Save Water, Water Your Plants!
As you can see from these pictures, I am kind of a crazy plant lady. It hasn't always been that way. Before having a child, I used to say, "As soon as I can keep a plant alive, I can have a child!" Meaning, I couldn't keep plants alive so there was no way I thought I could keep a child alive, right?! First of all, way different. Children have voices. Very loud voices... or at least mine does. They are also very persistent in getting your attention. "Mom. Mom. Mommy. Mommy. Mama, Mamia, Mommmmmm!!!!!!" Some days I just tell my daughter to talk to me with out saying the "M" word because I feel like I might loose it. I mean, I could be gone for 30 minutes and as soon as I walk in the door... "Mom." Daughter, I love you. I love you so very much. Truly. Sincerely. But if I hear the "M" word one more time....
Back to the plants. Some people say plants "talk" to you. Well, my plants don't talk to me. I bring them home, they are beautiful and then one day, bammm!! They're just dead. What happened? I thought I was taking care of them! That's how it used to be for me anyway, until I found my "plant lady". She's like a doctor. I tell her my situation (my style, what the room is like where the plant will reside, what direction the windows are facing, my lack of attention to my "plants that speak to me", etc). She then helps me pick out plants I hopefully won't kill. My plant doctor's name is Ginestra at Gulley Greenhouse in Fort Collins and I love her. Everyone needs a plant doctor. Because of her, I have kept plants alive and I can't stop having more babies. In fact, I'm even trying to propagate my own succulents! Can't stop, won't stop!
But here's the thing. They do need water every once in awhile. I only keep plants that need water every 1-3 weeks. Low-maintenance people. But I hate waisting water. I started to really think and become aware of how much water we waste. You know, the water that you pour to drink but you don't ever actually drink? Or when you have water bottles sitting around that nobody claims? You pour it down the drain and it's liquid gold going down the drain! So I came up with a plan. I bought a GIANT jug from an antique shop (second hand is always better!) and I have it sitting by my sink. I threw a funnel on the top and that clean water now goes into that jug to feed the plants. (Think gray water if you're an RVer)
Take some time to think about water. Where does it come from? How much do we really have? What would we do without one of nature’s greatest resources? Water gives life to the food we eat, provides us with energy to heat our homes and power our appliances, quenches our thirst and, so much more. Conserving water ensures that we will avoid shortages in the future, preventing us from having the basic needs that allow us to survive on this planet.
Here are some other great ways to "reuse" water, referenced from Aquazania:
Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth
Use a bucket in your shower: When you wait for the water in your shower to warm up, you’re just wasting water by running it down the drain. Why not collect this water in a bucket and use it to water your garden? (or house plants?)
Fix leaky pipes: That slow drip from your kitchen tap adds up to a good few litres over the course of a month. Bite the bullet and get a plumber out to your house to sort out all of your leaks.
Use a car wash: You may think you’re saving money by washing your car at home with a hose, but you’re actually wasting a lot of it. Instead, find a car wash that cleans and recycles its water. This helps both your wallet and the environment.
Repurpose cooking water: Once you’ve boiled vegetables or pasta, do you pour that water down the drain? Saving it and letting it cool provides perfectly good water for watering your plants, and the nutrients from vegetables help enrich your garden’s soil.
Think of future generations. Think of the people who don't have clean water. Be intentional. Be responsible. And do it in a way that you have fun doing it, where it looks good in your home, and you can educate your family and friends while doing it! Power to the H2O!