As I said 2009 seems to be the year of new green ideas. The Eco Water Save Shower Timer, now available from All-in-One, is certainly a great one.

You place the twist-action 5-minute shower timer onto the side of the shower via a suction mount. The client goes into the shower and turns the hour glass (or is it 5 minute glass) over. When the sand runs out, shower should be over.

These little items help people save water, energy and money, by reminding folks to take shorter showers. They are also shatter-resistant and have a 70% recycled plastic body, so they count as a green item in their own right.

This is a very simple and very smart giveaway for any Ecopreneurist who works in the water or energy industries. I also think they would be great for city and community energy drives. Certainly a great Earth Day giveaway for all you Ecopreneurists taking place in Earth Day fairs, seminars and other events this year.

They might also be a good item for schools, spas, hotels and other venues that have users taking showers as a friendly reminder to save water.

With a EQP of $4.62 these items are a great way to get your message or brand in front of your client each and every day.

For more information on the Eco Water Save Shower Timer please visit the All-in-One website or email info@proformagreen.com

Australia has been suffering through a drought for the last several years. Since 2003, most of Australia has been experiencing the most severe drought conditions on record. And Australia is the driest populated continent, which further exacerbates water issues there. So it’s not surprising that a super-efficient shower would come from Australia.

According to the Quench Showers brochure, “If we focus on Australia’s water position we are at crisis point. Being aware of this is a start, but more importantly, we all need to understand the crisis and take immediate action if we are going to influence change. Without changing the way we consume and manage our water usage in our day-to-day activity, this crisis will become a widespread catastrophe!”

So how does the Quench shower save so much water and energy?

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The magical cleaning agent in your bar of hygiene is likely cow fat or oil from, say, coconut. At the manufacturing plant, a chemical process removes the valuable glycerin in the fats and oils to be used in other products. The leftovers are mixed with sodium hydroxide and then blasted dry to form soap pellets, which are then mixed with the colorants, fragrances and other ingredients that allow a humble soap to go by the name of Carribean Breeze or Lilac Meadow.

While the production of soap—or anything, really—has environmental repercussions all its own, the pretty smells in our personal care products are, perhaps, the issue most worth examining here. Many of the chemicals producing fine aromas have been linked to not-so-fine human ailments or tested on animals, and their disposal—down your shower drain in a sudsy stream—fills our water system with chemicals that do not readily biodegrade (or breakdown).

Now, how about a shave?

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The Center for Health, Environment & Justice has just published “Volatile Vinyl: The New Shower Curtain’s Chemical Smell”, which claims more than 100 chemicals are released into the air when consumers open the packages containing the curtains.

That “new” smell sticks around too. the report found that 108 different VOCs were released into the air over a months time. AND, the level of total VOCs was over 16 times greater than the recommended guidelines for indoor air quality established by the U.S. Green Building Council.

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When you are in the shower, the hot water from the shower strikes your body and transfers some heat before it falls away. But most of the heat in that water simply goes down the drain. Reportedly, 80 to 90 percent of the energy used to heat water for the shower is lost down the drain.

A drain water heat recovery unit (DWHR) transfers heat from water running down the drain to cold water going to the water heater. This preheats the water so that the heater is starting with warmer water, and thus needs less energy. A DWHR unit can save as much as 25-30% of the energy used for water heating, and payback periods range from 3 to 7 years, depending on use patterns.

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Key Causes of Excessive Water Use

There are many sources of water waste across all sectors of the economy. But, as homeowners and consumers, which ones do we have the most control over? Low Impact Living suggests you consider the following ideas when thinking about lowering your water use.

Direct Household Water Use

The typical household with three members uses over 300 gallons of water per day, both inside and outside. If you live in a warm climate where lawn irrigation is needed, then typically this is your single biggest source of waste – most lawns are over-watered, irrigated with inefficient equipment, and planted with plants not suitable to the local climate.

