How to Reuse Snow

An overabundance of snow results in days off from school (and maybe even work) and the chance to build snowmen, ski and sled ride to your heart’s content. The snowflakes create a winter wonderland for adventurous outdoor lovers.

In addition to providing a base for winter sports, snow is simply chilled water, which can be collected and used as greywater. So, even if you’re not going to frolic in the white stuff, you can at least collect it and save it for a sunny day.

Rain barrels are made for collecting rainwater, but during the wintertime, it’s often too cold to precipitate. One novel idea is to reuse the rain barrels as snow barrels. By shoveling fresh snow from the driveway into the rain barrel, you can have extra water on hand.

Some people prefer to collect snow in rinsed-out milk jugs, which is convenient when you need smaller portions. There are endless ways to collect and store the snow, but it’s more important that you find ways to reuse it.

After the snow has melted and the water has warmed to room temperature, you can use the liquid in many different ways. An easy mode for reuse is to hydrate indoor and outdoor plants with it. Snow has been considered the “poor man’s fertilizer,” so in its warmer liquid form, it can help your ornamentals and vegetable plants grow in the spring and summer.

You can also keep melted snow handy for rinsing out recyclables. Or, use it to rinse off your car before a wash.

Some other ideas include using it for toilet flushing, squelching patio fires and recharging water in backyard ponds or lagoons.

From muddy shoes to sandy beach chairs, you can preserve your well or city water and rely on your melted snow preserves. Now you have a reason to cheer when the snow starts to stick!