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Berkeley / Turn off the Tap
Instructions:
Points: 10
Capture your shower water in a bucket while waiting for the water to heat up and use this water to irrigate your garden. 20% of electricity and 30% of natural gas in California is used just to transport, treat and heat water and wastewater.
3 Number Completed:
Action Shots
Karin L.
This is a photo of my passive clothes dryer that hangs from the shower head (after the shower position/lower down on the shaft during shower) and my bucket full of socks etc ready to be hung up, All this is post shower of course.
Jay G.
Okay, the truth: I committed to doing this a year ago, but my city asked, and now we are 'bucketing'. Sorry for the crappy pic, what can I say it was early...
Tom Bates
I always capture my shower water in a bucket while waiting for the water to heat up and use this water to irrigate my garden. Here I am watering the plants in my front yard. Do you have a bucket in your shower?
Berkeley Statistics:
80 Points
8 Challenges Completed
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Karin L. says:
I close the plug and save ALL my shower water ....... and also put some laundry in the water (especially underwear and socks) and wash it (mostly by stepping on it) before I remove all the water, bucket by bucket to the garden!
I also capture all my dishwater in a rectangular plastic basin that fits in my sink and empty it into a bucket and then to the garden.
This is REAL motivation to keep my showers short and infrequent and my dishwashing water efficient.
My utility bill was $9 last month.
Andy K. says:
I also capture my shower water in a bucket while the water is heating up, and use it to flush the toilet. More ways to save water and customer rebates at ebmud.com
-Andy Katz, EBMUD Director
Ken O. says:
Good stuff Tom and Andy! I keep a watering can but the opening is too small. Time for a bucket.
My old coworker told me that in Tanzania, she and her group were received as guests in one village, and as a courtesy they were given water for sponge baths. A sponge and a bucket of water for all of them. Coming from developed countries they had a hard time appreciating the "gift."
I hear this is pretty normal in Australia now as people are required by law to rinse, lather up and then rinse off within 10 minutes or something like that. No hours of hot running showers.
Jay G. says:
Karin that's awesome! I just started the 'bucket' today. Where's the pics of you doing this?
Karin L. says:
Good STUFF! I will check out EBMUD!
Meanwhile...I challenge all you he-men and she-women to do what I have been doing (at least try it for one day! How about Oct 24th? The Day of Climate Action...go to 350.org ) which I will restate...."
I close the plug and save ALL my shower water ....... and also put some laundry in the water (especially underwear and socks) and wash it (mostly by stepping on it) before I remove all the water, bucket by bucket to the garden! You don't need a watering can if you keep another smaller plastic container in the bucket for scooping.
I also capture all my dishwater in a rectangular plastic basin that fits in my sink and empty it into a bucket and then to the garden.
This is REAL motivation to keep my showers short and infrequent and my dishwashing water usage modest. I use small amts of very high quality organic soaps etc...."
Good Luck and share any upgrades or tips/feedback as well!
I'm posting a crummy pic too...but my posts haven't been showing up.?.?.?
Karin L. says:
My photo caption continued:
I save all the shower water and scoop it into the bucket with a smaller plastic tub. I also shove a wedge shaped tube (a body scrub container or something) under the bucket to achieve the correct angle for pre-shower water collection (not pictured). I move the bucket when I'm actually showering depending on whether it is filled yet.
Carrying the buckets helps keep bones strong!
I'll try for a better photo later!
Karin L. says:
shower METERS!?!
Tom Kelly says:
We're just wrapping up a bulk order for 60 gallon rain barrels from the Great American Rain Barrel Co. (recycled olive barrels). Last year we found homes for 27 barrels, this year we'll do 70. Seems like there's a lot of interest - would be great if Berkeley or EBMUD would take it on and subsidize them - they'd sell a ton of them. And the benefits are just remarkable!