Environmental and Social Aspects of Domestic Bathing - Ethical Engineering for International Development and Environmental Sustainability - page 194

consumed, worldwide, by electronic equipment. According to Raghavan and Ma
( 2011 ), the Internet (including the embodied energy of associated hardware) uses
between 1 and 2% of the world's energy consumption. In summary, growth (roughly
a few percent per annum) always caps effi ciency gains (roughly one percent
per annum). This conclusion applies to the increase of water and energy use for bath-
ing, as we will see in detail, in much the same way as to the increased use of paper,
of fossil fuels and indeed of almost everything. This situation should not, however,
deter engineers from doing what they can in an ethical way. An inspiring example
may be found in the ideas and work of Meredith Thring (Fitzgerald 2006 ; Thring
1980 ).
Why are we in this dysfunctional situation? In my analysis, the problem is deeper
than the growth demanded by capitalism (which I defi ne to be the system in which
economic activity is driven to a large extent by the prospect of high interest returns
on capital). Even if there were no capitalist systems, our problems would still exist,
although emerging more slowly, as long as human culture maintains an attitude of
domination and exploitation, that is, an attitude of domination and exploitation by
power elites of other human beings, of all other life forms and of the nonliving
'resources' of the planet. This attitude is revealed by the current widespread use of
the word resource, notably in the euphemistic abbreviation HR (human resources).
What is needed, instead, is a radical change of attitude, so that humans cohabit this
planet respectfully. In such a culture, the contributions of the engineer and technolo-
gist, their ingenuity and their art, would permit the realisation of many of the dreams
that have been seen and are, contrary to popular assumptions, entirely feasible
(Neville-Sington and Sington 1993 ; Shostak 2003 ). This is what I see as the impor-
tant part of engineering ethics for our time.

The UK and the World As the above remarks should make clear, the canvas is
wide, in space and time. Most of the data and calculations in later sections are based
on the current UK scene. Nevertheless, I have tried in the general remarks to main-
tain an overall awareness of and applicability to the bigger picture, in particular to a
putative just and sustainable culture, even if this may be by most people's standards
in the far future.

In summary, these large questions relate to bathing via the excessive consump-
tion by a privileged minority. They contribute to environmental instability (Chew
2001 ) and to the tensions leading to international instability (Beddington 2009 ).
They undermine progress towards genuine sustainable development (Trainer 1995 ).
The ethical engineer will use his or her technical skills and moral resources to help
society transcend this dysfunctional conduct (Thring 1980 ).

3 Importance of Bathing

He steps under the shower … When this civilisation falls … this will be one of the fi rst luxu-
ries to go. The old folk crouching by their peat fi res will tell their disbelieving grandchil-