^and in wetter ones. A very large part of humanity has to make do with less than 5 gallons of water per day. So naturally, a shower or bath is completely out of the question for them. The average German uses approximately 30 gallons, an American 80 (!) The UN say that a human being needs about 12 gallons of water per day in order to prepare meals and to have enough for personal hygiene in order to avoid diseases and to retain efficiency. A modern shower uses about 2 gallons per minute (old shower heads 5 gallons/min), a bathtub equals 36 gallons - an amount that in many African countries has to suffice for 6-7 people. Date sources: http://www.water-for-africa.org/en/water-consumption.html http://water.usgs.gov/edu/qa-home-percapita.html
I take an hour-long shower on the weekend. That way I get all my showering done at once and don't have to worry about it during the week.
So the question then becomes why is the USA's so high? Found this site where you can look at your countries usage http://www.waterfootprint.org/?page=cal/waterfootprintcalculator_national
Yes but as someone pointed out earlier, the average German uses 30 Gallons, the Average American 80 Gallons. Water is readily availble in Germany so there must be some other reason.
Landscaping. We have a lot more land. And whole cities of lawns and golf courses in the middle of the Sonora Desert. How many families in Germany own detached homes with their own private swimming pools?
Last time I was in the US I noticed they didn't have the half flush toilets everywhere like here, where you flush a lot less water if you've just done a wee. I live in a drought country so water restrictions and water saving measures with toilets, showers etc.. are the norm.
it's similar in Germany (half flush toilets, showering rather than bathing, washing machines that use only a few gallons, watering only freshly sown lawns). We do have plenty of water but it's expensive. Waste of water is frowned upon (as ist waste of energy and raw materials or recyclable material). I think the difference between the US and Germany is mainly a difference in attitude towards environmental protection. But even within the US there are differences: California, for example is more environmentally conscious (right word?) than most other US states. There, in summer, they forbid watering the lawn or washing your car because of their lack of water (much like you do in Australia). The difference is that they save water because they need to and we save water because the alternative is unthinkable to us. As for the reason for our lack of private pools: in a country full of clean lakes, ponds and rivers, who'd need an artificial pool? LOL, Jarod, I really must post more often in the science forum if you doubt I can convert litres to gallons (I'll try to post more there, I promise. Am just horribly busy at work atm.) Cool link, MacLeod! Thank you =)
As far as saving water, electricity, and such. I live by myself. I take showers, and wash clothes when I have full loads. I run my dishwasher only when it is full. I try to keep my electric bill down by using the coil light bulbs in my lamps. The electric sent them free a while back and I really like them. I use water and electricity that I need.
Twice a day, every day. Once in the morning before going to work or going out, and once in the evening after a workout.
He didn't ask for a reason for your lack of pools, he was offering a possible explanation for differences in water usage.
I have now showered. Yeppers, cleaned myself with soap and everything. I am shining, even. PRAISE ME OH INTERNETS