You use the bathroom multiple times every day. Have you at least once evaluated how damaging your current habits are to the environment?
While you cannot stop going to the bathroom, there are things that you can do to be less wasteful. You can, for example, turn the tap off while not in use. You can cut the time you spend in the shower every morning and stop using products that are known to be harmful to the environment.
Making changes within your bathroom will help you cut the waste that you make.
Heating
Most households have heating systems in their homes, but these are not always the most efficient. Often, these produce either not enough or too much unnecessary heat.
You need to invest in a buffer tank that will provide you hot water on demand without using excessive power to generate heat.
It is insulated so that heat does not escape immediately from the heating system. You can have hot water to bathe or to shower, but you do not have to pay sky-high electric bills every month.
Moreover, when you use less power, you help save the planet from the consequences of climate change. Much of the electricity in the United States come from non-renewable sources and emit tonnes of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. If you use less energy at home, the demand for electricity and, therefore, for the burning of petroleum products, decreases.
Shower
Bathing with a regular shower head for 10 minutes every day wastes an estimated 80 gallons (302.83 liters) of water. Cutting your shower time to five minutes a day can make a huge difference. Installing a low-flow show head makes your daily baths more eco-friendly.
A low-flow showerhead, as the name suggests, releases less water than your typical shower head. You can still effectively use them to rinse off dirt and soap from your skin and hair. However, there is significantly less water that is being wasted.
Contrary to what you may have assumed, water is a non-renewable source. Some places around the world are already experiencing water shortage all-year-round. More will experience longer and more intense drought in the future.
Using water is necessary, but you can reduce wastage by installing a low-flow showerhead in your bathroom.
Toilet
Flushing, too, can be incredibly wasteful. You do not need that much water to get rid of your excrement. A high-efficiency toilet, similar to a low-flow showerhead, uses less water to flush.
A bidet, a bathroom feature common in many East Asian and European countries, will also contribute to making your home eco-friendly. Because it uses water, it eliminates the need for toilet paper which you know comes from trees.
Lighting
While you are in the process of renovating your bathroom, you may want to get bigger windows or a skylight installed. Many bathrooms are quite dark. They require a bulb to be switched on to illuminate the space, even during the day, Having a bigger window or a skylight gives you natural daylight which is not only good for the environment, but also completely free and helps boost your immune system by giving you a dose of vitamin D.
These changes range from affordable to really expensive but, if you want to be a better human for the planet, they are worthy investments. However, more importantly, caring for the environment involves making sacrifices and changing your habits.
