Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Harvesting the Rain


In all landscapes, especially in the high desert, water is life. At Quaking Aspen we strive to capture and use much of this water. As a result we are able to have lush gardens without the need for extra city water. In fact our 1/4 acre parcel has over 140,000 gallons of water that will land on it in a average year. In this same year we use about 24,000 gallons of water for bathing, washing dishes, doing laundry, and all other household activities. That means more water falls on the ground and our roof than we use in a year. If we are to set up a sustainable culture, it begins with not over pumping groundwater. Like a bank account we should remain within our "water budget," and for good measure we should begin to put more water back into the ground than we take out. Here is a little clip of some of the ways that we at Quaking Aspen seek to celebrate this abundant gift from the sky!



For more information on Rainwater Harvesting check out our buddy, Brad Lancaster's website.