Norwich-based Deborah Torr from the University of East Anglia want the school’s 15,000 students to take their first wee of the day while having their morning shower. Torr, 20, claims that it could “save enough water to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool 26 times”. Metro chats with the student about her novel eco-friendly idea. How did the ‘pee in the shower’ idea emerge?
We entered a competition to come up with an environmental initiative on campus at our university, the University of East Anglia, and were trying to think of ways to get students engaged. Our idea seemed a bit quirky, a little different, but it’s an easy way to to fit into your daily life. What are the premise of the concept?
The main point is that by taking your morning wee in the shower, it saves 12 liters that is required to flush the toilet.
So, overall how much water could be saved potentially?
It’s hard to work out how much water has been saved by the campaign because it’s spread so far. We did work out though if all 15,000 students at our university took part it would save 26 Olympic-swimming pools worth of water. Do you do your business in the shower yoursefl?
Of course! Every morning I wee in the shower. We don’t expect everyone to wee in the shower, and understand that some people won’t be comfortable with that. It is completely sanitary though, so long as you do it in the shower whilst the water is running. Surprisingly, there’s less bacteria in your wee than there is on your hands! Won’t people find the idea a bit ridiculous?
Yes, it certainly sounds ridiculous, but that’s kind of the point. It makes people stop and think: ‘Wait, is it ok to wee in the shower? If not, why not?’
What other one-of-a-kind green ideas do you have?
We are advocates of not flushing the loo between wees, and any other ideas people have to save water. Some people have suggested collecting water from the shower to flush the loo, and turning off the tap while you’re brushing your teeth. Do you have plans to promote #GoWithTheFlow on the national or global scale?
We want to spread this mes- sage as far as possible, and the story has been reported in the majority of developed countries. What I would love for the campaign now though would be to pursue the more serious issues around it, by speaking with politicians to raise this important issue.
#GoWithTheFlow campaign encourages peeing in the shower for the environment
