EPA tells kids to avoid baths and check toilets for leaks

Parents across America who struggle to keep their kids clean now have a new obstacle, the EPA!

As part of its effort to help save the planet from the dangers of taking too many baths, the EPA’s WaterSense program is trying to convince kids they should avoid bathtubs in favor of showers, which it says is a far more efficient use of water.

“To save even more water, keep your shower under five minutes long—try timing yourself with a clock next time you hop in!” the “Water Sense For Kids” website says.

In addition to convincing kids to stay away from the tub, the EPA’s website instructs children to be careful not to give plants or the yard too much water, to ask parents to use car washes that recycle used water, and to avoid using hoses whenever possible. The EPA even suggests kids conduct experiments with parents to test toilets for leaks.

So now kids have to be good little soldiers and remind Mom and Dad 's about water usage, when truthfully this should be Mom and Dad's job. Not the children's. Also, some children will not take a shower, no matter what trick you try, and this includes some special needs children. They don't like the feel of the water hitting their skin. I understand what the EPA is trying to do, but is it too little too late. And is it children they should direct their ads to? What do you think?

Everyone needs to be aware of conservation of our natural resources.

This is nothing new. When I was a kid, eons and eons ago, we were targeted with way more intense campaigns than this, and in fact, in my opinion, we've all gotten slack about this. I for one am glad that there is focus on this again.

Children are preached at/indoctrinated all the time, at least this is something helpful and needed. Things like the pledge of allegiance, have to get them patriotic while they're young...Sunday school, etc.

As far as baths, I never understood why someone would take one, it seems so gross to me bathing in your own filth you're trying to clean off.

a reply to: Anyafaj

The showering and watering plants has been standard here in the UK for many years, some summers there is a hosepipe ban on watering plants /washing cars etc.

Yeah, you know ... who needs personal hygiene?

Next thing you know, we'll be back to the days when people sewed themselves into their clothes for the winter and carried balls of strong smelling dried herbs and spices to cover their own personal aromas.

Maybe we can also get back to the days when they had the giant, voluminous court skirts and some ladies would simply attach a small chamber pot to the inside rather than worry about finding the garderode? I mean, it would be so much more convenient than having to go to the bathroom, and with that BO, no could smell when you had to answer nature's call.

"I understand what the EPA is trying to do" .... I also understand what they are trying to do and this time around it's called inspiring defiance in children, along with parent/child role-reversals, usurping parental authority.

Hey everybody they didn't rule out showers they actually gave it as the option. This is a water conservation issue it has nothing to do with hygiene.

Man, they should come out with an annual book of all government agency campaigns, so I can stop appearing so foolish at all these cocktail parties I'm trying to go to. With, like, a monocle is how I imagine myself at all these House of Cards cocktail parties.

They should really push this type of stuff harder, because it's not even making a dent in my nephews. All they remember from school is some Stephen King Pokemon Card gibberish.

I need my propaganda stronger man, and when I say propaganda I don't mean it in the way that is incorrect to me.

As much as I like to agree that conservation of resources is a priority, the EPA is dead wrong here and it's just another attempt to manipulate peoples guilt complex.

You see residential water usage accounts for about 3%. They love to crackdown on you when 2 golf courses use as much water as your whole city. When brewing companies, nestle and other corporations pay nearly nothing if anything at all for their unlimited supply, then sell the wastewater back to the city at a profit.

It's the same as recycling, what little you do helps 5% while corporations rape the planet and destroy the environment as they crack.down on you. You deserve nothing but to be their slave/rantover

a reply to: ISHAMAGI

Yes, but you see the rich don't benefit from all those showers the poor and middle class are taking. They do benefit from those nice, green gold courses!



Gotta have priorities, and the well-heeled in the EPA can certainly afford those golf courses by the time they retire off our tax dollars.

I remember conservation being taught in school back in the 80s, this is nothing new. All of my kids take showers and I insist that it stay under 10 minutes since there are others who need to shower and like hot water. LOL

I taught my granddaughter to take three minute showers. She actually beat my record. That lasted for about a year. Once she became a teenager, the showers take all of the hot water out of our fifty gallon hot water tank.

