8 Ways to Green Your Shower Routine

Image courtesy of Anthropologie.com

1. Take cooler showers, and keep them 5 minutes or under. Try using a timer  - you'd be surprised how long you actually have the water running.

2. Turn off the water while shaving or soaping up. This is called a navy shower and is a great way to reduce water waste.

3. Rub your shampoo between your palms for a few seconds before applying it to your hair. Many natural shampoos don't lather as well as traditional shampoos and can be tricky to spread over your whole scalp, but getting the lather started in your hands beforehand is a tried and true solution.

4. Put your shampoo and conditioner on at the same time and leave it in while you're doing whatever else you need to do, this gives more time for the products to work.

5. Shower only every other day. This is better for your hair and your skin - and saves water. If your hair gets greasy after just one day, try a dry shampoo.

6. Use natural and organic shower products, and use bar soap instead of liquid shower gels. Not sure what to buy? Check Boston Green Blog often for product reviews! (click the "Eco Beauty" and "Hair" tags to see past reviews).

7. Put a bucket in the shower to collect exess water that can be used for watering plants or other grey water uses.

8. Avoid PVC (vinyl) shower curtains. PVC emits harmful chemicals including VOCs. They may also contain lead.