Savoring the Shower, or, Miserable Failure.
November 7, 2007
At last night’s discussion on eco-footprinting, we fiddled with the numbers on this fabulous website, and I learned that taking shorter showers would reduce my ecological footprint respectably, if not hugely. In that light, I decided that one of my eco-footprint goals would be to take one ten-minute shower every two days, or to spend an average of five minutes a day in the shower: hygienic, and environmentally friendly!
Something you should know about me is that I really like taking showers, especially if the water is hot. Lukewarm showers do not interest me very much, and cold showers strike fear and disgust into my heart. I spent last year in Ecuador, and there was no hot water where I lived, so every time I wanted to shower I boiled a pot of water on the stove and used only that mixed with a bit of cold water: environmentally friendly, but thoroughly unpleasant.
So you see I have really been savoring my showers ever since my return to the US. Nevertheless, I thought a more ecologically friendly shower was worth a try. There is a drought in California, people! I looked at my watch — six ten. I got in the shower; a flurry of shampoo and conditioner, efficient cleanliness, oh how lovely the hot water is; I got out. I looked again at my watch — it was six thirty! How? I really did try to go as fast as I could. It seems I am incapable of taking quick showers, so my new plan is one fifteen minute shower every three days. Hygienic? Less so, but definitely permissible. Environmentally friendly? That’s the idea, I guess.
Hygienically yours,
Shane Crary-Ross
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1.
Marc Brodeur | November 7, 2007 at 2:59 pm
Just as important is to make sure you have a low-flow, but high pressure, shower head that does something like 3 gal/min or less.
Also, the shower should have an on/off on the head so you can turn the water off when you are lathering. I do this on my showers, and even if I am in there a long time, the water is not needlessly flowing. (in fact in other showers, the water beating on my back when I wash my hair can be irritating)
Innovation is always sexier than personal sacrifice!
2.
nyufootprintforward | November 7, 2007 at 6:20 pm
I have the same problem. I made shorter showers one of my goals for this week, too, but so far I’m failing miserably (except yesterday, when I cut it down to about 12 minutes due to sleeping past my alarm!).
Meredith
3.
anna banana | November 9, 2007 at 2:41 pm
howdy,
one way i’ve found of making my showers shorter is to avoid rinsing each soapy bit separately. as in, soap up the body, shampoo the hair, facial cleanser-ize the face, and THEN rinse off everything at once. the time saved is remarkable.
and if you can stand to go in, get wet, turn the water off and then do the soaping routine before turning the water back on to rinse, you’re even better off.
best wishes,
anna banana
4.
jessica elgin | November 9, 2007 at 4:04 pm
If lukewarm showers don’t thrill you then you will probably get out of there a LOT faster if the water is lukewarm…just a thought. It might be your answer.
5.
Sherri | November 11, 2007 at 7:06 am
I also seem to be incapable of taking quick showers. I tried to take shorter showers, but I can’t seem to get it below 25 minutes.
Fortunately, my shower has a low flow shower head on it with different settings for things like massage, etc. It also has an off/drip setting, so I use that when I’m washing myself and not really using the water. The water that drips from it is enough to lather up more soap when I need it.
All together, I have the water running for maybe about 10 minutes.
So, there’s no need for you to only take showers every 2 or 3 days. Just get a shower head with an off setting.