the dishwater into the funnel and it travels down the hose to be deposited into the garden! Irrigation at its best..recycled water! The dry, hot ground soaked up the water and the new, little squash plants immediately perked up! Success! Simple but effective! The hose and funnel will be hidden soon as I have planted some herbs in pots on the porch. The dill will definitely grow tall enough to hide my innovative plumbing!

Now, the question is...are you up to the task of recycling at least a bit of water? Wastewater that is generated from washing dishes, doing laundry or taking baths is called "grey water". This water is not contaminated with human waste or harmful chemicals and is perfectly safe to use in landscaping and gardens. Is it possible that you could at least water a few houseplants with used water? I have a cousin in Atlanta that taught me many ideas of how to reuse water..how to conserve..how to recycle. She is great about reusing dishwater or water used to wash fruit and vegetables as garden irrigation. Another great tip I received from a friend was to use bath water to wash the dog or even the car!

Now..to work on getting a rain barrel..just in case we do get a thunderstorm or two rolling through here! A rain barrel..ahhh..yes..I definitely need one of those! Or maybe two!!