Social Question

Kraigmo's avatar

Some people clean their kitchens/bathrooms with the tapwater running the entire time. Isn't that a selfish waste of water?

Asked by Kraigmo (9421points) November 29th, 2009

I know the reason they do it. They want to be able to quickly rinse the cloth or sponge they’re using without having to turn the faucet on and off.

But doesn’t the harm they cause outweigh the convenience?

Is it too hard to just fill up the sink and dip the sponge? Or to just take a few seconds to turn the faucet off and on?

This type of behavior… does it epitomize a selfish way of dealing with life… akin to tossing cigarette butts into flower beds, aluminum cans and glass into the general garbage, and things like that?

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123 Answers

janbb's avatar

Yes it is.

trailsillustrated's avatar

yes it is and if they did it in australia they’d be severely chastised!

chelseababyy's avatar

Raises hand. Uhh, I’m so guilty of this. As a matter of fact I did this today. Oops! Don’t hate me!

PretentiousArtist's avatar

Whhhyyyyy???!!!
I’m going to cry now

rooeytoo's avatar

It depends on where you live in Australia! Up where I live there is no shortage of water, every year the wet drops so much rain, the landscape turns into lakes and flood planes. Then when the wet stops the earth turns into a giant sponge and it all slowly runs off and disappears.

I don’t waste water but I don’t obsess about over using.

chelseababyy's avatar

@PretentiousArtist Well I was cleaning the bathtub/floor/toilet/everything else with Scrubbing Bubbles bathroom stuff, and I needed to constantly rinse the sponge. It was just easier to let it run a bit, and rinse every minute then to keep turning it on and off.

Kraigmo's avatar

For those guilty of this… can’t you change the behavior in the present and future? The past is forgiven.

And those of you who live in areas with flooded wells… then I guess you’re not wasting any water, so you are exempt

rangerr's avatar

akin to tossing cigarette butts into flower beds.
I’m guilty of that. What’s the harm?

oratio's avatar

I agree with @rooeytoo. It depends on where you live. Where I live it’s not an issue, and wouldn’t be an environmental problem. It’s more than abundant.

edit: @rangerr You are a smoker, huh? I.. thought.. you were a good person.

smile1's avatar

it definitly is! it sure doesnt take more than a few seconds to turn it on and off!

And even if you are in a place where there is an over abundance of rain, or water of any sort, there should not be a reason why you should waste water just because you have easy access to it!

I mean, sometimes, you just want to take a long shower, thats ok, but not every day…

@rangerr uh, you kill the flowers. ruin the land…. doesnt take much to throw it away properly..

rangerr's avatar

@smile1 I do it to my own flower bed… flowers are fine..

ChocolateReigns's avatar

I don’t see why everybody is obsessing over all this. Sure, it’s a good idea to try, but why is such a big deal when you mess up? I’ve heard all the arguments. I know why you guys are saying all that. But I just don’t get it. Does anybody agree with me? Or am I totally stupid?

ubersiren's avatar

Yeah, I get a little peeved at folks who don’t respect the Earth and its resources. More so the littering than water usage.

Allow the brilliant songwriters of Sesame Street serenade you. Click

scamp's avatar

I constantly yell at my SO for doing this. I leave for work before him and came home one day to find out that he never turned off the bathroom faucet, and it had run all day long. To top it off, he did it during the summer when we had water restrictions in force. GRR! :(

casheroo's avatar

I don’t run water unless I’m using it. What I really dislike is that my husband lets the water “warm up” even though we actually have very hot water instantly, he lets it run while he uses the toilet..which can take quite a while. The water bill is increasing and he doesn’t seem to put two and two together. He is the biggest water waster culprit in this household. lol

ItalianPrincess1217's avatar

I’m guilty of this. Partly because it’s easier to leave it running but mostly because I freak out if even a tiny piece of hair, food, or dirt touches my hands and I need to rinse it off asap. I don’t intend on changing my ways anytime soon.

NaturalMineralWater's avatar

What about someone who owns a jacuzzi and uses it regularly? Let’s not just hate on those people who do dishes… lol

hungryhungryhortence's avatar

Back the land before time (when I was a child) people kept small plastic/rubber buckets under the bathroom cabinet to fill with water and clean/rinse at leisure.

oratio's avatar

Watering the lawn, cleaning the car, taking a bath instead of showering, buying bottled water. There are many things we don’t have to do involving water. I guess it’s the having a tap running for no purpose, that makes no sense.

