Katrina Leaves Devastation

All of our prayers and hope go out to everyone hit by the wrath of this deadly hurricane, Katrina. As a country we are a community. Please give money to whatever organization you choose to help these people. And when you are irritated by one of life's irks, please remember just how bad things can be. Gratitude...Have you had your dose today?
Hurricane

Hurricanes and Rain Barrels

As the hurricane Katrina heads toward New Orleans, Bill and Dottie in Georgia have finished setting up their 3 sets of Arid Solutions Inc.com rain barrels. They sent some pictures so I thought I would share one of them.

Bill said heavy rains are expected and they are ready with the gutters they just had installed and the rain barrels. They are sure to get filled. I hope they have both overflow outlets hooked up with hoses! When the rain does settle down they have plans to landscape around the barrels a bit more, starting with landscape bricks to hide the concrete blocks.

The hurricane reminds of me PJ in Florida. She got a rain chain from us and during their last hurricane she said it handled it well. Please note we can't guarantee our products to perform well or even to stay in your yard during hurricanes but we do find it very interesting to hear of our customers' experiences!
hurricanes
rain barrels
environment
sustainability
water conservation
rain chains

Mandated Rainwater Harvesting

I have been coming across on the web, talk of requiring rainwater harvesting to reduce groundwater pumping and to offset demand drought due to population growth. Santa Fe county, New Mexico, already has such a requirement in place. Here is glimpse of what is mandated in Santa Fe county.

Commercial Requirements

All commercial development is required to collect all roof drainage into cisterns to be reused for landscape irrigation.

Cisterns shall be sized to hold 1.5 gallons per sq. ft. of roofed area (e.g. a 2000 sq.ft. roofed area requires a 3,000 gallon cister). This figure may be adjusted based on landscaping, cisterns shall be sized to proved a months worth of landscape watering.

Residential Requirements

For residential developments 2500 sq.ft or greater the requirements are almost exactly the same as for commercial buildings.

Residential Developments less that 2500 sq.ft. of heated space may use rain barrels, cisterns, or other catchment basins and shall capture water from a minimum of 85% of the roofed area.

Other catchment basins can include directing draingage to landscape areas by swales, tree wells, raised planters or other permaculture techniques.

If you would like the full requirements send me an email, lisa@aridsolutionsinc.com with a fax number.

I think there will have to be some adjustment to this type of mandate for different parts of the country and Santa Fe county may find they want to make some amendments but I think Santa Fe is on the cutting edge, again.

rainwater
rain barrels
environment
sustainability
water conservation

Rain Barrel Business Gratitude

I have found that a good dose of gratitude can be very refreshing and uplifting. I am very grateful for my life and my family and all the good that comes with that. I also am grateful for the people who have helped me with my business along the way. Below are just a few of those people. In upcoming posts I will add more.

I would like to thank Dave Meurer and Kathy Zader of Zoom Strategies. Their strong ethics and common business sense re-affirmed my goals and strengthed me to build this business.

I thank Joe Barr of Desert Plastics, for my introduction to the rotational molding industry. Our rain barrel designs may differ but they both help people save water. Having a choice is good.

I would like all the members of NAWBO (National Assoc. of Women Business Owners) to know how I rely on their years of experience and generosity in sharing that experience. Thank you very much!

To Jack Niland of Niland Company, "Get a Fax!" proved to be invaluable. Thank you!

John Seaver owner of Just Sprinklers, thank you so much for your trust and continued business. With your quality drip irrigation systems and these barrels you are truly helping Albuquerque save water.

My Customers, I am so thankful for your continued trust and business. I feel like I have friends all across the country. When one of you re-orders to add to your rain barrel system I feel like I was given a compliment. Thank you!

Gratitude...have you had your dose today?
rain barrels
environment
sustainability
water conservation

A Peek Inside the Rain Barrel Business

Ahh... the rain barrel business. It is not what the average person thinks it is. Is is not a simple product doing a simple task and it does not simply grow. It is resin cost, lost shipments and small margins. It is also patent applications, copyright drawings and attempted competition from other sellers. Which I don't see as competition until they become unethical because I don't compete on that level. And the universe settles up with such people.

I got started doing this with such a simple idea. I wanted to help people save water. I knew that people needed a product to simplify the whole process. They needed a place to store the water so they could use it later. Something attractive enough to place outside their homes and safe around kids. Something that would last year after year. Sounds easy enough. Yea, sure.

So it was a simple idea gone way past anything described as simple. Because I do see that for it to have any impact on our water crisis it can't and won't ever be easy or simple. I can and do live with the reality of it all. Think Rain, Think Recycle! Lisa
rain barrels
environment
sustainability
water conservation

Rain Barrel Image

Rain Barrel Image- I thought people might like to see what our rain barrel looks like. It stacks!
Want to know more? Check out www.aridsolutionsinc.com
environment

Off The Grid-New Mexico, Rain Catchment, Straw Bale, ...

Off The Grid
I met a wonderful, interesting woman this weekend who was building a home off the grid here in New Mexico. Her name was Toni and her builder was Brian Euler. Now it is important to remember that this is "Off The Grid" building. NO electricity service, NO water, NO phone. Brian was building a straw bale and adobe house for Toni. Toni was adding some builder/owner labor but Brian was there with Jason, his assistant and Brian's some Liam, who is six years old. Chuck from WaterMart of New Mexico was handling the water catchment.

It is important to remember when setting up a house for total rainwater catchment to support a whole house the math must be done right. Toni knows that if her needs exceed the rain fall she can call on a local water hauler. Very important.

I was asked to attend this weekend's house building to talk about water catchment. I must admit I learned more than I taught. Life is such a blessing at times. But I did pass out cards and anyone there can call me anytime, toll free, to ask anything they want. And to Toni, God be with you. Those of you wanting to know more...add a comment,...ask a question....
environment

The Rain Barrel Business ....or How Not To Retire Early
I am starting this blog with this thought because I got a call yesterday from a defunct rain barrel seller. He was offering to sell me his stock of rain barrels, about 400 of them. He said he had only sold about 60 rain barrels in the last couple years. He was moving and wanted to get rid of them. At this point I only sell my own design of rain barrel and hadn't even given a thought to carry another style. I see my design as superoir on many levels. If I didn't see the design as superior I shouldn't have taken this whole business this far.

Let me catch everybody up. I sell rain barrels and other water conservation products at my online store, www.aridsolutionsinc.com. I did not start this business to get rich or retire early. Good thing because neither is happening. What has happened is that the business has given me opportunities to educate people about rainwater harvesting, water conservation and why it is so important.

So this is what this blog is about. I would love to hear from people all over who are in the business of water conservation and people who make water conservation part of the way they live. I am really looking forward to what all this interaction can do for the issue of saving our fresh water. Think Rain, Think Recycle!