They must teach this in school, I have no understanding of how she learned to do that. I suppose the kids are teaching each other to run their parents hot water heaters dry as a sort of act of defiance.

originally posted by: ketsuko
Yeah, you know ... who needs personal hygiene?

Next thing you know, we'll be back to the days when people sewed themselves into their clothes for the winter and carried balls of strong smelling dried herbs and spices to cover their own personal aromas.

Maybe we can also get back to the days when they had the giant, voluminous court skirts and some ladies would simply attach a small chamber pot to the inside rather than worry about finding the garderode? I mean, it would be so much more convenient than having to go to the bathroom, and with that BO, no could smell when you had to answer nature's call.

Hyperbole much?

Have you actually had a look at the EPA website, and what they are suggesting? Nowhere do they suggest kids should stop observing basic hygiene, but rather they are simply suggesting ways in which water can be saved.

www.epa.gov...

Taking a shower uses much less water than filling up a bathtub. A shower only uses 10 to 25 gallons, while a bath takes up to 70 gallons! If you do take a bath, be sure to plug the drain right away and adjust the temperature as you fill the tub.

To save even more water, keep your shower under five minutes long—try timing yourself with a clock next time you hop in!

So where is anything said about not observing basic hygiene?

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: ISHAMAGI

Yes, but you see the rich don't benefit from all those showers the poor and middle class are taking. They do benefit from those nice, green gold courses!

Gotta have priorities, and the well-heeled in the EPA can certainly afford those golf courses by the time they retire off our tax dollars.

If you did a bit of searching, you may find that the EPA has recommendations on responsible water use on golf courses, including using recycled water, but hey, nothing like getting all worked up over hysterical government regulation, even if it's just in the form of suggestions on minimising water wastage.

water.epa.gov...

This was foretold in the Bible. The end of times is near Jesus will return save your children lock your doors. FEMA camps are you next. Give them your bullets.

I take a shower once a month whether I need one or not....jeesh!

Oh man the comments were somehow more retarded than the article.

Horrible, horrible article. I cant believe they twisted the EPA suggesting that children take a quick shower instead of a bath into some liberal conspiracy.

If I were a parent I would be happy to have my child want to take a shower. Less mess, less waste, cleaner etc.

Perhaps all that saved water at hygiene expense is to free up all the fresh water that is to be used in the fracking processes that are happening now and planned for the future, a process that can only use fresh water and can't reuse it once they contaminate it. It takes me 10 mins to have a shower if not washing my hair and 20 mins if doing my hair, and that is not a swanning myself under the running water type shower but a get in and out as I have to get out the door for work type shower. I am quite sure the think tanks that come up with the 5 min limit do not adhere to this themselves.

originally posted by: Domo1
Oh man the comments were somehow more retarded than the article.

Horrible, horrible article. I cant believe they twisted the EPA suggesting that children take a quick shower instead of a bath into some liberal conspiracy.

If I were a parent I would be happy to have my child want to take a shower. Less mess, less waste, cleaner etc.

I don't mind my daughter taking a shower, my problem is my daughter has what is called Sensory Integration Dysfunction. This means certain sense can overwhelm her, and that includes water hitting her skin. It took her until 2 years ago before she would even get under a showerhead. So when she was 18. SID is part of her Autism, so parents of special needs children may have a hard time getting them to try this out. The parents may be up for it, because trust me, we WANT our kids to be independent, but the kids themselves may not be up for it.

a reply to: Anyafaj

Well sure, but that's a very different situation. If someone has a valid reason not to take a shower, certainly they shouldn't be forced or ridiculed. For the average person it makes sense though.

The article blew what the EPA was doing way out of proportion.

I remember some people freaking out when kids were taught to recycle in school.

originally posted by: Domo1
a reply to: Anyafaj

Well sure, but that's a very different situation. If someone has a valid reason not to take a shower, certainly they shouldn't be forced or ridiculed. For the average person it makes sense though.

The article blew what the EPA was doing way out of proportion.

I remember some people freaking out when kids were taught to recycle in school.

I remember those days. I don't mind the EPA teaching conservation, what I minded was it aiming towards kids when it should be aiming to the parents, in my opinion, anyway, THEN after aiming it to the parents, then aim it to the kids. That's just my opinion though.