by Catherine Nickerson

Created on: September 11, 2008   Last Updated: September 17, 2008

A first start to an eco-friendly shower is to recycle that plastic shower curtain liner and never buy one again. The most important place in life is the shower. Not the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, not the warm, clear blue waters of Coki beach, and not our bedrooms with our very own mattresses. One trip to anywhere will prove my point. Sure we enjoy the sites and dread going back to work. Sure we hate the mattress and can't wait to get back to our own. But showering in a strange shower could ruin even a day in paradise. Unfortunately, our showers are helping to kill the planet.

With just a few changes in the shower liners we buy and a few moments out of our busy schedules, our showers can not only remain the haven we need them to be, but they can bring beauty back into our lives. If your idea of beauty is based in nature, a natural hemp shower curtain liner could bring natural colors and textures to the most important routine of your day. For those of us with a more modern style, an organically grown, hydrogen peroxide whitened, handmade shower curtain liner is good for the planet and adds a luxury to the morning routine that will stay with you for the whole day.

I know it seems sanitary to just throw out the mildew covered liner and replace it every month or so, but where do those liners go? Take a moment and count how many liners you have added to your local landfill. A cotton or hemp liner can be washed in hot water anytime to remove the mildew problem. Just try to get into the habit of spreading the curtain liner fully open so that it can air dry and your mildew problems will lessen. Be sure to purchase the S shaped shower hooks so that the liner can be easily removed and wash it with your bed linens.

These small steps will save you a little bit of money over time and your morning shower will feel a bit like stepping into a cloth lined luxurious spa every single morning.

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