Week 27: #Waves4Change 2020 Sustainability Challenge: Spend Less Time in the Shower

Why Take This Challenge?

Bad news for those of us who like to take long, hot showers- your cleaning routine is a huge water-waster! According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the average shower is only 8 minutes long, but uses a whopping 18 gallons of water (https://www.epa.gov/watersense/shower-better ). And baths are even worse, using around 35-50 gallons of water to fill the tub (https://www.therighttoshower.com/ethical-living/3-things-you-can-do-to-save-water-in-the-shower ). In addition to using a lot of water, showers and baths also require a lot of energy to heat the water and move it through pipes into your house. Luckily, there are some easy ways to decrease your bathroom water usage, including taking fewer and shorter showers.

How Does This Challenge Benefit Me?

This challenge will help you reduce your daily water usage, which is better for the environment as well as better for your wallet. Additionally, showering too frequently is drying and damaging for your skin and hair, so cutting back on long, hot showers is a good way to give your body a break and enhance your mane’s healthy glow!

What if I Already Do This?

If you have not done so yet, consider installing a low-flow showerhead, which will help to further decrease your water use in your shower routine. Also, you might try using a plug in your shower drain to capture the shower water you used, which is called greywater. Depending on the products you use in the shower, this water can be reused in your backyard to water your plants. You can also pour a bucket of greywater into your toilet to manually flush it, which helps to further reduce your bathroom water use (https://greywateraction.org/greywater-reuse/ )

Prep This Weekend for a More Sustainable Week

Plan out your weekday activities to determine the best shower routine. If you normally like to shower as soon as you wake up, but you are planning to go for a jog in the afternoon, consider changing up your routine to avoid a second shower. If you want to take fewer showers, research some products that can make that transition easier- such as dry shampoo- which can help to perk up your unwashed hairdos.