A Wonderful Harvest

I am having a meeting today with the powers that be in Rio Rancho, NM. Rio Rancho is next to Albuquerque. I am going to try to convince them that rain barrel rebates, and further public education on rainwater harvesting can make difference in the amount of water pulled from the aquifer and also in the quality of peoples' lives.

I love to garden. However, gardening takes water and unless you do some simple things the bills and the guilt may take a lot of please from that activity. I will be showing these nice people just what can be done with a little planning and even less effort.

Here is a picture of just some of the tomatoes I harvested from our small garden.

This garden has tomotoes, basil, thyme, yellow peppers, parsley, and they are watered only with water from our kitchen sink, rainwater and what we call "shower water". That is, water saved waiting for the water to get hot. The water from the kitchen sink is "pitcher water", water saved using the "Pitcher Approach" to water conservationl. That is we let the water run into a pitcher when rinsing fruits and veggies, a quick rinse of your hands, or anytime the water is barely used. We then put in a a rain barrel that is fitted with a 1/2 tubing drip system and gravity fed to water the garden. All free and easy.

I own Arid Solutions Inc.com and want people to save water but also to enjoy life!

For many people gardening is a quality of life issue. Let's help them continue enjoying life!

Albuquerque, Getting to Be a Simply Wonderful Place!

I was just a at a luncheon at the Albuquerque Hilton where the forward thinking Mayor Chavez spoke of Albuquerque Green and the plans to make Albuquerque able to sustain itself. The Home Builders Assoc. hosted the event, I am a member and also a member of Build Green NM. I am proud to be part of this community that plans on taking care of itself by making the changes needed to continue to be a viable city.

It will take many people and many ideas brought together to give us a green and sustainable future. It is not just water conservation or greenhouse gases, it is all the parts of all the problems that need attention and modifications. The current codes, regulations, etc., need to be modified and quickly to get changes made. In particular the plumbing codes for new, innovative products to be main-streamed to the residents.

Thank you Mayor Chavez for the work it has taken to get us this far and your willingness to go even farther. You truly are making me feel safe about the the future.

New Year...New Store!

I noticed my last post was in August, wow...I must have been busying doing other things than writing this blog. Yes, I have. We won't go into all of it but I have moved my home and home office. And I'll let you in on a secret....I am opening a kiosk location in Albuquerque! We are calling it "Eco-Mart" the kiosk for Arid Solutions Inc.com

I have not done a press release or even hung a sign yet but most of the stock is in place and I have actually had a couple customers already. I shared my secret with a couple of local people who wanted to give rain barrels for gifts.

The kiosk is located in the "The Doggie Door Company". Janet the owner is a licensed contractor who installs pet doors. She is happy to process your purchases of conservation products when I am not there. If things get too hectic she'll give me a call. My daughter is now working with me so we'll be able to keep the online store going strong and the kiosk.

Most of our customers have already educated themselves on the virtures of our rain barrels. As far as all our other products, composters, composting toilets, they have customer education info to read there at the Eco-Mart and people can always go online at www.aridsolutionsinc.com and of course customers can call and set a time to meet me there. The phone number is the same 505-281-7664 locally. Call to get exact directions. When Eco-Mart opens officially it will be on the web site with all the details.

Why did I do all this when an online store is so much easier to run? Because I started this whole business to help Albuquerque and New Mexico with its fresh water crisis. To bring a product to people to simplify water saving. But most of my sales were out of state! So I thought I could simplify the process for people. Also, I will not be charging shipping to those who pick up their rain barrels at the kiosk. They can still order and have them delivered nationwide for only $10 each...still only $10...for now anyway.

I am so proud of Albuquerque and its very concerned Mayor Chavez. The 2006 World Leadership Award for our water conservation efforts is such a compliment for all our and his hard work. I am happy and honored to be part of its growing green population.

So this secret is out. The sign is not up yet...but you now know!

rain barrels
sustainability
water conservation

Conserving Water When Abundant

It has been a long time since I posted a blog. We won't talk about why. Anyway, the southwest has been hit with a monsoon season like I have never seen in my 20+ years in NM. People ask if I am selling more rain barrels because of all the rain...well, no. There is mindset that goes like this. If it rains every day for weeks in a row I don't need to save any. And it sort of does make sense but this is a fluke and won't last. Then those people will wonder why they didn't save some while it was here.

