I Am That Eco-Friendly
Posted: Thursday, September 23, 2010
by Grace O'Malley
I do not mind being eco-friendly. I was raised that way. We recycle, are careful on what kinds of materials we buy, stay away from plastics as much as possible, drive relatively fuel efficient vehicles, re-use instead of throw away. Our heat is set at 68 in the winter and we try to avoid putting on the air conditioning except to sleep at night in the summer. We are all for alternative means of energy and would not mind if we had a wind generator in our back yard. But there is one thing I really, really, really have a problem with.
I crave a real shower. One of those you stand under and get pummeled by a spray so powerful, you are drenched over and over again. *sigh* Is it too much to ask?
For years while we lived in Europe I craved a real shower. Not the bush style shower that is so economical to use. Not with a hand held head and not in an open corner with a drain in the floor. When I knew we were coming back to the U.S. all I could think about was southern BBQ and a hot full spray shower.
We stayed with my parents in Charleston for 6 weeks and got my BBQ: quite a few times. But my parents being the eco-friendly people they are installed water savers in all their showers. Hubby decided that made a lot of sense and did the same when we bought our house, drat him.
Having longer hair, it takes me twice as long to wash and rinse it then if I'd have plumbing that did not hinder me. That's not saving! Shaving is almost impossible when you cannot even get enough water flow to steam up a room. There are times at night I dream about it.
Tonight after ten minutes of desultory semi-bathing I had enough. Wrapping myself in a towel I headed to hubby's office, bent over him sitting in the chair and whispered in his ear, "I swear if I ever find a real shower, I'll never bathe alone again. I'm that eco-friendly."
Our new shower head is being installed tomorrow.
Do you do anything eco-friendly?
For years while we lived in Europe I craved a real shower. Not the bush style shower that is so economical to use. Not with a hand held head and not in an open corner with a drain in the floor. When I knew we were coming back to the U.S. all I could think about was southern BBQ and a hot full spray shower.
We stayed with my parents in Charleston for 6 weeks and got my BBQ: quite a few times. But my parents being the eco-friendly people they are installed water savers in all their showers. Hubby decided that made a lot of sense and did the same when we bought our house, drat him.
Having longer hair, it takes me twice as long to wash and rinse it then if I'd have plumbing that did not hinder me. That's not saving! Shaving is almost impossible when you cannot even get enough water flow to steam up a room. There are times at night I dream about it.
Tonight after ten minutes of desultory semi-bathing I had enough. Wrapping myself in a towel I headed to hubby's office, bent over him sitting in the chair and whispered in his ear, "I swear if I ever find a real shower, I'll never bathe alone again. I'm that eco-friendly."
Our new shower head is being installed tomorrow.
Do you do anything eco-friendly?
This Article has been viewed 711 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
More commentsI try to be as eco-friendly as possible nowsaday, and my children are being taught to be eco-friendly too. Hope our effort would help in saving the earth!
Yes, I do...I carry things in my hand even if the shop owner offers me plastic carry bag. I ask them to stop giving plastics to the customers. India is difficult in that respect.Nice article, Thanks for sharing, Grace...Regards, CPWe carry a number of canvas bags with us whenever we shop. Not only does it help the environment but it makes things so much easier to carry!Grace
I think you should live up to whatever you wish to live up to. I care nary a bit about being "eco-friendly", but I was taught about "waste", "excess", "inappropriate use of valuable things". It is scary to me that the great god "ECO", to whom we must be friendly has established such a beach head in your consciousness. Can you be a thief, but also be "Eco Friendly"?. I mean does being "eco friendly" establish you as a highly highly moral person? From what I have heard of these types of conversation, they seem to bless each adherent with a glow of grace. It's got to feel good. Bless you.Waste and excess can be curbed by anyone willing to do so. No eco God in my household, simply common sense. Thanks for the comment and for reading Christofer.Grace
BoyHowdy! Do I ever know what you mean! When my hair was nearly waist-length, it was such a nightmare trying to wash it with those wimpy shower heads. I'm a big recycler too...but there's one thing I will NOT tolerate and that's a trickling shower. Besides, all those people who say we don't have 'enough' water....how is it that the ice is melting all over the planet and we're 'short' on water? I say it's a bunch of phooey. Just one more way for "them" to get us to pay more for it. That's MY story and I'm stickin' to it!Thanks for a great piece.I have wondered about that too, and the response I usually get is that the ice that is melting is salt water. My comeback is I didn't know salt water could freeze. Anyway you look at it, we are spoiled Camille and want our powerful showers! I don't think that's too much to ask for, do you?GraceActually, glacial water is NOT salt water. However, it does fall into the oceans (which, of course, are). But here's my question: if they can figure out how to send rockets into space, how come they can't figure out how to make salt water potable? (of course they can. it's just not 'economically beneficial' to those who want the $$$). BullPuckey!Exactly! Like a number of other things that can help, it's the greed keeping these things from being used on a mass scale. Look at any item when it is first manufactured it is expensive to produce because of the limited purchasing power. However the more they make they can sell it at a cheaper price creating more demand which makes more in profits for the manufacturer. But if it's good for us to use that concept flies out the window! And no, glacial water is fresh not sea water but for some reason that's the response I always seem to get.
