Comments on: Cutting Your Water Use In Half

By: Ben

Ben — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 04:14:29 +0000

I have been measuring the water I use when I take my daily bath by scooping it up in 4-gallon kitty litter buckets (and then watering the front lawn with it). I found I can comfortably wash every inch of my body and be and feel clean with only 8 or 9 gallons of water per day. I don’t understand how someone can use like 70 gallons of water taking a bath. What do you all do.. make your entire body buoyant or sink yourself like the Titanic or own unnecessarily huge bathtubs? According to some stats I just googled, taking a shower uses MORE water than taking my type of bath. I am 6’2″ and my tub is kind of small (I cannot lay out completely stretched out from head to toe in my tub.. I have to pretzel my legs).

Baths are more rejuvenating to my sore body and I feel I am getting better therapeutic value out of each calorie of heat from the heated water if I soak it into my muscles than if I just showered in it and it flowed down the drain. Granted dead skin particles and dirt aren’t washed down the drain and remain with me as long as I am in the tub, but they can be washed off before leaving the tub with a quick 20 second rinse from the shower.

My recommendation is that if you share my preference for using a bathtub, you make sure the house you buy has a small tub and you only fill it with enough water so that water covers half the height of your legs (knee caps above the water line). Enjoy the heated water on your body as you clean and relax. Then do a quick 20 second shower rinse on your way out and you’ll use less water than the average American who uses the shower and be just as clean!

By: Laura

Laura — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 13:38:49 +0000

I don’t think that a small ring could reduce some water, but the EU think that…. :-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BcT_GSUua0&feature=channel_page

By: Maria McDonough

Maria McDonough — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:08:24 +0000

Love your info–
Maria from Kushi–Hi how are you doibng–
xx

By: callie

callie — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:09:27 +0000

My grandmother whom I am always qouting swears the next war will be over water. I have trouble with this one. I am not a water waster but i am buy far conserving.. I confess.. My husband is hard pressed to belive the problem since we live surrounded by water.. but here are my challenges. Get everyone to turn the water off when brushing teeth, washing dishes, before you step into the shower. I am not mentioning baths here because we are big sinners on the baths and since I bought a house based on a bath tub and a garden I have a lot of perverbial backyard to clean up. But I will this is the last frontier Scotty. Thanks for the info. Here are some interesting tips when my washer and dryer died a few months ago I went to the mission laundry and realized there was no need to wash daily.. what was I washing..? SO once a week is good. Save rain water for plants and dog baths.. this is great in a warm climate. It is fabulous if you have a few wooden wine barrells in your yard.. it helps cut down on the watering the yard problem. Big waster swimming pools and hot tubs.. although they are nice. Good luck to everyone. And I pray to keep getting better and better. Many Blessings. Callie

By: Alej

Alej — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 21:48:21 +0000

I read once that if a vegan ran his shower 24/7 for 365 days he would still be saving water compared to a meat eater…

By: Nita

Nita — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 21:47:39 +0000

I’m only finding the eco showerdrop at British stores online. Are there any US outlets?

By: Corinne

Corinne — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 21:08:42 +0000

Lynda- Thanks for sharing the tips on native plants and harvesting water!

There are many ways we can make a difference. Hopefully everyone will find a way to conserve water that appeals to them on a personal level. Some may do it through their food choices while others modify other daily habits. It’s all good stuff! Let’s share more tips. Sophie did us a great favor just by starting this conversation:)

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:02:57 +0000

Alej – as I was reading this article, all I could think is what you are saying. We could reduce our personal water consumption to almost nil and it would not make but a small difference. If we reduce animal agriculture (by eliminating or reducing our consumption) then we can reduce that industry’s water use and that would make a HUGE difference!

By: lynda

lynda — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:25:03 +0000

Thanks for the awareness around water use. I must say though that I can not imagine anything worse than fake grass. I don’t care how “real” it seems. If you’re looking to have less green space and a more naturalized area you could do a planting with native plants, native to what area you are in. Water them the first year to support new growth, then they are on their own. Native plants should be able to tolerate the conditions and whatever amount of rain should fall there is. You can also harvest water in rain barrels and use to water gardens in dry times.

By: Alej

Alej — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:20:38 +0000

I’m surprised you don’t talk about the number one water waster out there: the meat and dairy industry… cut out on meat, dairy, processed and packaged food and there you go you are saving tones of water.

On other good one is to pee in the shower :)