by Jeff Parsons

Created on: September 12, 2008   Last Updated: August 10, 2009

An eco-friendly shower is a simple and effective routine that can be accomplished by learning some new water-saving habits. Conserving water is the best way to make a significant contribution towards improving the environment. Without life-giving water, ecosystems often suffer from drought and mankind's water demands only make these matters worse. You can make a personal difference to save water, so, if you're ready and willing, score an eco-high-five as you make a conscientious attitude adjustment!

How can you save water? By using less water, of course. Showering makes up a major part of everyone's water usage. Let's see what we can do about that

The most obvious way to reduce your water usage: spend less time showering. I learned about speed showers during the long Maine winters. You do a lot of things quickly when there's no heat in the morning and the water heater's abilities are often a hit or miss. Chilly mornings and ice cold water are a great inspiration! Alternatively, you can just decide on what's the minimum amount of time you need to shower and stick to it. Have someone yell at you if you spend too long (hey, there's a childhood flashback), or, maybe just use a clock to time yourself.

Everyone's got their own showering pattern. I save a great deal of time by wetting my head first. The water runs down my head as I do this, thereby reducing the amount of time I'd need for wetting all my other body parts. I apply shampoo. I let it soak in while I wash the rest of my body with soap. I rinse out the shampoo and then rinse my body. I can sneak some conditioner in there as well with an extra rinse cycle.

Another way to improve your cleansing efficiency is to use a soaped-up hand towel to scrub yourself. The somewhat abrasive surface is good for defoliating your skin, so it makes you feel cleaner, and it also retains water and soap that would normally go down the drain.

A more extreme measure would be to turn off the water anytime you're not rinsing yourself. First, wet yourself down using a minimal amount of water. Use your soap, shampoo and conditioner as desired, then, when you're done, give yourself a final rinse. Some people call that a sponge bath (sponge optional). If you want to sneak in an extra short rinse or two, I won't tell anyone.

You can also save water by other means. If you reset your water heater to a lower setpoint, it'll vent off less hot water vapor, and you'll use less water as a result. You could also install a low flow shower head to reduce your rate of usage by up to 75 percent. On the downside, you might feel like you're not getting as much water as you'd like, so you might spend more time rinsing.

And, last but not least, if you have a partner in life and you're very dedicated to eco-sensibilities, insist on taking a shower by yourself. Precious water is wasted while swapping positions back and forth to use the shower head. Hmmm, on second thought, skip that idea. Life is too short. Have fun!

Learn more about this author, Jeff Parsons.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.