I try not to do that. But if it would have any greater effect on the environment, depends on where you live.

sliceswiththings's avatar

What I can’t stand is when people leave the water running while they brush their teeth.

oratio's avatar

It’s not the amount of water in the world that is a problem. In general it’s access to water that is clean.

ubersiren's avatar

Wasting clean water drives the price of it up for everyone in the community.

Darwin's avatar

Yes, it is a selfish waste of water.

However, the folks who do it often stop when they have to pay the water bill themselves.

I prefer to put some water in a small bucket and tote it around with my cloth to do the cleaning. When the water is dirty I pour it on my potted plants, and fill the bucket up with clean water again.

galileogirl's avatar

It must be so cool to have your own life in such good shape that you can worry about how other people clean house, Here’s an idea. why not take your spare time and become a volunteer bathroom cleaning teacher and bring your message to the masses, one toilet at a time…sheesh

ItalianPrincess1217's avatar

@Darwin That’s not necessarily true. I pay my own water bill and it’s never been overly high. My water running habits really don’t have a significant effect on the bill. I don’t think I do it enough for it to have any impact.

Darwin's avatar

@ItalianPrincess1217 – You might be surprised how low you can get your water bill if you set your mind to it. When it was just me and I was in full conservation mode my water bill and electric bill were both the minimum amount that could be billed, $10 and $12 per month respectively. I kept one light on at a time and was careful with water,

Now that I have two teenagers, a husband, a larger house and a garden my water bill can vary from $60 a month to $120, depending on whether the kids are home or not, and my electric bill is more like $300 (I now use central air conditioning, which I didn’t before, and my kids are always leaving lights on, watching TV, using the computer, etc.).

It seems a pretty wide range to me.

jonsblond's avatar

@galileogirl “It must be so cool to have your own life in such good shape that you can worry about how other people clean house,”

What is wrong with someone concerned about others conserving (or not conserving) water? I seem to recall you were a bit concerned about others shopping at Wal-Mart for all the right wrong reasons. We fight for what we believe in.

ItalianPrincess1217's avatar

@Darwin My bill is ok for now but come summer I expect it will shoot up due to our large garden. We have only been in our new house for a few months so I’m not sure how big the bill will be when we’re watering the garden twice a day! Yikes!

galileogirl's avatar

@jonsblond Didn’t you think it’s cool having such a problrm free life-I was just saying…

Actually rather than kvetch about water, we might be concerned about the chemicals in cleansers. Chemicals and Walmart are about even in the destruction competition.

@Kraigmo Exactly how do you know how much water your friends and family use while cleaning. When I am visiting and my hostess pulls out the cleaning supplies, I take the hint and leave but maybe I should pick up the toilet brush and keep the party going..

mattbrowne's avatar

Absolutely.

Kraigmo's avatar

@galileogirl , i never even knew that people selfishly ran their faucets for no reason while cleaning… until at my job I noticed that a particular woman, when its her turn to clean for the week (we all take turns)... leaves the faucet running during her entire time cleaning the kitchen (20 minutes). All because she’s too lazy and self centered to turn the faucets on and off. Because she doesn’t see the harm caused by her, she selfishly assumes there is no harm. I then realized that if she behaves this way, there must be thousands of others doing this… leading to millions of gallons of wasted clean water each year. And this is California… a desert. We get water from wells and imported from the North. To waste water here is not a sign of a person keeping to herself… it’s a sign of a person who really doesn’t care about anything important outside of her own family.

And thanks for counteracting actual words I said, rather than inventing your own, this time.

And being concerned about water in advance of a major crisis, is far more intelligent than pretending you’re just minding your own business, waiting until the water literally runs dry and rationing occurs, like they do in Mexico. To be concerned and caring about it now… will prevent or delay that from happening later.

And i’m not proposing you cut your water in a way that cramps your lifestyle. I’m not telling you to take 5 minute showers, or to forego lawn plants. I’m pointing out the POINTLESS waste of water. And to get offended at that, or to reject that, means your ego is more important than anything else, because instead of looking at the facts, all you see is a guy who you feel is trying or wishing to control you an aspect of your life. That’s very insecure.

galileogirl's avatar

So you don’t know this to be a widespread problem that “people” do. It is about a person who does it one week (out of 4, 5, 6?). So here’s what you do. Put on your grown up pants and approach her, “Mary, I’m sure you aren’t aware of this but leaving the water running while you are cleaning wastes X gals (or litres) a year.” (hand her a local article on the subject). She will either stop or not. If not, bring it uo at the next staff meeting as a money saving matter.

That’s what you should do. What you did do was post a very loaded question on a site where the only response you would expect to get is people castigating this “people”/person. I am not ready to call this woman selfish or thoughtless just to make you feel superior to your fellow employee, She may have learned to clean this way. probably may not be as sensitive to your concerns. That doesn’t make her a bad person. Talking about her on the internet instead of addressing the issue in a polite way doesn’t make you a good person. Cool your jets, bring down your bp and improve the environment in your workplace.

