Green Options

We’re facing draughts and water shortages and many people predict that if there is ever a third world war (and let’s hope there’s not), it may well be fought over water. This is a pretty convincing reason to band together wherever we are and help to conserve water in our communities.

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.

Eleanor Roosevelt once said, "do one thing every day that scares you." Until about a month ago, I felt—and I don’t think I’m alone here—that cold showers were pretty scary. I’ve since come to love the refreshing, energy-saving thrill of showering cold. Now, I know that you may never want to try this daring piece of everyday eco-activism. But in case you’re curious, here are the greatest thrills and chills of la douche froide.

The

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Sometimes the best way to cut down on your consumption is just to use less stuff. Green Options writer Maria Surma Manka gave me a tip suggestion recently that will help you do just that: "Wash your hair every other day. I started doing this about 1 1/2 years ago and besides spending less time in the shower using up water, I buy shampoo and conditioner much less (half as much, actually).

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A shower first thing in the morning is better than a cup of coffee for most people. It feels awesome, but we need to make sure that we don't overuse it!

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

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Talk about flushing money and scarce resources down the drain. Toilets are big users of water in the home, but there are ways that we can minimize the waste and improve water conservation.

The first thing you'll want to do is check for leaks. Add a few drops of food coloring into the tank and check the bowl for color over the following 30 minutes. If you do find that water is leaking from the tank

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