Could you take a military shower?

By Mrs Green | March 25, 2011 | 4

shower-instead-of-bath-to-reduce-carbon-footprintDay 13 of our carbon fast took us to the bathroom where we were asked to shower instead of use a bath. Not only that but it’s been suggested we take less than 5 minutes or even take a ‘military shower’ where the water is used only to rinse – brrrrr.

This is definitely something I want to work on in the summer as mentioned in yesterday’s write up on immersion tanks and heating water.
In the winter it’s not a problem, I have lashings of hot water en tap thanks to my trusty wood stove. In the summer however, when I tend to want to bathe more, I have to put on the immersion tank to have a bath. I really don’t like doing this, and I’m noticing, thanks to my new Onzo monitor, that on the days we use the immersion tank our reading shoots up.

So Mr Green has been given a project by me! It’s to fit a shower over the bath this year. It isn’t straight forward due to the design of our bathroom, but we’ve managed to get a Freecycled shower AND glass shower screen so hopefully he’ll be able to manage it.

I don’t mind taking a 5 minute shower, but I will not be participating in a military shower – I wasn’t cut out for army life and with my BMI I’d positively freeze if I had to stand in there with no warm water flowing over me! Mind you, perhaps showering with a friend would keep me warmer 😉

Tell me about your military showers – how do they work for you?

Posted in Energy saving

4 Comments

  1. A Modern Mother on March 25, 2011 at 6:09 am

    So that’s what they are called! When I lived in California we often had water rationing,and it was suggested that you rinse, turn off the shower, lather, then turn the water on only long enough to get off all the soap.

    This is rather gross, but do you know what you do for the loo? Yellow is mellow, if it is brown flush it down…

    Sorry!



  2. Jennifer on March 25, 2011 at 4:54 pm

    California is often in a state of drought, so I am all too familiar with the military shower. However, I’m best at it when I’m almost late to work! It is definitely cold when the water’s not on, but that just makes me go faster. I only run into trouble on days when I don’t have anywhere I need to be. Then it’s a real wrench to turn off the lovely downpour of warm water.



  3. Small Footprints on March 26, 2011 at 11:51 pm

    I’ve been doing military showers for years. Like “A Modern Mother”, I started taking them when our area suffered a drought. Now, it’s a habit. Here’s a trick that works for me … when you first get in the shower, put the plug in the tub. Then while you’re getting all wet, that water accumulates around your feet. When you turn off the water to soap up and shampoo, the warm water around your feet helps to keep you comfortable … and you have a real visible measure of how much water you’re using.



  4. Mrs Green on March 27, 2011 at 6:40 pm

    @A Modern Mother: We do the ‘if it’s yellow’ rule here too 😉

    @Jennifer: Yep I can totally understand the incentive of being in a hurry to get on with things!

    @Small Footprints: Great idea about the plug; thank you!