Darwin's avatar

When someone gets really defensive about a question like this, I always wonder if it is because they, too, commit the sin to which the question refers.

ItalianPrincess1217's avatar

@Kraigmo You are calling the woman lazy and self centered soley based on the fact that she likes to leave water running? Really? Have you ever spoke to her about your issue with it? Maybe she is unaware of how much it bothers you or how it effects the environment, etc. I personally never considered it until this thread. Earlier I stated that I didn’t intend on changing my ways anytime soon but today while I was scrubbing my bathroom I actually filled up a bucket of water instead of constantly running the water. And to fix the problem I have with coming into contact with hair or dirt and being able to immediately rinse it off my hands, I wore rubber gloves. Problem solved. So I’m proof. People can change. Before name calling, why not have a talk with her about it?

mattbrowne's avatar

Maybe the media should run an awareness campaign. Maybe Greenpeace will sponsor it. And in the future every first grader in the world should have 1 hour per week at least called ‘Environment 101’ covering behavior of everything from recycling to electricity to water. They might be able to teach some of their parents.

Darwin's avatar

Or perhaps we should just go ahead and have another Great Depression, so we all learn to save string and plastic bags, conserve water and electricity, and to use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.

galileogirl's avatar

@Darwin While I am not without sin entirely, I can assure you I don’t have wasting water on my conscience. I also have a landlord who watches his bills like a hawk. I think the intensity develops when someone posts a dishonest question. It was obvious that @Kraigmo wasn’t addressing a large problem that she felt needed to be addressed. Since s/he couldn’t possibly know what the statistics were and she used negative descriptions, it had to be personal-and it was about a coworker that Kraigmo has a problem about.

I don’t know why personal problems are posted as if they are universal except for validation. The poster must feel the need to get answers about how right s/he is and how bad the subject is. Whatever the reason, people get vested in the situation and when someone question’s the veracity behind the posting, they get mad at the person who put doubt in their minds. Nobody wants to feel foolish. Of course there is no logic in attacking the motives of the individual who raised the doubt, maybe they just prefer honesty.

Kraigmo's avatar

@galileogirl You are assuming (twice now) my question is some passive-aggressive way of dealing with a coworker, as if it’s personal. Why are so many things personal to you? Are you suspicious that everyone who says something you disagree with has some sort of personal agenda? And that was after an assumption you made that my question had to do with friends or family that you thought maybe I observed.

If the coworker was the only person in the world who did this, then it wouldn’t matter anyway. This has nothing to do with her, except for the fact observing her made me realize that thousands of people probably waste water for no real tangible benefit to their lives.

I realized it’s a larger issue soon as I saw the activity, and it barely has anything to do with the person. One single person wasting water means nothing.

The real issue is thousands of people who don’t care about this sort of thing.

And an even larger issue is perhaps that EVERY action in a person’s life should have thought behind it, no matter how small or large that action is. Every road maneuver, every product bought, and every physical action there is. There shouldn’t be a thoughtless moment in our day, except when sitting still.

You think my question is dishonest because you think I’m lashing out at a single person who engaged in a behavior. And if that were true, then you’d have a point on that. But there’s no truth to that at all. That line of thinking is a convenient way to deny the real issue.

My questions have nothing to do with personal tit-for-tats, and nothing to do with passive ways of dealing with individuals who I know.

I personally wouldn’t even bother answering a dishonest question. Next time you see a question of mine you think is dishonest, I suggest you don’t even bother to answer it, and move on to something else. remember that’s a suggestion, not an order Because when you you think in such terms, the only answer you’ll end up giving will be stuff that addresses everything but the real issue at hand.

And if my question itself is a waste to begin with, it certainly doesn’t need to drag you and your beautiful presence down with it.

rangerr's avatar

I went on a 3 hour trail ride today, and got back and took a 50 minute shower because I had been freezing and got pretty gross.
You guys going to shun me?
stupid argument

rooeytoo's avatar

@rangerr – I would shun you but you smell too good so I’ll just tag along and sniff!

rangerr's avatar

@rooeytoo I used two different soaps. I keep smelling my arms.

jonsblond's avatar

@rangerr I would shun you too but I like you too much. 50 minutes? really? My hot water only lasts for 20 minutes.

rangerr's avatar

@jonsblond Three hours in the snow, on a horse. ‘Twas cold. Our hot water lasts for about 40, but I ended it with a nice cold blast.

oratio's avatar

@rangerr Two different soaps?

rangerr's avatar

@oratio One was a scrub type bar to get the dirt and horse medicine off of me. The other was a scented one.

