The tub has a bucket, Dear Liza, Dear Liza…
That song from the old Sesame Street skit gets stuck in my head every time I get in the shower now. And why is there a bucket in the shower? Because the Modern Cottage is getting greener by the day. Or perhaps you’d say grayer.
A full-on grey-water collection system isn’t practical for us right now, but we still daydream about the awesomeness of it. Even as we lamented, S.O. realized we were thinking too big. No, we can’t install a cistern and divert our out-going plumbing. Because…whoa…excavation. If we could even capture a little, though — say enough to use on the container plants — well at least that would be something! Enter the shower bucket.
The runoff from two showers per day fills up our four-gallon bucket. That’s water for about six plants per day, and over the week, most of the plants get a good semi-soapy drench. Not bad. Someday we’ll have true gray-water collection. Until then, though: Shower Bucket.
…and there I thought that I was the only one doing the low-tech greywater thing… I use a bucket to catch the water when I run it at the beginning to let the water heat up, as well as to catch as much as possible during… My home is built on a slab at ground level, so plumbing in any greywater solution would be REALLY difficult. As we don’t have a dishwasher, just two dishpans in the sink, I also use the washing rinse-water for plants.
power to us low-techers alison! Every little bit helps.
Y’all give me ideas. I’d never thought about using all the water I run down the kitchen sink trying to get hot water out there although we have priced the gaget that heats water at the user end thus saving water. We just didn’t think basic enough (until we put in the gaget). Thanks for the good ideas!
great idea!! i’m gonna do this!
It is so funny, I was just saying to my husband today that we need to do something about reusing the shower water. Then, I stumble on your site and waallaaaaaaaaa.
This is a great idea. Not to mention the water that runs through when I am waiting for warm water. Can’t wait to get the tankless…..