\The bathroom is an easy place to forget when you are improving your green lifestyle. It is also one of the easiest rooms in your house to make changes in. There are lots of ways to reduce the amount of water and energy you are consuming, some of which are tools you have to purchase, others are require a behaviour change.
Shower
How long do you typically shower for each day? The average shower head uses 5 gallons of water per minute (low flow is under 2.5). If you shower for 10 minutes a day then you would be consuming 50 gallons of water just from the shower.
What can you do to reduce your environmental impact from your shower?
* Keep your shower time to under 5 minutes
* Don't shave with the water running in the shower
* Invest in a low flow shower head
* Lower the water temperature on your hot water heater
* Use baking soda, castile soap and vinegar to clean
* Use old toothbrushes to scrub your tile
* Look for tiles that are made locally or purchase from a reuse store
* Use biodegradable shampoo and soap
Toilet
When Joey and I first started dating I was in shock at his water usage. He would throw a tissue in the toilet and then flush it. Why Joey why??? The average toilet uses 5 gallons of water (low flow is under 2 gallons)
What can you do to reduce your environmental impact from your toilet?
* Don't flush it just to flush it
* You could follow the If it's yellow let it mellow philosophy
* Invest in a low flow toilet
* Don't use those toilet pucks that put chemicals into the toilet and down the drain with each flush
Sinks
What can you do to reduce your environmental impact from your sinks?
* Use biodegradable hand soaps
* Turn the water off when you are not using it
* Look for toothbrushes that can be recycled, are made from bamboo or return them to TerraCycle
Decor
What can you do to decor to make your bathroom more environmentally friendly?
* Purchase organic cotton towels
* Put window treatments on the windows and use them to keep your energy costs down
* Ensure you have a fan and that you change/clean the filter on a regular basis
* Put the fan on a timer so it goes off 60 minutes after you finish showering
* Use CF light bulbs for all your lighting
* Paint the room with VOC free paint
* Look at antiques for furniture and storage solutions
* Upcycle glass jars for storage solutions
What are your tips for greening your bathroom?
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