Joanna Schroeder understands the critiques that the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge wastes water, so she has some answers and solutions—in a funny list, nonetheless.
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I’ve heard some critiques of the ALS awareness-raising campaign called the #IceBucketChallenge—that it’s more about our narcissistic desires for attention than about raising awareness. That some people don’t even send in checks. That we shouldn’t have to trick people into caring about a disease that degenerates a person’s body in a painful and devastating way.
But this campaign has worked. And it’s worked well. Some estimates have the total money raised during this campaign around $20 million dollars. Normally in this period, they raise $50,000.
As this young man, diagnosed with ALS at age 26 (yes, 26!!), explained, it’s about more than just the money. It’s also about the fact that we’re talking about a disease that is so scary, so devastating, that nobody wants to talk about it.
But one critique sticks with me: That we’re wasting water. That people in developing nations (and Detroit, of course, when they shut the water off to poorer citizens) who are desperate for clean water would find this an absurd waste. Even here in Southern California, we’re trying to conserve as much as we can.
So I have created a list here of ways to do an ice bucket challenge without wasting water, with a little help from my friends at WaterUseItWisely.com!
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1. Dump cold water over your head from a natural body of water, while standing in the water!
Watch me do it in the Pacific (video at the top of the post). Bill Gates did it, too, on a dock. You can also freeze water from the ocean or lake first, and add those cubes.
2. Do it in the shower when you were already in need of a scrubbing.
via somegif
Use that water instead of your first soak under the water. Shampoo, soap, and rinse as usual. Wear a swimsuit if you don’t want to become the newest, most popular viral sensation of the challenge.
3. Collect pool water, freeze some of it in cubes, put the rest in a bucket…
…then dump it over your head while standing on the steps or diving board.
via Tumblr
4. Dump the water over your head while standing in your garden…
…or among other plants you already planned on watering.
via Warner Bros
5. Use a product other than water.
I am loathe to mention Charlie Sheen here, but yeah, he used cash. If you can’t do that, find another comical prop. I was thinking a giant bin full of underwear and brassieres. Maybe Legos, if you’re a parent. You probably have about a billion to clean off the floor anyway.
via Flickr/ricardo
6. If you live in a place that rains, collect rainwater during the next storm.
Put the bucket under the spout of your gutter for maximum effectiveness, then dump it over your head. Sorry Southern California, you’ll have to skip this one.
via Tumblr
If you can’t do any of the above, the ideas below are ways you can save a gallon or two of water, so that the water you dump over your head is evened out:
7. If it’s yellow, let it mellow.
Most toilets use between 5 and 7 gallons of water per flush. If you follow the old adage, “If it’s yellow, let it mellow. If it’s brown, flush it down” for just a single afternoon, you’ll have made up for your wasted gallon or two in a single flush–and you’ll be up by five times that amount by the end of the day!
via Flickr/Olga Melnyk
8. Next time you clean your freshwater fish tank, use the dirty (nutrient-rich) water for your plants…
…instead of your hose that day!
via Flickr/Basheer Tome
9. Use the microwave!
Next time you make corn on the cob or other veggies, skip the pot of boiling water and head for the microwave.
Cut a little ring around the top (by the stem) so you can pull the husks off AFTER cooking. We the husks, place on plate, then microwave 2 minutes per cob.
It’s truly amazing and saves a gallon of water!
(This is actually the only way I make corn now! In fact that’s my corn!)
10. Cut down your showering time!
Even a water-saving shower head uses 2-4 gallons of water per minute. So take a shower that’s a minute less today. Set a kitchen timer to remind yourself to step out early.
Flickr/Pascal
11. Take a boat shower. Also known as a camping shower.
You get in, you get yourself wet, you turn off the shower to soap and shampoo. Then you turn the water on, rinse, and get out. That will net you probably 10 gallons of water! you can do the Ice Bucket Challenge 5 times now!
12. Skip the pedicure!
That water you soak your gnarly feet in is about a gallon worth of a precious resource. Use it for the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge instead, and paint your nails at home, sitting on the toilet, like I do.
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You guys, there are like a billion more suggestions on the Internet for how you can conserve water.
Please don’t let this be your excuse for not stepping up to the Ice Bucket Challenge. Sending in a check is great—do that too, if you’re not a video-making type of person—but don’t discourage others from participating in one of the most successful fundraisers of all time based upon an excuse that can be easily worked around!
And donate to the ALS Association! Like, now!
Can we all agree that no still could be worse than the still of my face YouTube chose for my video. Good lord, YouTube, what did I ever do to you?!?
Haha it looks fine. Looks like you’re singing an angry rock song haha.
Ha! It totally does, Archy!!!!