Health & Fitness
Recycling Raindrops
40% of domestic water consumption in any given municipality goes to watering lawns and gardens.
As New Lenox and other communities begin to take a serious look at water consumption and conservation, I thought it a good time to mention some water conservation steps put forth through ShareFest. First, let’s agree to say that ShareFest is about uniting as Proud Americans to meet the needs in the community. We have a need for water conservation. According to the Chicago Department of Water Management, Chicago residents consume 1 billion gallons of water from Lake Michigan per day and less than one percent of that water is put back. In addition, 40% of domestic water consumption in any given municipality goes to watering lawns and gardens.
One helpful solution:
We can be better stewards of the raindrops by recycling them. A rain barrel when connected to your home’s downspout, creates a rain bank--helping you by storing water for use gardening, washing your car, or watering your lawn. Using a rain barrel keeps storm water out of the system and can cut down your water bill. One inch of rain on a 1,000 sq. ft. roof yields 623 gallons of water!
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Since the inception of ShareFest six years ago, environmental impact projects have been a big part of ShareFest. During our ShareFest 2012 “Main Event” September 8th, in a partnership of the New Lenox Township, we are having a Recycling Fair which includes rain barrels for sale. But we do not want to just sell them, we want to teach people how to use them, how to connect them, and why it is important to recycle the raindrops. In addition, we have local artists who are painting the rain barrels as a work of art for your home. Any profit from the sale of these artistic rain barrels will benefit “The Hub”, a non-profit organization providing New Lenox teens with free, safe, recreational fun. Director, Dan Stinnett, in return is helping to provide some of the live music for the main event. It’s a win-win-win, and you just gotta love it when things work out this way!
The Saturday September 8th Recycling Fair during the ShareFest “Main Event” will be held at the Spencer School Campus and is a free public event promoting sustainability while allowing attendees to dispose of household hazardous waste, electronics, Styrofoam, and scrap metal and more. This year we will have food, live music, how-to workshops, and other activities for the whole family. There will be eco-friendly exhibits with experts in their field displaying products, sharing ideas, and teaching us how to be good stewards for our environment.
Find out what's happening in New Lenoxwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
If you would like take part in the “Eleven Days of Giving” activities during ShareFest, please contact us.
815-717-2614
