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Going Green: Confessions of a Bathroom Hog

tlambiase
Explorer B

It may be just a stereotype that women spend more time getting ready in the bathroom than men.  But stereotype or not, I’m definitely my family’s bathroom hog.

I can’t tell you how many times my mom has banged on my bathroom door, annoyed and exasperated, to comment on my longer-than-average bathroom routine.  I’m also embarrassed to admit that numerous cold showers have been endured by other members of my family because of my bad habits (other people besides me spend 20 minutes in the shower … right??).

But it’s time to come clean.  I can’t really claim to be living a sustainable lifestyle if I consistently waste water, and something has to be done to appease my family while I’m living at home this summer.  So here are some ideas I’ve come up with to save water and time in the bathroom:

Take a five-minute shower.  Crazy?  Maybe.  Effective?  You bet!  If everyone in the U.S. used one less gallon of water per shower, we could save around 85 billion gallons of water per year.  So try to shave a few minutes off your shower time.

Turn off the tap.  Don’t let the water idly run while you’re brushing your teeth, washing your face, or shaving.  Just turning the tap off while brushing your teeth can save 25 gallons of water a month!

Check the pressure!  Although showerheads made in the U.S. are now required to release no more than 2.5 gallon of water per minute, you should double check to make sure yours is up to par.  You can even buy a low-flow showerhead that releases as little as 1.25 gallons of water per minute!

Shower like a Midshipman.  It’s not surprising that sailors in the Navy have to be aware of their water use since there isn’t an infinite supply of fresh water on ships.  So showering “The Navy Way” basically means that you get wet, turn off the water, soap up, and turn the water on again briefly to rinse off.

The first step to fixing a water hogging problem is admitting you have one, right?  I hope you’ll join me in doing your part to save water at home!

Let us know how you conserve water at home by commenting below, or by e-mailing green@wnco.com.  DING!  You are now free to be green!

1 Comment
power-my-life
Explorer C
It is so important to conserve water, especially in the summer months. Thanks for sharing these great tips and statistics.