Mark gave me a new shower head for Mother's Day this year. It may seem like an odd gift, but I really enjoy a good shower. After all, hot water is therapeutic. The bright brass one we had before had some great power, but I still wanted one with a removable head. The new one has 2 heads, which is nice, but even with all of the water coming out of one nozzle, there's still not the terrific power we had with the old one. I'm not sure why this is, although I have suspicions that this might be due to new mandates about low-flow water fixtures, to save water. This seems odd to me, since the showers at the gym are very powerful, and since I'm not paying the water bill there, seems like people are not motivated to turn it off. Is the city the one who should be making these decisions?
Before I complain further, I should note here that I am a terrific advocate of saving time, money, space, and resources. (When you have lived in a 2 bedroom apartment with 3 kids, you are forever thinking about saving space). Our garbage can, for our family of 6, is only half full (or is it half empty?) when we drag it out to the curb each week, along with the 2 recycling bins as well. We turn off the a/c or heat when we go on vacation in our gas-efficient vehicles, and throw produce that's gone rotten into our garden. I love the energy saving lightbulbs, especially when I discover that the light was left on in the garage all night long. Not that I should have to defend myself, or if anyone doesn't do these things, that there's anything wrong with it.
But I am so sick of the preaching about "going green." Absolutely do we reap what we sow, and that means there are natural results from dumping toxic waste or being wasteful in general. -I don't think we want a toxic planet. However, can I please make my own decisions about how long my shower is? Is it okay with you, celebrity who has no credentials other than fame, if I keep my washer & dryer until they break? Do you have to talk about it on kids' shows constantly so my children are preaching to me too? Because we're happy to pick up litter and to be responsible, but it's a little hypocritical for you, celebrity with your multiple luxury homes and private jets, to talk about saving resources for the future generations. You're taking all of the fun of it, government agencies, to mandate it all and fining people who don't (the horror!) recycle. I am happy to learn of new ways to save energy, and I would love it if I could opt out of all this paper coming from school, credit card companies, and marketing gimmicks. I just wish we didn't have to talk about it All. The. Time.
Not to mention, I love my shower to be strong and powerful. When it's not, it just requires me to be in there longer just to rinse off. So I end up spending extra time as well as water. Which doesn't end up being green or fun.
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3 comments:
This post rocks.
Nate got me a handheld showerhead/hose for Christmas when we were newly married. I thought it an odd gift. Until I used it. Now it's the first thing installed anytime we move to a new place. I've even had him bring them along to install in family members' bathrooms as a self-serving thank you gift when we're traveling.
I wish we were closer. Nate could take the flow restricter out for you. Yes, law mandates there be one in your new showerhead, but they can't stop you from taking it out:)
Preach it!
One thing that kills me about this environmental religion is how these people who, say, drive around in Priuses and whatnot are really only consuming about 20% less resources than the rest of us, and yet they go around with a halo on their head like they're vastly superior. For 20 percent! Who was the deity who drew the energy-usage line and declared that anyone above the line was a sinner and anyone below the line was a saint?
Not to mention, as you say, that 90% of the time those people driving Priuses are just consuming more in other ways anyway. And those of us who don't go around with our green halos but just focus tenaciously on saving on our bills end up consuming less thanks to our money-grubbing.
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