Making Every Drop Count

With Southern California facing one of the biggest water shortages in years, Dan and Maya Sharp from Northwest Pasadena wanted to be water-wise when washing their solar panels. With just $45 in materials and a few hours of labor, they made their own rain barrel to capture the runoff.

The barrel collects quite a bit. A typical roof gutter can siphon off about 200 gallons from a mere quarter inch of rainfall. The Sharps now connect a hose to the rain barrel to irrigate their vegetable garden and deep water their fruit trees.

The barrel was a practical idea that supported their approach to living: Even small changes can lead to big differences for the environment. One of the most important benefits of this do-it-yourself project, the Sharps say, is that it has taught their children about the value of water and how capturing and conserving it must not be taken for granted. Watch a how-to video at www.cityofpasadena.net/savewater and learn how you can reduce, reuse, and recycle water.

Spectacular Display of Spring Colors

The recent rains have not ended California’s drought – or the need to conserve water – but they are bringing a brilliant show of wildflowers to the hillsides around Diamond Valley Lake in Riverside County. A short trail, open only for wildflower season, will guide you through a multicolored display of California poppies, lupine, brittlebush and owl clover. The color will peak in early April but should last throughout the month.

Gaze beyond the carpeted hillsides and you'll have a first-hand look at the drastically low level of our reservoir. Most Pasadena residents don't realize that Diamond Valley Lake is responsible for a significant portion of the water PWP provides.

Plan a walk through the wildflowers this month! It might inspire your own native plant gardening and remind you to be water-wise year round. Call 1-800-590-5253 for details and directions.

Ahh, Spring!

If the scent of jasmine and the sound of morning songbirds don’t inspire you to do some spring cleaning, here’s a quick and painless plan to clean up waste in every room in your house. Take part in this annual ritual in a fresh, new way!

Living areas:
Set your thermostat to 78 degrees in the summer, change your air conditioner’s filter and turn it off when you are away all day and during the night. Open windows at night for natural cooling and fresh air.

Bedroom:
Close drapes and blinds by late morning to prevent direct sunlight from turning your evening retreat into a stifling green house. Your air conditioner won’t have to work as hard to keep you cool and comfortable.

Kitchen:
Turn your refrigerator setting to 37 degrees or above, clean the coils regularly and turn off spare fridges that are nearly empty. An over-worked fridge can add 10 percent or more to your energy bill.

Laundry:
Stick a reminder note on your clothes washer, dryer and dish washer: “Full loads are heaven, before noon, and after seven.”

Bath:
Set your hot water heater to 120 degrees or “low.” It’s hot enough for most needs, and who needs a boiling hot shower in the summer anyway?

Outdoors:
Replace old outdoor lighting with energy-saving compact fluorescents, which now come in a wide range of sizes, hues and functions for whatever your lighting needs may be.

Go to www.cityofpasadena.net/rebates for savings on plenty of low-cost efficiency upgrades for your home.

Taking Inspiration from Native Beauty

When Jeffrey Bennett bought his home in 2006 his first priority, even before moving into the steep-sloped property, was to replace the dated, water-hungry landscaping. From hiking in the local mountains, he already knew that “drought-tolerant” didn’t have to mean cacti and succulents.

A rickety wooden staircase shot straight up from the street, flanked on both sides by 1950s-era African ivy. Jeffrey installed solid concrete steps with interest-adding boulders, landings and retaining walls. Working with a landscape architect friend on a new plan, he became passionate about using California native plants. The final design weaves together a tapestry of textures and colors for a naturalistic effect, with massed drifts of sage, manzanitas and ceanothus. Several redbud trees and an Englemann oak add height and variety. Native grasses, including deergrass and wild rye, dot Jeffrey’s hillside, as do many native flowering perennials.

He has inspired many of his neighbors to do their own California native landscaping, and even brought together neighbors and city officials in discussions to replace the dying pine trees on his street (infected with pine bark beetles) with native oaks.

Native plants take time to establish, but Jeffrey’s patience will be rewarded with a beautiful native landscape and lower irrigation bills. Learn more at www.bewaterwise.com.