5 steps for eco-friendly showers to save energy, water and the climate
To save energy and water is essential for the climate and the environment, and good for your finances as well. Luckily it’s easy to do in the shower. With the following EcoSteps you can reduce this energy and water usage for your showering by more than 60%.
Are these steps suitable for me?
Unless you only wash yourself in nearby rivers and lakes, yes, these steps will surely help you and the planet. Even if your current shower routine is sacred to you, there are some small steps you can take.
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The 4 benefits of eco-friendly showers
Taking eco-friendly showers might do more good than you think:
Save energy
The big climate change challenge, is to stop burning fossil fuels for our energy consumption. This way we reduce our carbon emissions and avert the climate crisis. But that transition takes time and we don’t have much left. That’s why while our energy system is not yet carbon neutral, it’s essential to save as much energy as we can. So when you make your showers eco-friendly, you help to address the climate crisis.
Save water
About a billion people live in a place where there is water scarcity. Meaning, the water demand is bigger than the supply. Projections say that this number will increase to 1.693 to 2.373 million people in 20501.
This is not just the case in less developed regions of the world. Even in the US, 7 states already have water shortages2 and 40 out of 50 states are expecting them in the future3. So if you live in an area where water is in short supply, it’s great to reduce your consumption. Even without water shortage, there is usually energy required to bring you the water and treat the waste water, so saving it with eco-friendly showers is always great.
Save money
As we saw with the invasion of Ukraine, gas prices can shoot up by more than 700% within several months. For more the majority of people price hikes like this make it challenging to make ends meet. So it’s most welcome to make these price changes more manageable with some small adjustments in our shower routine.
Improve your health
All of the related EcoSteps help you to save energy, water and money, but taking less hot and long showers is good for your health too: From a better functioning immune system, to healthier skin, to reduced depression.
The development of our shower habits
While it differs quite a bit between cultures and hot vs cold countries, nowadays the majority of Europeans and 66% of Americans4 shower at least once a day. But that is only a recent development. Showers and baths were often taken only once or twice a week just 60 years ago, with a regular quick wash at the sink. So just over the last century we have seen a massive rise in the water and heating energy use for showering.
Should we shower less often?
While we don’t directly recommend you to change the amount of times you take a shower, nowadays many dermatologists say that showering once every two to four days with lukewarm water is ideal for the skin. Because that way you don’t damage the protective lipid layer and you avoid certain skin issues and aging the skin too quickly. Of course that would also be great for the climate, but if you live in a very hot country, you often do intensive sports or you work in a messy environment, it’s understandable to shower more often.
Check out the EcoSteps
Learn about the related EcoSteps in detail by clicking them below. If you like to try one, add them to your list of EcoSteps and get impact points on your personal page:
PLANT TREES AND BECOME CARBON NEUTRAL TODAY
Planting trees and reducing your carbon emissions is essential for the climate, biodiversity and healthy living conditions. With the trees we plant in Tanzania and our EcoSteps you can easily do both and tackle climate change beautifully, effectively and completely. So start today: