If you walk down the streets of Chicago neighborhood Oak Park, you’ll see fantastically painted rain barrels placed along the streets. The 100 colorful 55-gallon kegs are there to catch rain and catch your eye. The League of Women Voters of Oak Park/River Forest, organized the eco-friendly art display to stir up interest in rain barrels.

They’re a smart way to conserve water right in your own backyard or rooftop. If you have a barrel out in the open or connected to a gutter, it’ll collect and store rainwater every time the sky opens up. Each one is equipped with a spigot at the bottom, so it’s easy to use the collected H2O for watering plants, watering your yard, washing your car or for any other reason you may need water outside other than drinking.

Conservations love rain barrels and they’re a great addition to a green garden, but they haven’t caught on in a widespread way yet. So campaigns like the one in Chicago are important to get the ball rolling. Another plus–aside from saving water, you can also save money on your water bill.  Click here to read more

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