Inside, toilets, clothes washers and showers are the largest water users, representing 19, 15 and 12 gallons per person per day respectively (see chart to the right). There are huge inefficiencies here as well, especially in older homes. New appliances and plumbing fixtures can often shave 50% off of your water use.

All told, an average water-conserving home could cut the 300 gallon average above to less than 150 gallons with no sacrifice in comfort or performance. Specific things you can do to achieve these savings are listed below.

Indirect Water Use

In addition to the water that you use directly, you also consume water via the products and services that you buy.

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It’s a hard statistic to nail down, but a person uses between fifty and seventy gallons of water each time he or she takes a bath. This number includes water wasted waiting for the desired temperature as well as hot water used to return the cooling water to the desired temperature. Compare that number to a five minute shower, which uses around twenty five gallons of water, possibly half that if the shower uses a flow restrictor. Clearly, if water conservation is the main goal, a quick shower is the answer, but let’s not throw out the bathtub with the bathwater just yet.

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In talking about greens in the shower, we’re not talking about rinsing your lettuce in the bathtub Cramer style. We’re talking about great ways to conserve water, and we’re out to prove that environmentalists most certainly do do it in the shower.

Rub-A-Dub-Dub, No Greens In the Tub

Our friends at the EPA tell us that baths use up to twice the amount of water as showers. (How they know this might explain those men in suits outside the house timing me while I showered.)

The average bathtub holds about 190 liters (50 gallons) of warm, bubbly H2O. By contrast, the average Sally and Joe apparently use somewhere between 80 and 190 liters in the shower. Particularly water conscious people can use even less.

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The Thrills

• It’s refreshing. Think that iced lemonade is the last word in refreshment? Not even close. Cold showers arouse your senses like only a blast of icy, fresh water can.
• You’ll be saving energy. You may not know it, but your home water heater soaks up 14-25% of the money you spend on your energy bill. If you’re not ready to take the plunge into colder waters, you can still "flex your power" with gentler methods, like lowering the thermostat on your water heater to 48 C (120 F). Sip up more tips on the U.S. Dept. of Energy website.
• Chances are that if the water’s cold, your showers will be shorter. This will help you save water as well as energy. It can be hard to part with the steamy suds of a hot shower. Cold water = problem solved: you’re out in a flash and on your way to face and embrace the day.
• It will cool you down on a hot day or after some exercise. A cool, quick rinse-off feels great after a workout, or on a hot September day.
• It will cool you down after a hot date. Need we say more?
• It will prepare you for travel to places where hot water is simply not an option. If you’re not much of a traveler, then you can at least gain an appreciation for the daily feel of life in many places.
• It’s as close as you can get to the feeling of standing under a high mountain waterfall: wild and fresh (trust me). Call me crazy, but it just feels good.

The Chills

• It’s not for the faint of heart. Just like jumping into a cold lake or creek, for the first few seconds, cold showers can be much less than comfortable. I suggest using your preferred "Band-Aid method" to begin each shower: either start by slowly introducing your feet and legs to the water and move the showerhead gradually up, or take a breath and make a splash, wetting the back of your neck and your hair first and letting the water run down the rest of you from there. Once you adjust to the water, you can start enjoying the feeling of showering cold.
• Lowering the water intensity is one way to make the cold water more comfortable, since this lets the water warm slightly as it runs down your body.
• If you live in a cold climate, please consider the sanity of taking cold showers. I’d hate for you to catch a chill on account of saving energy and water.
• Even with a background in early morning swimming, nothing sounds more miserable than a cold shower when I first wake up. But that’s just me. Take your cold showers when you’re ready for a fresh blast of cool water.
• There are times when, no matter how sweet a cold shower might feel, I can’t help but to crank up the hot water. All good things in moderation, I say.
• You know that cold showers might not be for you if afterwards you look (or feel) like this:

References and Resources:

U.S. Dept. of Energy, Water Heating: http://www.energy.gov/waterheating.htm
Calculate how much water you use when you shower and what that costs in USD amounts: http://www.showersmartfaucet.com/imperial.html

Photo Sources:

‘Taking a Cold Shower’: http://www.flickr.com/photos/eenfotograaf/414085906/
‘Our Sammy. 2002-2004′: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jon_d_himes/248864279/

Get a shower curtain made from a natural fiber such as cotton or hemp. Hemp is more mold resistant and dries faster than other natural fabrics. Depending on the type of fabric shower curtain you get you'll probably also need a liner (nylon and polyester work well for this purpose.)

