It is helpful to promote a general philosophy of water conservation, especially in the kitchen and laundry. People tend to think of water as an inexhaustible resource, not realizing that energy is saved by not wasting hot water. An easy fix is to install flow restrictors on the showerhead and on faucets. An alternative is to install a tempering valve at each faucet to control the maximum hot-water delivery temperature.
My shower has the best of both worlds: two controls, one for volume and the other for temperature. You set the temperature, and it delivers the same warmth every time you shower. Most people shower at a much too hot a temperature. This washes away beneficial microbes in the skin as well as all the natural moisturizing oils. The experts recommend a temperature around 110 F. Also, at most one shower a day.
Ideally, take a “Navy shower:” get wet, turn the water off, lather up, rinse off, turn the shower off.
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Excerpted from Going Green, available as an eBook at this list of eBook retailers online.
