Rain Barrel As Bulletin Board

This past Sunday was a beautiful day: great for playing (or watching) football, taking a nice fall walk or exploring  Herring Run Park. Better yet, it was a great day for creating rain barrels.

The Hall Springs section of Herring Run park is where we hold most of our rain barrel workshops. This Sunday we were pleased to welcome a handful of folks who came out to help build their own rain barrel.

We have tools, parts and empty barrels at our shed in the park (the one with the wonderful nature mural!). The barrels this time smell like fresh cola or rootbeer. In the past they have ranged from vanilla, to caramel, to sherry wine.

Something that made this workshop different was the chance to use our stormdrain stencils to paint the rain barrel. With shapes including crabs, shells and fish, these stencils have been used throughout the city to help bring awareness to our persistent stormwater problem. With eye-catching imagery and slogans like “Trash in the street pollutes what we eat”, local students can get involved, with a greater chance for neighborhood pride and attention to Baltimore’s trash problem.

Rain barrels are great for collecting water from your roof, but can also serve as education pieces when placed in the right setting. Two feet wide and three feet tall, these upcycled industrial barrels can also be seen as blank canvasses when installed at schools, community centers or when visible from the street. One could even use chalkboard paint to write creative messages!

Do you think your home, local school or community center could use a rain barrel?

There is a good reason to act now:  although free installation will remain into 2013, this year is the last chance to get $25 off of your rain barrel through our free Water Audit program.

Sign up now for a Water Audit to see if you are eligible for the rebate!