Related Reading: Eco-friendly Bathroom Ideas
In the average bathroom, gallons of water are wasted and tons of harsh chemicals that could potentially harm the environment are released daily. Going green or being eco-friendly is a choice that many have made but many are still to make.
Most people associate going green with higher costs because eco-friendly alternatives sometimes cost more than harmful products, and the fact that there are too many things to avoid and guilt to deal with wards people away from the green movement but saving the planet is much more than buying a bamboo toothbrush.
It’s conserving natural resources and avoiding waste unless you absolutely have to. If you still leave the tap on while brushing your teeth, I’m sorry to call you out like this but you can do better.
So if you’ve finally decided to go green, there’s a plethora of unnecessary information on the internet and you might search for hours still confused about exactly what to do to make your bathroom as eco-friendly as possible but you’ve come to the right place.
Continue reading as I touch up on all the parts of your bathroom you can change to create a more sustainable, eco-friendly space that not only saves you from harmful toxins but also preserves the planet.
But before we start, let’s quickly look at all the reasons why you should go green.
Benefits of Adopting Eco-Friendly Practices
There’s so much to gain when you start to care about the environment. Here are some benefits of choosing the green route.
Environmental Conservation: By adopting eco-friendly practices in your bathroom, you contribute to the preservation of the environment. Conserving water, reducing energy consumption, and using sustainable materials help minimize your ecological footprint. This, in turn, helps protect natural resources, conserve energy, and mitigate climate change.
Water Conservation: By reducing water consumption, you contribute to the conservation of freshwater resources. This is particularly important in regions facing water scarcity or drought conditions.
Energy Efficiency: Adopting energy-efficient practices in your bathroom helps reduce energy consumption and lower greenhouse gas emissions. This not only benefits the environment but also helps lower your energy bills.
Cost Savings: Eco-friendly practices in your bathroom can lead to significant cost savings in the long run. For example, water-saving fixtures and energy-efficient appliances reduce water and energy bills.
Improved Indoor Air Quality: Choosing low VOC (volatile organic compounds) products and materials for your bathroom reduces the emission of harmful chemicals into the air. This helps improve indoor air quality and creates a healthier environment for you and your family. It can also alleviate respiratory issues and allergies caused by exposure to indoor pollutants.
Sustainable Living: Adopting eco-friendly practices in your bathroom aligns with a sustainable lifestyle. It reflects a conscious effort to reduce waste, conserve resources, and make environmentally responsible choices. By embracing sustainable living, you become part of a larger movement towards a greener and more sustainable future.
Health and Well-being: Eco-friendly practices in your bathroom can positively impact your health and well-being. Using natural and organic toiletries reduces exposure to harmful chemicals found in conventional products. Additionally, proper ventilation systems help prevent the buildup of mold, mildew, and other pollutants, creating a healthier bathroom environment.
Setting a Positive Example: By creating an eco-friendly bathroom, you inspire and encourage others to adopt sustainable practices as well. Friends, family, and guests who see your environmentally conscious choices may be inspired to make similar changes in their own homes. This collective effort can have a significant impact on reducing environmental degradation and promoting sustainability
How To Make Your Bathroom Eco-Friendly
Let’s get to the order of the day shall we, here are some actionable tips divided into sections designed to make your bathroom eco-friendly.
Related reading: Faucet Buying Guide
Water Conservation
This is perhaps the most important aspect of your transition to an eco-friendly bathroom, there are so many areas where you can conserve water in the bathroom no matter how small and I’ll be showing you some of them.
Firstly, change your showerhead to a low-flowing showerhead. The average showerhead expels about seven gallons of water per minute. Switching to a low-flowing one can cut that amount to less than half.
There are many modern, low-flowing shower heads on the market and you should pick one that suits your taste. You don’t have to go too low if it’ll make your showering experience uncomfortable, any effort to conserve shouldn’t discourage you from the idea of conservation altogether.
Low-flowing shower heads marketed today claim to only expel 2 gallons of water per minute or less, so if you want to make a huge change in the water you waste in your bathroom, consider getting one.
