How Long is Your “5-Minute” Shower?

I grew up in Western Massachusetts—which gets its pristine water from Quabbin Reservoir—and one day, after taking a shower, my Mother said to me, “I just heard on the news that Quabbin Reservoir’s water table just dropped two inches.”

In other words, I took a l-o-n-g shower.

In my quest to go green, shortening my showers has been one of my most difficult challenges. My mind wanders and, while I have every intention of making it quick, time seems to pass with extreme speed—as if a shower stall is a some sort of wind-it-up time travel device.

A few weeks ago, Mark and I bought a “Shower Coach™” from Niagara. This 5-minute hourglass is water proof and has a suction cup that sticks to the wall. Swivel it when you get into the shower and play race-the-hourglass to see if you can get out before it runs out of sand. “Shower Coach™” was designed to teach children how to take quick showers, but I find it works well in teaching adults, too.

This eco home must-have costs less than $5! Think about how much money it saves . . . just don’t think about it and then let your mind wander while you’re in the shower.

Question of the blog: What’s been your most difficult challenge in going green?