Saving water, energy in shower doesn’t lead to less comfort

One of the most interesting aspects of green living, for me at least, is the fact that it is an ongoing quest to find better ways of doing all sorts of things. Whether it is a change in eating habits, joining a carpool, making a home more energy efficient or finding ways to use less water, every little shift toward lighter living can bring a tremendous sense of satisfaction.

Green living is a path, not a destination. Along the way, we continue to create new things to assist us: hybrid cars, green homes or Energy Star appliances, for example. Technology can be a powerful tool, but the real magic occurs when it is coupled with changes in our beliefs, habits and expectations.

Water and energy are essential to our survival, but they are often taken for granted. Rarely do we stop to reflect on what life would be like without one or the other, even though the consequences would be devastating. It is important that we treat these precious resources with respect.

In our homes, water and energy come together to provide us with one of life’s real pleasures — a hot shower. Showers represent a significant percentage of total household water use and it takes a lot of energy to make them comfortably warm.

Keep in mind that it is the experience and function that are important. Nobody really cares about how many BTUs the water heater produces or how many gallons flow out of the showerhead. As long as we get clean and feel good doing it, all is well.

We have a few options in reducing the amount of water and energy we use for a shower. Taking fewer or shorter showers is an obvious tactic, but we’re not talking about deprivation here, just efficiency.

The best solution is to reduce the flow rate while maintaining comfort. Let’s look a little closer.

Standard low-flow showerheads are now common and are typically rated at 2.5 gallons per minute. Actual flow rates depend on water pressure and can vary quite a bit. If we assume a typical shower takes about eight minutes, that would be about 20 gallons per shower or 7,300 gallons per year.

I did a little research and found a product that looked promising, the Oxygenics BodySpa SkinCare hand-held showerhead. This device has what the company calls a “comfort control,” an adjustable ring on the handle that allows you to “dial back” the flow rate. The amazing thing is that you can reduce the flow substantially and still get a nice spray that continues to get the job done.

The full-flow setting is great for a quick initial and final rinse. In between, a good low-flow setting can be obtained by turning the comfort control all the way down to a trickle, then back up until the spray pattern just comes back.

For me, this setting is perfect for the bulk of the shower, providing just enough water and plenty of comfortable warmth. I measured the flow by timing how long it took to fill a half-gallon container. The results: about a half-gallon per minute!

Using the full-flow setting for a total of a minute (30-second rinse at start and end) and the low-flow setting for seven minutes, the total water usage for an eight-minute shower is less than 5 gallons. This is an incredible 75 percent savings in water and the energy it takes to heat it. If a family of four were to adopt this practice, it could potentially save more than 22,000 gallons of water per year.

Now, before you jump to the conclusion that I am a green fanatic and no one in their right mind would do this, remember what I said earlier about our beliefs, habits and expectations. Our beliefs shift as we become more educated about the real value of water and energy.

Habits can change over time as we make conscious efforts to do better. Expectations remain intact — I expect a quality showering experience and that’s exactly what happens.

The best part is the feeling that comes from being part of a change that helps everyone. Finding a new way of doing something so routine is exciting and brings increased awareness about the amazing conveniences of our modern society.

If you would like to explore this topic further, there are plenty of resources out there. For more information about the Oxygenics product, visit www.oxygenics.com/ bodyspa-shower.php# or you can pick one up at Target.

Steve Rypka is a green living consultant and president of GreenDream Enterprises, specializing in renewable energy, green building, alternative transportation and lifestyle choices for both residential and commercial clients. The company is committed to helping people live lighter on the planet. Rypka can be reached via e-mail at steve@greendream.biz. More information relating to this column is posted at www.greendream.biz.