PretentiousArtist's avatar

Do we have a problem, Lars?

oratio's avatar

@PretentiousArtist There just might be, Jim-Bob! These days unaware decent people put their skin in danger, as they apply multiple sorts of detergent on their skin. What is moving behind the curtains in the White House are the shady agendas of the soap-industrial complex of America. They have effectively covered up that using different soaps, might combine chemicals that are lethal.

Innocent people have been known to explode.

I am just concerned about her welfare.

@rangerr Did you lather? Use a skin lotion after? Where did you apply it? Do you have soft lighting in the shower?

rangerr's avatar

@oratio Best interrogation ever. I used the scented one as a lather, and I have a separate lotion for face and body. No lights in the shower, just one above the sink. I feel so creepy. Win.

rangerr's avatar

ALSO. If I explode I want an exploding lurve party.

rooeytoo's avatar

I don’t know what the hell you are talking about but I feel strangely compelled to keep reading

oratio's avatar

@rangerr Foof! That’s a relief. I am glad to hear that you are aware, and take steps to ensure your safety, as well as that of your skin. Remember, we don’t inherit it from our parents, we borrow it from our children. We don’t want to play into the hands of the corporate devils!

Now, do you use a soft towel or do you like it rough?

rangerr's avatar

@oratio I like it rough I like soft fluffy towels. The ones woven with anti-explosion thread.

rooeytoo's avatar

omg (fan, fan, pant, pant) lurve to you all

Darwin's avatar

@rangerr – My dogs would like you better if you hadn’t showered. You would be much more interesting. Hope you don’t mind cold noses in warm places.

rangerr's avatar

Oh, our farm dogs LOVE it when we get back and are all gross. They know we will snuggle them since they are always dirty and we already are.

Darwin's avatar

We snuggle our dogs whether we or they or both or neither are dirty. They live a fine life.

rangerr's avatar

I’d snuggle ours, but they only come in the house when it is really storming or if it’s snowing. The barn has heat, dog beds and air conditioning for them. They get lots of attention and cuddle time, just not when we are nice and clean, unless we let them in and give them a bath.

oratio's avatar

@rangerr So.. is this a good time to ask you out? Or maybe my father should contact your father, and make the arrangements? How big is the dowry and will I have to work with farming? I do love my loafers.

rangerr's avatar

@oratio You’ll need to wear knee-high boots, as we have a lot of mud. You’ll have to do the farm work so I can relax and the heavy lifting is pretty tedious. Keep in mind all 63 horses need to be stretched every 3 days, and I’m getting tired of doing that by myself.

oratio's avatar

@rangerr Ok. I’ll stretch you horses, but I am not sure about the boots. We’ll talk.

Darwin's avatar

What’s wrong with knee high boots?! A lot of folks find them…attractive.

rangerr's avatar

Knee high rainboots. RUBBER. They can’t be sexy by anyone.
By stretching them, I mean riding them. By riding them, I mean posting trot. Google it. Not fun for males.
I’ve had a healthy dose of vodka tonight

Darwin's avatar

@rangerr – Nonetheless there are rubber boot fetish sites.

I know what boots you mean – I have several pairs for glunking around in the mud, picking up dog poo. My husband thinks I’m cute wearing them.

oratio's avatar

@Darwin I know, but I am not sure it would work with my knickerbockers.

@rangerr Posting trot, huh? I think we should agree on a “safeword”.

jonsblond's avatar

marco…...

polo….

rangerr's avatar

i’m so lost.
never been drunk on fluther before.

jonsblond's avatar

@rangerr You’ll be fine. Just don’t try to ask a question…..trust me!

Darwin's avatar

@rangerr – At least you’ll be able to go back and see what you did. You can’t do that when there is no typing involved.

oratio's avatar

@rangerr I hear you. I just donated blood today, and I am not really sure how much. I felt a bit woozey, and the sandwich they offered me afterwards clearly resented me.

I think we can blame all of this on the old “blood loss – alcohol” interaction. At least we’ll not wake up together in a motel in Vegas.

rangerr's avatar

I wouldnt be able to make it to vegas by morning.

oratio's avatar

@rangerr I know, rangerr. I know. Such a shame. I hear they have these little soaps. You could have used a whole bunch.

rangerr's avatar

i DO like soap.

ItalianPrincess1217's avatar

@rangerr Why didn’t you just take a hot bath. Silly ;)

oratio's avatar

Oh, stop @rangerr. You are making me cry.

