65: Shower instead of bathing by ihough

Every time you complete this action, you will reduce emissions by an estimated 6 lbs. CO₂e.

The bath-versus-shower efficiency debate still rages in some circles, but if you’re serious about saving water and energy the shower is definitely the way to go. Yes, a shallow bath could easily use less water than a long shower with a high-flow shower head. But if you have an ultra low-flow showerhead and turn the water off while you soap and shampoo, your shower could easily use 5 gallons or less. You’d probably be pushing it to bathe in less than 15 gallons.

To see which would be more efficient given your habits, first make sure your shower head is an ultra low-flow model. Then just plug the bathtub drain next time you take a shower. When you’re done, look at how much water is in the tub. If you could take a bath using less water, try that — or take shorter showers!

When it comes to babies or little kids, washing in the kitchen sink or sharing a bath is probably the best option.

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