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prieten47
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Americans shower too much!
January 11, 2007 - 09:17 PM
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Worried about global warming? Think of how much energy is used to heat water for showering and bathing ourselves and for washing clothes. Think of how much water is wasted and how much soap we are putting into the environment.
I used to shower everyday, but now only shower after 4 or 5 days. I try to wear the same clothes for that time period (I do change my socks everyday). I have been doing this for 9 years. I haven't died, yet, and my wife hasn't left me.
Non-Americans please tell us about your bathing habits.
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Owulezi
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Re: Americans shower too much!
January 12, 2007 - 02:29 AM
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I shower two daily, does it means Africa enjoy water than US*?,ok you are talking about climate change caused by industrelization and other features, then when Africa comes up as such, I might even stay a month without one shower or what do you think?*
And that bring us to this question, "is world providing enough water for it's inhabitants"??
"And how can water provission suit our needs without causing harms to our climate"??.
This post was edited on: 2007-01-12 at 06:48 AM by: plato123
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NESTA
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Re: Americans shower too much!
January 12, 2007 - 11:16 AM
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well i cant imagine doin that, i shower twice a day, every day, well i dont have water heaters, dont really need them, and dont really worry about my water supply, i dont have to either.i live in the caribbean and my island has an abundance of water, i guess this shower thing is in relation ot location and access to water cuz i cant imagine that.
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a
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Re: Americans shower too much!
January 12, 2007 - 01:31 PM
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I can't speak on behalf of all Brits.. but I actually shower in the morning and take a bath at night..it's second nature to me..every day without fail.Surely wanting to be clean isn't a crime? 
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prieten47
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Re: Americans shower too much!
January 13, 2007 - 04:04 AM
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Well, that's interesting! I expected to hear everyone say how bad Americans are for showering/bathing too much, but it seems the world (or at least the part of the world that looks at TIG) is not about to part with its showering! No, I don't think showering/bathing is criminal, I just was amazed that I personally could do without daily bathing, and I assumed that was normal for most people in the world. Maybe in Dominica and Nigeria it is so hot that one doesn't need very much hot water, so not much energy is being used to heat the shower water. England is another matter. I think methane or natural gas is used for most heating purposes in the UK. That definitely generates greenhouse gases. Just something to consider... Here in Japan there is also a bathing culture, but the whole family showers (gets clean) before getting into the same bathwater. I'm not sure how environmental that is! That brings me to Japanese electric toilets...
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That guy
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Re: Americans shower too much!
January 15, 2007 - 12:42 AM
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prieten47 wrote:
Worried about global warming? Think of how much energy is used to heat water for showering and bathing ourselves and for washing clothes. Think of how much water is wasted and how much soap we are putting into the environment.
I used to shower everyday, but now only shower after 4 or 5 days. I try to wear the same clothes for that time period (I do change my socks everyday). I have been doing this for 9 years. I haven't died, yet, and my wife hasn't left me.
Non-Americans please tell us about your bathing habits.
Perhaps that works for you, but if I go without bathing for more than two days I don't smell so great...
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prieten47
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Re: Americans shower too much!
January 15, 2007 - 06:55 PM
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My idea for this Thread was to suggest a way for us to not use so much energy/create so much greenhouse gases. Showering/bathing/washing clothes/washing dishes are all big users of hot water.
I guess when willingness to do things for the environment is being discussed, many people draw the line when any measures that might cause personal discomfort are suggested. I am just trying to say that going without showering for a few days doesn't cause me much discomfort. I find also that wearing an undershirt keeps my shirts fresher longer and probably "constrains" any body smells for a longer period of time. When I do shower, I only have to change my underwear/undershirt and can still wear the same regular shirt and pants I had on prior to the shower. It's much easier on the environment to just wash underwear and socks (but you do have to use hot water). Hmmm, I use the same bath towel many times before I wash it. A friend who operates a clothes laundry company advised me not to use fabric softeners when I wash my clothes. He said the softener is a chemical coating which prevents the cloth from absorbing perspiration/sweat and leads to stronger body odor.
Speaking of washing dishes, I read that dishwashing machines are quite efficient ways to wash dishes, and have about the same impact on the environment as washing by hand. But if you have no dishwashing machine and must handwash, I recommend washing the dishes with hotwater, but rinsing them with cold water. With this simple step I have cut by a half my hotwater use for dishwashing.
I know talking about hotwater use isn't as "sexy" as discussing solar energy or electric cars, but these are simple steps we can take to significantly reduce our energy consumption/carbon footprint.
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SAID
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Re: Americans shower too much!
January 16, 2007 - 11:20 AM
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well, I think what prieten47 was trying to get at was to make us reflect on our habits and what we take for granted.
For centuries human beings did without daily baths/showers, and while scientific advancements helped us understand the importance of cleanliness and hygene we should keep in mind that showering too often (i.e. even twice daily) can be harmful. Studies have shown that the skin creates its own patina with essential oils to protect itelfs so too much soap can hurt the skin, maying it more fragile and sensitive.
