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Reconnect to Rain Barrels to Reduce Flooding

 HAMILTON ON, July 10, 2013 – RainBarrel.ca is hoping for a swift recovery from the devastating flooding that recently occurred in the Greater Toronto Area and suggests further preparation is now needed to avert repeated disaster.

Toronto has already been unrolling a positive and essential initiative by requiring households to disconnect their downspout thereby reducing the impact on the city storm water system. Unfortunately with impacts from climate change, such fierce, rapid downpours are only likely to increase as warming causes disruptive and unpredictable shifts in weather.

Water damage insurance claims have soared to $1.7 billion annually in Canada, surpassing fire as the leading cause of damage to homes. This rise prompted the Insurance Bureau of Canada to undertake a study in Wingham that found that rain barrels, if emptied regularly, could divert 4.5 million litres of rainwater runoff away from a municipality’s sewer system and out of homes.

Combining rain water collection with Toronto’s downspout disconnect is a sure method to help reduce flood and flood damage to GTA homes. Along with other initiatives to reduce our environmental impacts that are damaging our climate, Canadians need to make practical efforts to reduce the current impacts of climate change on our communities.

Rain barrels decrease pressure and chance of overflow contamination with city sewage systems during heavy rains as well as reduce the chance of basement flooding. At the same time collecting water provides a free source of water that is ideal for vegetables and plants since it does not contain fluoride and chlorine which are added to many municipal water systems. Rain barrels also permit homeowners to wash vehicles and do other cleaning and water activities when water restrictions may be in force.

RainBarrel.ca not only provides rain barrels but uses recycled food grade barrels to further reduce the environmental impact of the barrels they offer. Products are normally sold via non-profit partnerships to help raise funds for communities across Canada. These fundraisers are an ongoing effort to provide communities with practical eco-friendly rain capturing tools while raising funds for positive local initiatives. RainBarrel.ca also has rain barrels available locally in three Toronto locations Looney Twooney, Toronto Botanical Gardens and Grassroots.

With increased flooding from heavy rainfall and rising insurance costs, simple tried and true mitigation methods are not only beneficial but have become essential in reducing the impact of our new weather reality on our communities.

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About RainBarrel.ca – RainBarrel.ca reclaims food grade barrels previously used to import fruits and vegetables to be reused as rain barrels. Partnerships with non-profit organizations result in fundraising truckload sales events for communities across Ontario. For additional information please contact Larry Pomerantz, [email protected], call 905-545-5577 or visit www.RainBarrel.ca.

The Friends of Ecological and Environmental Learning (FEEL) is a newly formed registered charity stemming from the origins of the Friends of the Frost group.  Their mission is to advance the public’s awareness, understanding and appreciation of ecosystems through education.

With their new website being launched in summer 2013, FEEL is prepared to move forward in support of local environmental education and community stewardship through various community projects and the 2013 Muskoka-Haliburton-Kawartha Children’s Water Festival.

The Haliburton-Muskoka-Kawartha Children’s Water Festival brings together the expertise of educators, water quality and quantity specialists, community volunteers, conservation groups, industry and government to provide elementary students from Haliburton, Muskoka and the City of Kawartha Lakes with the opportunity to discover the importance and diversity of water.

The purpose of hosting a Children’s Water Festival is to educate students on the importance of water quality, how the water (hydrology) cycle works, what each person can do to maintain and/or improve water quality so that future generations will have the water resources required to maintain human and animal populations. It is also important to educate students that what happens in the Muskoka and Haliburton Watersheds will impact upon communities, habitats and wildlife populations anywhere downstream. Given the reliance of the regional economy on our natural resource base, the wise use and protection of our resources particularly water, which grows out of knowledge is essential to our continued well being.

Two of the primary objectives of this holistic-focused event are to develop personal awareness of the importance of water, and to foster respect for the natural environment. It is hoped that by increasing awareness and respect, as individuals we will make a commitment to use natural resources wisely.

The Friends of Ecological and Environmental Learning are holding a rain barrel fundraiser to help raise funds for their initiatives including this fabulous water festival and orders can be made by visiting: https://rainbarrel.ca/feel/

 

We are more than half way through our rain barrel season but are happy to announce that there are still sales happening! Browse the listings below to find a sale in your area!