Life is so cruel sometimes..

Darwin's avatar

@ItalianPrincess1217 – She already took a 50-minute hot shower (well, 40 minutes of hot water and 10 of ice cold). There isn’t any hot water left.

rangerr's avatar

There IS hot water.. :)

ItalianPrincess1217's avatar

@Darwin I meant why didn’t she take the hot bath instead of a 50 minute shower. It could’ve saved a lot of water! But I don’t hate you for it @rangerr!

rangerr's avatar

I had to get the horse sweat and mud off of me. Bath = negative

ItalianPrincess1217's avatar

@rangerr Ahh yes. That would be pretty nasty to soak in horse sweat. Good call on the shower!

rooeytoo's avatar

This is one of the best threads I’ve ever been in. rangerr a little tipsy and flirty with oratio.
Fluther is so entertaining on a slow day at work.

I’m gonna lurve you all again!

rooeytoo's avatar

I should also mention the witty reparte (I don’t know how to make the thingy over the e)
from @Darwin & @ItalianPrincess1217 & @jonsblond

I hope I didn’t miss anyone, I feel like I am giving an academy awards speech!

jonsblond's avatar

We really love you @rooeytoo

rangerr's avatar

i really love all of you :D :D :D :D

rooeytoo's avatar

heheheh, thank you.

rangerr's avatar

We can all get married.

jonsblond's avatar

@rangerr I don’t live in Utah. :(

oratio's avatar

We can all get married

@rangerr Haha. Ok, now is the time to stop drinking!

rangerr's avatar

Fluther has its own laws.

jonsblond's avatar

hahahaha @rangerr. Just when I needed a laugh. :)

oratio's avatar

@rangerr True. It’s not against the Fluther guidelines. ;p

ItalianPrincess1217's avatar

Oooo can I be the maid of honor?! Pick me! Pick me!

rangerr's avatar

Bendrew can read the thing that they read, and @fishgutsdale has to come too. mmm australia

rangerr's avatar

@rangerr when i say everyone is getting married, i mean everyone

jonsblond's avatar

@Kraigmo is going to wake up to 30 non related responses to water conservation. lol he needs to be the ring bearer….at least.

rangerr's avatar

We can get married in recycled water.

ItalianPrincess1217's avatar

@jonsblond LOL What do you think his reaction will be? “What the hell happened to my thread while I was away?!”

rooeytoo's avatar

rangerr has it covered, we are getting married in recycled water. good thinking. I swore I would never get married again but since we are all in it together, it sounds, well, interesting, heheheh!

rangerr's avatar

Except only two people can share a bed at a time.

rooeytoo's avatar

oh no, I want all 2000 fluthers or however many there are, in the bed at one time.

Darwin's avatar

@rangerr – That depends on the bed.

jonsblond's avatar

@Darwin That must be the Duggar’s bed. Nice.

ItalianPrincess1217's avatar

What happens if someone wants a divorce? That could get complicated…

rangerr's avatar

they will disappear under the frizzer, never to be mentioned again

rooeytoo's avatar

oratio seems to have disappeared, he must have commitment problems, heheheh.

rangerr's avatar

I have a backup plan if this marriage fails. its okay.

jonsblond's avatar

@rooeytoo He’s smoking a cigarette. He’s exhausted.

rooeytoo's avatar

rangerr to the rescue, what’s the plan

@jonsblond – heheheh no wonder!!!

rangerr's avatar

im running away to australia with my fish slicing man.
he doesnt know yet.

rooeytoo's avatar

yeah, fishgutsdale looks pretty cute!

oratio's avatar

No, no. I was trying out boots.

But, I came back to the thread and discovered there is a Fish Slicing Man in the picture. I don’t know how to compete with that. I don’t even know what that is!

rooeytoo's avatar

aussies are quick, you snooze, you lose!

rangerr's avatar

he lives near a beach that i have a picture of on my wall.
no competition.

but im going to sleep before i frow up. wedding plans can continue tomorrow

rooeytoo's avatar

nite rangerr, sleep tight and don’t let the walls spin

janbb's avatar

@all I’m reading this the morning after and sorry I missed the night before.

@oratio Is that really you? What were you on?

FishGutsDale's avatar

@oratio I’m fish slicing man hahaha. Smelly but true. As for this marriage, i’m totally in!! hahah here i was at work like a sucker and everyone is on here getting hitched…Jealous.

rangerr's avatar

I wish I remember having this conversation.. =/
But I died laughing reading it the next morning.
@FishGutsDale Glad to know you approve though, we can get married on a beach. k.thnx.

Dutchess_III's avatar

How can it be a waste when it’s recycled?

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