A better approach for harvesting rainwater?

Submitted by Michael on Mon, 11/24/2008 - 12:40

One "future growth opportunity" for our green practices at home is capturing the rain as it falls, to be used for irrigation. To me, the barrels are mostly unsightly and they are a potential breeding ground for mosquitoes. I was thinking that I would need to get a big tank, pay someone to dig up the yard, and then put in pumps — all pretty invasive, not to mention expensive. Mothered by the necessity of Atlanta's drought, landscaper Jim Harrington has come up with the Rainwater Pillow, an approach that seems worth considering. He and his wife (actually, I didn't inquire, but I'd say probably) Cecie were showing it off last week at GreenBuild. It's a bladder into which rain can be channeled, designed to fit into crawl spaces, under the porch, or in whatever other unused space you have. Because it is encapsulated, Cecie said, mosquitoes aren't a problem, and because it doesn't let in light, neither is algae. They're selling it as a kit direct to the public: $2,500 for a thousand-gallon bladder (the equivalent of about 20 barrels, she said), filters, a pump, fittings, and even a remote. Larger bladders are available, according to their website.

 

Speaking at Commonwealth Club

I will be speaking on the topic of food addiction at the Commonwealth Club of California, the oldest public affairs forum in the country, on Feb. 28. I'll be joining a fabulous panel of researchers and clinicians: Nicole Avena of Princeton and the University of Florida, Eric Stice of the Oregon Research Institute, Vera Tarman of Renascent Center of Toronto, abd Elissa Epel and Andrea Garber, both of the University of California at San Francisco. I am very excited to be part of the roster, not to mention to be appearing at such a great institution. Ticket information here; if you come, please stay afterward to say hello.

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