Also, we have gotten so much rain that the City of Albuquerque discussed whether they should cut back on water restrictions. Why bother? I say. When a person can only water on odd numbered days and it is raining the other days don't mess with it. Keep people watching how much they use and when. Because all this rain is...a fluke. With the discussion on the water restrictions I did not hear whether our aquifer has recharged at all. It would be great if it had but there have been no headlines yet about it. So I say keep the restrictions. It is only a fluke. Enjoy it while it lasts. And if you would like to save some...visit www.aridsolutionsinc.com

rain barrels
Albuquerque
water
water restrictions

Water Conservation Education?

I have been refraining from writing this blog. They say never to write an email when you're angry, I figured that rule also applied to blogs. Well, I am still annoyed and less angry so I'll give it a go.

The City of Albuquerque launched its new water conservation education and public relations program. I have two major complaints.

1. The catch phrase is "Rout the Drought". I am a pretty intelligent, well read, business owner, www.aridsolutionsinc.com. I was brought up in the midwest and am over forty. I do not however read books about war battles where I am told that the word "rout" is commonly used.

I had to look it up. My daughter in college didn't know what it meant either. It means to defeat. Two major parts here is that one can not defeat a drought, one must adapt. Secondly, the majority of the people hearing these ads may not even speak fluent english and if they do chances are they don't read war novels. So it becomes a meaningless phrase that rhymes.

2. My second complaint is that the ads ask that people reduce their indoor water use by 10%. How????? How much is 10% when the faucet is on? Education is supposed to educate. Tell people how!

I was part of team that submitted a bid couple years ago for the city's water education program. I came up with the "Pitcher Approach to Water Conservation" It is a simple, inexpensive if not free, idea that everyone can do. You keep a pitcher in your kitchen sink and whenever you are rinsing your hands, fruits and vegtables, hand washed dishes you let the water run into the pitcher instead of down the drain. The saved water can then be used right there to rinse off dirty dishes, run the disposal, soak pots, water plants, you get the idea.

Putting a pitcher and a large watering can in the shower will give you place to save the water waiting for the water to get hot. Don't let it go down the drain.

The average household can use 2-10 gallons less water a day using these ideas. If we take 2 gallons a day per the 650,000 people who live in Albuquerque that is a savings of 1,300,000 gallons of water a day.

I don't have any exclusive rights to this idea. In fact, I contacted the city and voluteered my services to who ever got the job this year so I could help. When we submitted our bid there was a buracratic glitch and the city was did not have the authourity to accept a bid, after requesting them...sounds like poor planning. This year our team was unable to re-submit.

So there you go. I was angry and disappointed that during this crisis our water education program is so lame. Albuquerque take my idea...run with it. Please!

Albuquerque
drought
water conservation

Three Things One Must Do...

...if you use a computer at all, BACK UP, BACK UP, BACK UP. My life recently blew up when my hard drive crashed and my system had not been backed up for over a year. I am one of those people who does it all except when it is out of my area of expertise. I know what I don't know. So backing up was delegated to someone else. The ball was dropped and needless to say they don't have that job anymore.

Well, I have upgraded to an automatic back up system. Fortunately, the parts of my life and business I am in charge of are running nicely. Business is up, people are wonderful, life is good.

In fact, I am even offering free shipping for my rain barrels right now. With the patent being awarded and magazine article, I am in a celebratory mood. Visit my site,www.aridsolutionsinc.com I might even change my picture. People have told me that in my picture I am not smiling big enough (maybe I was worried about my data!)
rain barrels
environment
sustainability
water conservation

What I Got For My Birthday!

I had a birthday this weekend and what a wonderful present came in the mail on that particular day. My patent was delivered for the Octagon Rain Barrel I designed and sell at www.aridsolutionsinc.com It even had a red ribbon.

This is quite a milestone in a person's life. But what this means most to me is that it can now be licensed to a major manufacturer who can distribute it throughout the US more easily and probably at an even more affordable price for consumers. Thus,this product that makes rainwater harvesting easy and safe will help mainstream this method of water conservation around the country.

Also for my birthday, even though they didn't know it was my birthday, This Old House Magazine has a picture of my Octagon Rain Barrel in the April 2006 issue. The article talks about rain barrels and they offer some ideas for alternatives to the "recycled pepper barrel". Our US made barrel is clearly a wonderful alternative.

I sent a announcent about the patent and the magazine article to our newsletter recipients. I was so touched by the numerous congratulatory emails and phone calls I received. There are some very thoughtful people out there...thank you.

Our world is changing and we need to be ready. I am honored that Arid Solutions Inc. is helping people be ready. Think Rain, Think Recycle!

rain barrels
environment
sustainability
water conservation
patents
rainwater harvesting