A fabric shower curtain is also a lot easier to clean than its vinyl counterpart since you can take it down and wash it when the mold begins to grow. You can also protect your new shower curtain by spraying it with a water sealer such as AFM Safecoat, or by spraying Method's shower spray daily to keep mildew away.

You can find fabric shower curtains and liners in most home goods stores and places like Wal-Mart and Target. And while it is a little more expensive than the five-dollar plastic version, it will last a lot longer and there are a wide range of price points available to fit every budget.

Amy says: I recently replaced my moldy, powder blue, vinyl shower curtain with a cotton curtain and a nylon liner. It not only makes me feel better about getting rid of some PVC in the house, but it also makes the bathroom feel a little more classy. Plus, it's so easy to clean since I throw it in the wash with my towels.

PVC - Center for Health and Environmental Justice

Grist: Ask Umbra "Your Finest Shower"

Treehugger: How to Protect Your Natural Fiber Shower Curtain

Treehugger: Q&A Non-Viny Shower Curtain Liners

Ideal Bite

Showering w/Green Options:

Weekly DIY: Solar Shower
How to take a green shower
Tip o' the Day: Singing a Shorter Shower Song
Tip o' the Day: Shampoo Skipping
Tip o' the Day: Go PVC Free

Got a tip for Amy and Jennifer? Share it with them!

This is one of those win-win-win tips. Many people have the kind of hair that just looks and feels better when it's not washed everyday. (Win #1) By skipping a day, you are saving water, product packaging, and energy. (Win #2) And, as usual, it will also save you money. (Win #3)

Now, if you're looking for an eco-friendly product to put in that hair when you DO wash it, check out the Cosmetics Database for ideas. We like the looks of Terressentials Pure Earth Hair Wash - this company only uses ingredients in their products that the USDA allows in certified organic food. Additionally, Korres Aloe & Soapwort Shampoo scores well in the database, using naturally occurring detergents and conditioning agents found in wheat, potato starch, and sunflower.

Rebecca says: I have friends that have the best hair - but if they were to wash it everyday it would getsstripped of all of its glory. Heck, one of my best friends only washes her hair once a week (which is a good thing considering the amount of it and how long it takes to dry it.) I'm not that way, however and do require a daily washaroo. If you've never tried it, it's definitely worth a shot. Do you think it will work for you?

A regular showerhead lets out 5 gallons of water per minute. If you still haven't converted to a low-flow showerhead, now is the time. Most use only 2 gallons of water per minute. But, you say, "The pressure, I need good water pressure!" Low-flow is really a confusing term because pressure-wise, these babies do great. Many low-flow models even have several "massage" features to choose from.

Now that we've got the showerhead taken care of, we still need to talk about something. Time. We should all be in and out of that shower within 5 minutes. It can be done, and it doesn't need to feel like a rush. Try timing yourself tomorrow and see how long your "normal" shower time is. By taking a 10 minute shower when you really only need a 5 minute one, much water is just going down the drain.

Did we mention that all of this will help your utility bills, as well? By using less hot water, you are saving energy - and that's a win all around.

Rebecca says: When I was younger, I was a sloooow shower-taker. Then, one day my parents sat me down and gave me the famous "long shower talk" and told me I needed to go faster. (Actually, there were a lot of Army references in the talk, discussing how they didn't have hot water and how that makes you shower really fast.) Ever since then I've been a 1 1/2 songer. What's that mean? I always listened to the radio when I showered. I would get in when one song was on, and I'd be out before the next song finished. How many songs does your shower take?