Ah, the good ol’ Navy shower. I remember hearing (and trying) this a few years ago, but forgot all about them until I saw a hilarious video on YouTube about them. Water conservation has become a major issue throughout the world. Living in fresh water-abundant North America, it is easy to forget this since we are surrounded by massive bodies of the stuff.
However, increasing populations and changing environmental characteristics have turned this commodity into what some call “blue gold.” Making up ~80% of our body and considered sacred by the majority of the world religions, this element is absolutely crucial for life on Earth. Yet, everyday we waste millions of gallons of it. Many of the fortunate of the world don’t think twice about leaving the water running while brushing their teeth or washing the dishes, about having 20-minute showers, about watering their grass daily. Meanwhile 1.1 billion people are without safe drinking water.
These reminders are a good eye-opener for everyone (including myself) and if we can take small steps toward conserving water–such as taking “navy” showers, turning water off when it isn’t needed, and using a rain barrel to water our plants–we will reduce our global footprint that much more. These practices can also leave a few hundred extra dollars in your bank account at the end of the year. Here is the video that inspired this week’s post, perhaps you could give it a try. Heck, maybe you could even get used to it…
Stats via the Government of Canada
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3 Comments
That is a great idea! It would be a little cold in the winter, since the water wouldn’t run long enough to steam up the bathroom, but I can see the benefits to both the water bill and the electric bill for having to heat the water.
great idea, I had never thought about that. Keep’em coming
Well, I’ve been doing it for 2 weeks now and it is a lot easier than I thought it would be. My shower time is my time to reflect and relax, so I was afraid that altering it like this would have a negative affect on my attitude. However, it has been the complete opposite! I come out feeling more refreshed knowing that I’ve used much less water than before. Also, I save more soap because it lathers better without all the extra water washing it away. Overall, I haven’t really found this method to be much of a sacrifice in terms of my showering experience.
Does anyone else have comments about this?