Since you’ve started the low-flow movement, consider changing your bathroom fixtures and faucets to low-flow ones.
One common concern when switching to low-flow fixtures is a potential decrease in water pressure. However, modern low-flow fixtures are designed to maintain adequate water pressure while using less water. They achieve this through innovative technologies such as air injection or pressure-compensating mechanisms.
Last on our water conservation list are toilets. Leaky toilets waste immeasurable gallons of water that not only wastes Earth’s natural resources but also increases your electricity bills.
To check for a leak in your toilet, you can put food coloring in the tank and check if it leaks into the bowl. If your toilet is leaky, call a plumber ASAP.
If you want to go all out on conservation, use a low-flush toilet. Low-flush toilets are divided into single and dual-flush toilets. Standard toilets use about 3.5 gallons of water per flush which is way too much and wasteful.
With the advent of low-flush toilets, however, the water used per flush is now usually less than 2 gallons. And with dual-flush toilets, you can regulate the amount depending on what you want to flush.
Energy Efficiency
Like with water, there’s a lot you can conserve when it comes to electricity. Let’s start with lights. If you use incandescent light bulbs, you might want to consider more sustainable, eco-friendly alternatives.
For a while, compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) were regarded as the most eco-friendly until we discovered their disposal releases trace toxic elements like mercury and lead into the environment.
Right now, LEDs are the most environmentally friendly light bulbs with up to 80% efficiency compared to CFLs 25%. You can still use CFLs since they’re still miles ahead of incandescent bulbs when it comes to conserving energy but ensure you dispose of your bulbs properly.
Heard of energy-efficient ventilation? You’ll spend some money on this but it’s well worth it. Traditional bathroom ventilation systems, such as exhaust fans, can be energy-intensive and inefficient. Energy-efficient ventilation systems, on the other hand, are designed to minimize energy consumption while effectively removing moisture and maintaining good air quality. They utilize advanced technologies and features to optimize airflow and reduce the power required for operation.
Energy-efficient ventilation systems often use intelligent controls that enhance efficiency and convenience. These controls may include humidity sensors, occupancy sensors, or timers. Humidity sensors detect moisture levels in the bathroom and activate the ventilation system only when necessary, ensuring optimal energy usage.
Occupancy sensors can automatically activate the ventilation system when someone enters the bathroom, and timers can be set to operate the system for a specific duration, preventing unnecessary energy wastage. There are so many options to choose when it comes to using energy-efficient ventilation to save energy and you’ll have to do some research to figure out the right ones for your home and bathroom.
Other Ways To Make Your Bathroom Eco-Friendly
Let’s look at the little things you can change in your bathroom that’ll immensely help the environment in the long run.
Use Plants
You don’t have to put a forest in your bathroom, a single potted plant can still purify your air. According to NASA, plants purify the air of toxins like acetone and formaldehyde, reducing humidity, mold, and mildew formation.
My recommendation is to hang an eucalyptus or other scented plant over your shower so when you turn the heat on, your bathroom smells nice and the plant still keeps toxins out.
Other plants you can add to your bathroom include spider plants, rubber tree plants, and palms.
Keep Waste to a Minimum
If you’re constantly buying new bottles of shampoo and conditioner, you’d be happy to know that there are local companies that offer refills. Just take your old bottles over and get refills for a cheaper price.
Use a bamboo toothbrush compared to a plastic one. Apart from the fact that it’s biodegradable, it also looks earthy and nice.
Reduce your toilet paper usage. If you can completely steer clear of toilet paper, do it. Bidets are nice and don’t worry about wasting water because they use an insignificant amount.
Use reusable makeup wipes instead of disposing of wipes daily. You can simply wash your wipe if it gets dirty without harming the environment.
Final Thoughts
Of course, you don’t have to implement every single suggestion on this list. However, using quality bathroom products like those from GeorgeBathroom can make a significant difference. It might seem like overkill to adopt all, but with GeorgeBathroom’s eco-friendly solutions, you’ll know where to start on your green journey. Choose the changes you’re comfortable with and begin there. Remember, with the right products, no effort is too small.
