Our Top 5 'Green' Fountain Tips
The new year starts in just six days, and it's that time when everyone is thinking about making resolutions. Some people vow to lose weight; others set business goals or promise to set aside more time to spend with family. When thinking about how you want to change for the better in 2008, consider how you can make less of an impact on the earth just by making more careful choices in your everyday life. How you go about selecting and maintaining a water fountain may seem like a very small thing, but tiny steps toward a healthier planet add up in the long run. Set a few goals you can achieve with very little effort at all with help from our top 5 eco-friendly fountain tips.
Always go with re-circulating fountains rather than fountains that have a dedicated water source. Re-circulating fountains pump the same water through the fountain over and over again instead of constantly consuming fresh water from a pipeline. All small fountains (such as tabletop and wall fountains) and most medium to large outdoor fountains re-circulate water, but if you're thinking about having a custom fountain made for your home or business, nix the idea of having a water line installed. In most cases (unless we're talking about giant fountain installations like, say, the ones at the palace of Versailles), a dedicated water source isn't necessary and is just wasteful.
Choose solar powered fountains, or fountains made of recycled and/or rapidly renewable materials. As we told you a few weeks ago, choosing solar power when available is a no brainer. Check out the selection of solar fountains at KineticFountains.com - there are a wide range of beautiful, high quality designs to choose from. In addition to solar power, bamboo fountains are an excellent eco-friendly choice. Not only do they add a tranquil feel to any interior or exterior space, they take advantage of the world's fastest growing plant instead of using harmful plastics or non-renewable natural resources.
Use an outdoor fountain to create a mini ecosystem in your garden. Water fountains can be a wonderful basis for an eco-friendly backyard wildlife retreat. Place a solar birdbath fountain among butterfly-attracting native plants; provide squirrels, caterpillars and other creatures places to hide and nest with low-growing bushes, dead tree limbs and mossy rocks. It will be beautiful for you to look at, and will help to make up for the nature that has been displaced by the construction of your home and others nearby.
Use natural, non-toxic water treatments. Fountec and Protec are excellent choices which are highly effective without causing harm to the environment. Fountec kills and inhibits the growth of algae in fountain water quickly and easily, without the use of bleach or dangerous chemicals. Protec contains a unique blend of organo-phosphonates to protect against both white calcium mineral buildup and metallic stains. Both water treatments are safe for use around wildlife and pets. Protec treated water can even be used in water gardens where fish and plant life are present.
Ditch the bottled distilled water. The old advice about preventing mineral scale by using distilled water is out. Bottled water is simply wasteful. Natural water treatments like Protec do the job just as well, without creating waste or harming the environment. Plus, they're less expensive and more convenient. No need to lug gallons of distilled water out to your garden fountain and spend your valuable time pouring them in when you can just add a little bit of water treatment to your faucet/hose water once a week or so.