 

• NEWMARKET, ON: Windfall Ecology Centre

JUNE 15, 2013

• WESTPORT, ON: Westport in Bloom & Rideau Conservation Authority
• WINNIPEG, MB: St. Matthew’s Maryland Community Ministry
• WINNIPEG, MB: Pinawa Christian Fellowship
• WINNIPEG, MB: Vincent Massey Safe Grad Committee
• WATERLOO, ON: Koinonia Christian Fellowship
• BRANTFORD, ON: Don Warrener’s Martial Arts

JUNE 16, 2013 and JULY 7, 14, 21, 28 2013 and AUGUST 4, 11, 18, 25 2013

• HAMILTON, ON: Mountain Kidz Klub *

JUNE 19, 2013

• SAULT STE. MARIE: KORAH Green Council

JUNE 22, 2013

• ST. CATHARINES, ON: Calvary Christian School

JUNE 27, 2013

• CORNWALL, ON: St. Lawrence River Institute of Environmental Sciences

JUNE 29, 2013

• CAMBRIDGE, ON: Preston Heights Community Group

JULY 3, 2013

• VAL CARON, ON: Confederation Secondary School

SUNDAYS IN JUNE, JULY and AUGUST 2013

• HAMILTON, ON: Mountain Kidz Klub *

Rain Barrels are coming to London on June 8th 2013!

Find a fundraising rain barrel sale near you:
Order Today!

Calvary United Church Sale – 290 Ridout St. S., London
London 66th Scouts – 1925 Dundas Street East, London

2nd Peterborough St. Luke’s Scouting is partnering with Rainbarrel.ca with an environmentally friendly rain barrel sale in order to fundraise towards a group trip to Mexico in 2014. All barrels are made from recycled food grade barrels and help purchasers save on their metered water costs by collecting rainwater that is healthier for gardens than watering with chlorinated municipal water, and  also allows homeowners to water their gardens at their own convenience despite municipal watering restrictions. You can order yours online for $50 by clicking here.

St. Luke’s Scouts has been established for over 100 years in East City, Peterborough, and their co-ed youth programs for ages five and up continues to be very active with an emphasis on getting the youth “out” in “scouts” and away from digital media. In 2014, a group of Scouts, Venturers, Rovers and adult leaders are planning a group trip to Mexico to return a visit with Mexican youth that spent 2 1/2 weeks in Peterborough in 2013 as part of St. Luke’s centenary celebration.

Venturer Chris Hewett, a grade 10 student who has been in scouting for eight years, is looking forward to the 2014 trip. Through scouting he’s been able to travel to Germany and Sweden for the 2011 World Scout Jamboree; a once-in-a-lifetime experience he says would not have been accessible without donations and vigorous fundraising. To reach the 2014 Mexican trip goal, a fundraising committee of youth, leaders and parents at St Luke’s have been busy with a number of endeavors including grocery bagging, metal recycling, pizza couponning, plant and pumpkin sales, and a movie night — all part of a two year plan to make the trip accessible to any group youth who would like to attend.

The beneficial influence of experience in scouting is clearly apparent in Hewett, who received his Chief Scouts Award in 2011 and is an active volunteer with the younger scouting groups. In order to achieve the Chief Scout Award, he had to complete a variety of tasks that build on citizenship and personal development, beyond the usual badge work requirements. In his own words, Hewett feels that scouting “builds good character for young boys and girls and creates building blocks for a long successful life,” and enjoys the opportunities his travels have provided to meet new people and make life-long friends from other parts of Canada and the world.

“This fundraiser is especially relevant to this trip” says parent/organizer Jeannine Crowe. “In Ontario, it’s very easy to take clean drinking water for granted — we live in a country with one of the largest amounts of fresh water in the world, and we use it to wash cars and water our lawns.” The youth visiting Mexico will be experiencing very different conditions and won’t be able to assume that water will be safe to drink from the tap, and that water supply may be limited for bathing as well.

To support the trip, rain barrels are $50 each and can be ordered online by clicking here, and are to be picked up Friday, May 10th from 3:30 PM to 7:00 PM and Saturday, May 11th from 8:30 AM to 12:00 PM at The Canadian Canoe Museum, 901 Monaghan Rd. (between Romaine & Lansdowne), Peterborough, ON.

Each rain barrel comes fully equipped with a leaf and mosquito filter basket, an overflow adapter that permits multiple barrels to be connected in series, 1.2m of overflow hose and a spigot that attaches directly to a garden hose. Delivery is available within Peterborough or Lakefield for a small additional
donation.

For more information, please visit www.rainbarrel.ca/StLukesScouts or contact Jeannine Crowe by phone: 705 741 5236 or email: [email protected].