The Rain Barrel Art Project is a joint effort of SaveLocalWaters.org and the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. As part of this initiative, community members throughout the Ohio River Valley submitted artistic designs to beautify otherwise dull rain barrels. Fifty of those designs were selected, and the submitting artists now are painting them on rain barrels that will be displayed at the Cincinnati Zoo’s Go Green Garden through April and auctioned off during the Rain Barrel Art Benefit Auction on April 23, 2015.
“Rain barrels are a great tool for conserving water and saving money, but some people are reluctant to use them because of their usually plain, unappealing appearance,” said John Nelson, a representative of SaveLocalWaters.org and a public relations specialist. “We believe that turning rain barrels into beautiful works of art will make them more desirable, so we’re pleased to collaborate on this event to raise awareness and encourage the use of rain barrels throughout the region.”
The rain barrel Victoria designed includes fish native to our East Fork Lake Region of Ohio swimming under the surface of a lake with three different Buoy waterway markers. She has a true love for our local lakes, rivers, and the great outdoors. Victoria is a strong proponent of water conservation and taking care of our Planet.
The painted rain barrels will be auctioned off on April 23, 2015, during the zoo’s Party for the Planet event, with proceeds benefitting conservation education in the Ohio River Valley. “The zoo is thrilled to be hosting the rain barrel event once again. As the ‘Greenest Zoo in America,’ we are always looking for ways to inspire our community to take action that can impact the environment in positive ways,” said Sophia Cifuentes, the zoo’s sustainability coordinator.
For more information regarding the Rain Barrel Art Project or SaveLocalWaters.org, contact John Nelson at 513-772-7645 or visit the website at http://savelocalwaters.org/rain-barrel-art-project.
About SaveLocalWaters.org
SaveLocalWaters.org is the creation of the Regional Storm Water Collaborative of Southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky, an organization focused on sharing resources to better leverage mass media and raise awareness concerning water quality issues in the Ohio River Valley. The collaborative is composed of storm water districts, municipalities, and soil and water conservation districts in Southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky. Together, we can keep our waterways clean and healthy.