Environmental and Social Aspects of Domestic Bathing - Ethical Engineering for International Development and Environmental Sustainability - page 191

Chapter 7
Environmental and Social Aspects
of Domestic Bathing

Alan Cottey

Overview
This chapter sets domestic bathing in a broad context - the large and increasing
overload of the planet's ecology by human activity. (This overload is indeed so
marked that the term Anthropocene is widely used for a new geological epoch in
which human infl uence is a major factor.) The domestic bathing practices of pros-
perous, westernised people are extravagant, mainly through the use of large amounts
of water and energy. Ways in which bathing can remain pleasurable and hygienic
yet use an order of magnitude less water and energy are discussed. Such a reduction
cannot be achieved through technical effi ciency alone, because capitalism requires
net economic growth of the historic kind. The fundamental questions are political.
In particular, humanity must change from an ethos of domination and exploitation
to an ethos of sharing our earthly home. The discussion of bathing is an example,
drawing out ideas applicable to other cases of human profl igacy. The role of engi-
neers, as normal members of society who also bring their talents and trained skills
to the invention and development of useful arts, is apparent throughout the chapter.

1 Domestic Bathing

In this chapter, domestic bathing, which I will usually call simply 'bathing', means
bodily washing for reasons of hygiene, pleasure or both. It includes taking a bath or
shower, washing oneself at a washbasin or washing one's feet in a lightweight bowl.
Hygiene or pleasure arrangements of a few other kinds come into the category, such
as the bidet and any of the numerous kinds of domestic spa pool, waterjet pool and
sauna, but an exhaustive treatment of all such types is not attempted.