Yes. All of the above, except for the a/c in the summer thing. In Texas, and at my age, that would be a prescription for suicide, which at this point I have no interest in, thank you. Also, I don't litter, nananananana. I'm not real familiar with it, but I think that there are tanks that can recycle water as well. They're filtered, and I think rather effective for reusing for anything other than maybe drinking, so it would probably have to have it's own plumbing to be able to use with particular things, and maybe why not more popular, I don't know. Anyway, great article, as usual. Adios, senorita bonita.I don't blame you for keeping the a/c on! We do the same when the temps are high. Proud of you for not littering! You get a gold start for that David.Grace
Interesting article Grace! There are too many benefits of being eco-friendly.Thank you for reading and commenting Jacob. Yes, there are a number of benefits to both us and the environment.Grace
I am eco friendly by recycling all my plastic products on Wednesdays during trash pick up. I love to recycle because we are protecting the earth and helping the environment sustain its longevity.Good for you! ~ Grace
Hi Grace.I love that third to last paragraph! But I'm one of those people who would rather take a bath. I gather that's not very eco-friendly. But I am fine with the low-flow shower heads and toilets that use very little water (though sometimes we do have to flush them twice ... oh well). We buy very little preprocessed packaged food, preferring fresh, self-made meals where we have control of what we are putting into our bodies. When possible, I do not use those plastic bags the grocery stores provide. And I do my best to remember to take my reusable shopping bags in with me. But I am not going to stop taking baths. There is just something about almost completely immersing my body in hot water that just makes me feel so much better. Ahhh!I did once use one of those "rain" type shower heads in a hotel bathroom. It was directly overhead and really big. Can't say that it was any better than my regular shower. And what's with those completely tiled (floor, walls, ceiling) bathrooms that Europeans (well Germans, at least, to my knowledge) seem to favor? Give me a nice closed up shower where you can get some good steam going any day.Fun article! Thanks for sharing!Hugs, DianneI too indulge in baths now and then. I used to feel guilty "wasting" that water but oh well! I figure I can cheat now and then. I don't know about those tiled bathrooms either. Always made me think I was back in school in the gym showers. Nothing warm and inviting about them at all! Always nice to see you Dianne. ~ Grace
way back from almost 30 years ago when we had a serious water shortage I began putting about 2 inches of water in a cup - dipping the tooth brush in and brushing my teeth then rinsing with the same water. Still do that. We are on a well in a country that has little water and much population growth so we have an energy star dish washer, washer and dryer. Oh, in answer to your OTHER question, yep, even us old codgers take showers together at times....GRIN. Enjoyed your wit and conservation tips also!We should have a wind generator - we have had maybe 2 days out of 5 years when the flag drooped and most of the time it is horizontal!Good for you Marijo on BOTH forms of water conservation ;)
I wish we did have a winder generator. Unfortunately the cost is immense!~ GraceI know they must be - in the 1980s my sister's in-laws put one in and it was $10,000 back then - they could sell their extra to the electric company and that helped but really!I know and it's not any cheaper now. Yes you can sell back but unless you have constant wind it's so not worth the cost.
Very cute way of saying you want to shower with your mate. I'm with you on that one. Any day, any time.I couldn't come right out and say that now could I? hehe~ Grace
More comments
We want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.