April 22nd, 2010

How an outdoor shower can benefit you while also helping the planet

By Beth Bengtson

As we mark the 40^th anniversary of Earth Day, I find myself reflecting on some of the changes we’ve made to improve this planet. Globally, regionally and locally, we’ve had successes and some setbacks – and there is still much work to be done.

On an intimate level, I’ve come to realize more clearly that personal wellness directly connects to planet wellness. And for me, it starts right at home, in the shower.

You see, each year our family spends vacations at Cape Cod, and has enjoyed the outdoor showers that are prevalent in that seaside community. After a day at the beach there’s nothing better than to take a shower to wash away the sand and cool down. And it’s more enjoyable in an outdoor shower with the sun and sky above, and the sounds of nature enveloping you. Pure bliss.

Anyone who has been to the Cape (or Fire Island, the Jersey Shore, Florida or the West Coast) knows what I’m talking about. Enclosed outdoor showers – often made of fragrant cedar wood – are permanent fixtures outside many homes, which got us thinking: why not install one back in our house in Kingston, N.Y.? Sure, we have brisk winters, springs and falls in the Hudson Valley, but for many months of the year, the climate is suitable for outdoor bathing. So last year we installed an outdoor shower, and it has changed our lives and helped the Earth too.

Over the past week, with temperatures above freezing, our family has moved outdoors. And using an outdoor shower really speaks to the environmentalist in the family as now all that gray water goes back into ground and helps water the lawn. Additionally, we find ourselves taking shorter showers due to the chilly morning air, so we end up using less water (hot water usage stays about the same but will decrease as the weather warms up more).

There’s also a personal benefit, which incentivizes me to use the outdoor shower. Since using the outside shower, I don’t have to clean the inside one. Nature cleans my shower now!

All of which reinforces what we tell our clients here at SDialogue: Make sure your sustainability messaging has a personal benefit. With a personal benefit that resonates with the target consumer or user, the other benefits then become all icing on the cake, making the experience for the consumer — and for your company — all the much better.

Happy Earth Day!