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/

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?

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 into the toilet bowl when it's not in use, get it fixed.

Don't use your toilet as a trash can. It seems rather obvious, but that's what a trash can is for. When you toss tissues and other waste in the toilet with the sole purpose to flush it, you are wasting water.

Reduce the amount of water used by installing a displacement device. This sounds fancy, but can really just be a plastic bottle filled with pebbles or water, placed inside the tank. Make sure you don't place it where it will disturb the "mechanics" of the tank. And although you might have heard otherwise, don't use a brick. Bricks dissolve over time and will cause more problems in the end.

So how much water does a typical "normal" toilet use? If it's a pre-1980s toilet, you're most likely using 5 to 7 gallons per flush. Post-1980s, 3.5 gallons per flush. Compare that to the new low-flow toilets that only use 1.6 gallons each time.

When remodeling, install a low flow toilet. Many municipalities even offer rebates for households that install low-flow toilets. Check with your local authorities to find any existing program and if you qualify. If you have boys in the house, you might even want to consider installing a waterless urinal. That's much more useful than the bidet so many of us have taking up room in the bathroom!

Rebecca says: This post was inspired by Graham Hill of Treehugger having the guts to write "if it's yellow let it mellow, if it's brown flush it down" in this month's green issue of Domino magazine. Thanks for making me squirm enough to continue spreading the word.

Resources:

Earth 911

Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (pdf)