Also keep in mind that hygene habits are culture-specific, but that in most Western cultures our new habits are hihgly influenced by advertisers and the corproations behind it. For example, I have recently studied how advertisers created the big 'body odour problem' to sell deodorants when they first come out.
The point is, don't take your everyday habits for granted... and if you want to stop climate change be ready to give up some of your comforts... we have been told to (over)consume, but is that really necessary? Showering every other day could be a way to go, as well as using natural soaps and detergents, doing laundry will cold water and such.
...All the chemicals in your normal soaps have been proved to affect your health, so consider using them in moderation or consider switching to plant-based ones.
As for using energy, where available, why not switch to a renewable energy provider? They're on-line and easy to contact... and really do make a difference.
There are only some suggestions, what do you think?
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prieten47
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Re: Americans shower too much!
January 16, 2007 - 08:20 PM
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Excellently said, SAIDyork!
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Michael Muttitt
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Re: Americans shower too much!
January 26, 2007 - 11:53 PM
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prieten47 wrote:
My idea for this Thread was to suggest a way for us to not use so much energy/create so much greenhouse gases. Showering/bathing/washing clothes/washing dishes are all big users of hot water.
I guess when willingness to do things for the environment is being discussed, many people draw the line when any measures that might cause personal discomfort are suggested. I am just trying to say that going without showering for a few days doesn't cause me much discomfort.
You do bring up and interesting point there are many ways to cut down on energy uses. The problem I have with cutting down on showering and washing dishes is the germ factor. Germs and Bacteria love some of the area's on the body and are many of the reason for body oder. I know if I don't shower for a day I begin to feel sick. As a past college student I can tell you that not washing your dishes will grow some horrible stuff.
Part of my job includes work in a Data center ad I can tell you right now there are alot of places we can cut down on energy. For example I know with many specificly educational data centers legacy services end up being kept up for years with only 2 users mean while using amazing amounts of energy.
Back to the topic. I do believe we are going the right direction in the energy used for heating water. Cutting down to one shower a day is not unreasonable. Lets instead look on getting newer more efficient heaters in place to meet the needs and keep a heathy society. If you look at the water heaters and the house heaters in the past couple years they are amazingly more efficient.
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prieten47
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Re: Americans shower too much!
January 28, 2007 - 11:33 PM
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Well, I'm glad to see everyone is thinking of ways to reduce energy use. I too think it is necessary to wash dishes with hot water, but I have switched to rinsing the soap off with cold water.
I noticed former American Vice-President Al Gore listed reducing hot water use as one of his top 10 things to do to reduce global greenhouse gases.
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James Burton
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Re: Americans shower too much!
January 29, 2007 - 11:00 PM
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I'm surprised to read that quite a few people shower/bath more than once a day. That's seems a bit excessive to me, though I must admit I have done the same thing myself in the summertime. A five minute shower apparently uses far less energy and water than a bath.
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S
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Re: Americans shower too much!
January 30, 2007 - 09:59 AM
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OH MY! hmmpp isnt cleanliness important to stop bacterial spread and global warmin can be reduced by other ways that does not affect your hygine! SUch washing your car using the same water u wash your clothes,switching off electric appliances is really important, reduce carbon monoxide and soot from too much developing and so many other ways! to affect your hygine, thats really bad in my point of view....oh dear.~
as for my habits i shower in the morning and noon or morning then when i get back home b4 i sleep,DAILY!
and for a typical singaporean habit that seems to stick ard my peers whom i know , we do shower often, sometimes likew in the morning we shower for eg to go to sch. when we are back home we'll rinse ourselves well , if we're gonna hit the mall or just meet up, we ll shower again b4 going out and we'll shower when we get back home. 
but of course there are lazy days!!
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S
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Re: Americans shower too much!
January 30, 2007 - 10:04 AM
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And off course, you have to consider that eventhough we are majorly air conditioned, IT DARN HUMID HERE! ive seen westerners get really shirmp like! they turn all red! 
anyways i dont have anything to complain about its summer for 9 months of the year and rainy season for the other 3 so we're all gd.
REDUCE REUSE RECYCLE! is the basic way to help our environment last and be nice:
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manosijm
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Re: Americans shower too much!
February 19, 2007 - 07:34 PM
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prieten47 wrote:
Worried about global warming? Think of how much energy is used to heat water for showering and bathing ourselves and for washing clothes. Think of how much water is wasted and how much soap we are putting into the environment.
I used to shower everyday, but now only shower after 4 or 5 days. I try to wear the same clothes for that time period (I do change my socks everyday). I have been doing this for 9 years. I haven't died, yet, and my wife hasn't left me.
Non-Americans please tell us about your bathing habits.
Global warming does not mean we need to chuck modern conveniences out the window.
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