Saving the Environment Every Day

My family and I are big fans of “green” living and are constantly trying to do our part to save energy and live more efficiently. From the kitchen to the bathroom, we strive to keep costs down while saving the Earth at the same time. Read on for my tips on how to live green in the bathroom, the room that wastes more water than anywhere else. 

Did you know that designing an environmentally friendly bathroom is surprisingly affordable and easy? From low-flow showerheads to organic towels, green bathrooms are easy to create. Water conservation is probably the biggest change you can make in your bathroom and there are several ways to do it. Faucet aerators allow less pressure to come through your faucet, thus saving water. But so does turning off the water when brushing your teeth. This simple task is easy enough for my kids to do and saves thousands of gallons a year, just in our household alone.  Another easy task is keeping an eye out for a leaky faucet. Not only are they easy to fix, but did you know that if your faucet drips at 1 drop per second, you’re wasting 2500 gallons of water per year? Now that’s worth saving!

For those of you looking to completely create a truly efficient bathroom, consider going green with recycled glass, ceramic or porcelain tiles, as well as recycled building products when you’re building your home. Showerheads and toilets come in “low-flow” varieties that reduce water use when flushing or showering. One of my favorite bathtub gadgets is the inline heater. This device allows you to heat existing water in your bathtub, instead of refilling it with warm water as the tub cools down. Another exciting and soothing idea is to install a steam shower. Steam has amazing benefits on your skin and also uses less water than a typical shower, which leaves water running down your drain, wasting money.

If installing new fixtures is not your idea of saving money, why not try using organic towels and natural bath products? Hair and skincare products are widely available in natural food stores and even drug stores. I love great-smelling products that take advantage of Mother Nature’s wonderful herbs and flowers. Look for scents like spearmint, ginger, lilac and almond in your soaps and lotions.

Cotton and hemp shower curtains are a great environmentally friendly replacement to smelly vinyl ones that are loaded with PVC. I also love how easy they are to clean. Just drop the shower curtain into the washing machine and it’s as simple as that! And don’t forget to use natural products when cleaning the bathtub either, because they’re just as efficient. Typically, commercial tub and tile cleaners rely on toxic chemicals to get rid of bathroom germs and grime, but natural cleaners take away those toxic chemicals and are easy on the hands and eyes. To the left we’ve included easy recipes for safe cleaning supplies.

Adding a little green to your bathroom is easy with some of these simple changes and solutions. In fact, your kids won’t know the difference and you’ll love the money you save on your monthly water and electric bills. Did I mention it’s great for the environment? Visit our Web site: www.athomewithdon.com, for even more product suggestions from Angela and me! We’re constantly adding new ones and you’ll also want to sign up for our mailing list for more green products and ideas.

-Sonia