Why Shorter Showers are Good for the Planet AND Your Wallet
Now, we know that for many the shower is a sacred place for deliberating on your next genius idea, blasting your favourite karaoke tune or dreaming of your next travel adventure. In the meantime though, precious water is flowing down the drain and energy and water bills are hitting you where it hurts. At Topargee, we are all about water saving and we think it’s time to talk about why shorter showers make sense for the planet AND your wallet.
Good for the Planet
Australians are no stranger to drought and with an average rainfall of 470mm, well below the global average, we live on one of the driest continents on Earth. However, we are one of the biggest consumers of water in the world, using a whopping 100,000L of freshwater per person each year. Showers account for a large proportion of this total, making up approximately 34% of indoor water use for the typical household.
As rainfall patterns become more unpredictable due to the worsening impacts of climate change, we need to work harder to reduce our water use significantly. Even the tiniest of changes can make a huge difference. For example, if everyone in Sydney reduced their showers by just 1 minute, it would save about 45 million litres of water a day. Imagine how much water we could conserve if everyone in Australia started consciously slashing their shower time!
Water isn’t the only resource we use when we shower. The energy used to heat the water is also contributing to your carbon footprint. A study conducted in the UK found that water heating produces approximately 875 kg of CO2 per household per year. The good news is that by cutting down your shower from 8 minutes to 4 minutes you can reduce your CO2 emissions by 350 kg a year. It’s really that easy.
Good for your Wallet
It’s simple math - longer showers equal more money spent on water and energy bills. After heating and cooling your house, water heating accounts for the second biggest segment of household energy use. The majority of that water is used up in the shower. It all adds up. By reducing your shower time from 7 minutes to 4 minutes you can save an average of $255 per year on energy and water bills. Shorter showers mean more money in the bank.
Ways to Shorten Your Showers and Reduce Your Water Use
Shortening your showers doesn’t have to be a drag. There are lots of ways you can have fun with it. Here are some great ideas to encourage your friends and family to get waterwise and cut your shower times:
Create a shower playlist - compile a list of your favourite songs that are about 2-3 minutes long. You know your time is up when you’re two songs down.
Make a game of it - Australians love competitive sport so draw up a chart and keep track of who has the quickest showers in the house. Make sure to shower the winner in love, adoration and chocolate.
Treat yourself - Have a fun TV show, a warm mug of something delicious or a pair of comfy slippers ready to go to incentivise you to get out of the shower ASAP.
Then of course there are very practical ways to manage your water use in the shower:
If you own an RV or campervan you can install a Showermi$er to conserve up to 40% more water. Read more about this innovative product on our blog.
Suction an egg timer to the shower wall and aim to turn the taps off before the time runs out.
Install water saving showerheads and reduce your water use by 40%.
Have a cold shower - you’ll save energy and definitely want to hop out quickly because it’ll be so unpleasant. Yeah, we’re not going to try this one either.
Shortening showers is an easy way to reduce your impact on our environment and save money. We hope this post has inspired you to give it a go!
Please share water saving tips in the comments below. Check out the Showermi$er and our range of water gauges, flow meters to help you reduce and manage your water use when camping in the great outdoors.
Comentarios