Go green in your bathroom, and you can make it an eco-friendly oasis.
You can reduce your water waste, as well as the energy used to heat that water. You can recycle and reuse to reduce energy costs. You can choose energy-saving lighting, too. Eco-friendly paints and finishes can increase the comfort and safety of your private space. For a final touch, you can furnish your bathroom with eco-friendly style.
Be water wise
Low-flow showerheads are widely available, and installation is fast and inexpensive. The best have multiple settings for a spa experience and a button that can stop water flow instantly.
Changing out a toilet is a slightly tougher project. Modern, low-flow toilets are highly efficient, unlike older models. The water savings can be substantial.
Some eco-friendly homeowners choose to reroute their gray water. Gray water is used water from sinks and showers but not from toilets. While it's not legal in all locations, in others you can reroute this gray water for your household landscaping needs.
Whether or not a gray water system is legal, an outdoor shower usually is. This way, you can route water directly to plants or through a simple gravel filter. Ordinary soap will not harm most plants.
Save on hot water
Tankless water heaters don't fill up with water and keep it heated until it's needed; instead, they collect and heat water as it is needed, instantly. That avoids energy waste from keeping water hot day and night, and it prevents the waste of water that occurs when you leave water running until it gets hot. Tankless water heaters are expensive, and unless you live alone or with only one other person, most houses need more than one. However, they reward their owners with radically lower utility bills.
Solar water heating is another option, and it's easier to install than many think. Most of the work is done outside the house, and interferes very little with household routine.
Recycle everything
Products you choose for the bathroom can make it greener instantly: recycled toilet paper, washcloths instead of tissues, economy-size products to save packaging, etc. You can choose to save on products, and thus on packaging, by decreasing your usage. For instant eco-saving when you shampoo, lather, rinse and do not repeat. If you're not working up a sweat each day, you may be able to shower less frequently. This also will allow you to get longer use of your towels, which saves water washing and the energy consumer drying them.
For extreme recycling, consider a composting toilet for your house or a cabin. Composting toilets like those from Clivus Multrum do not cause mess or odors. However, installing them is much more of a project than changing the way you shampoo.
Lighten up to go green
Low-wattage bulbs save energy and can be flattering for applying makeup. A knowledgeable salesperson can help you select bulbs and fixtures that suit your specific situation and use the least energy.
Designing a bathroom with windows, or using semi-opaque window films instead of heavy drapes, can allow light to shine in and may reduce the need for as many (or as bright) light bulbs. If you open windows during showers to let steam out, you can reduce your exhaust fan usage, and you also may be able to cut back on air-conditioning costs.
Spare the air
Paint is one of the main indoor air polluters. Ordinary paints and finishes release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air for years after they dry. Low- and no-VOC paint are now readily available and should be the only paints used in a bathroom.
Unpainted surfaces, to be eco-friendly, should be of natural materials like ceramic tile, wood or bamboo. Surprisingly, old-fashioned linoleum is a naturally green material.
If you want to continue to go green in your bathroom, avoid spray cleaners and chemical air fresheners into the air. They are bad for your lungs as well as the biosphere. Many stores sell green cleaners, or you can mix your own out of ingredients like baking soda and vinegar.
Get green beauty
You can go green in your bathroom by decorating and accessorizing in an eco-friendly manner. Antique furnishings add charm and save resources. Towels and robes can be made of organic materials, as can soaps and shampoos.
Plants soften the look of a bathroom while they clean the air. Button ferns do well in bathrooms, as do certain species of orchids. Cover the potting soil with a pebble mulch or peat moss for a smooth, cleanable surface and an extra touch of nature.
Changing your house into an eco-friendly home is an evolving process. It need not happen all at once. Try one or two of these ways to go green in your bathroom, and see what a difference you can make.
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