Bath time - on saving water

There was this time when drought came upon us. Tap water supply is rationed such that we only have water from 4:00 to 8:00am and from 6:00 to 10:00pm. This poses a big problem in a household with almost a dozen boys sharing one bathroom.

Solution 1: Collect water

Buy large plastic drums (previously used to contain unknown fluids) and store at least 2 drums of water. Fill in the drums when water starts to flow in the morning and at night.

For drinking water, take home as much plastic bottle that you can collect from your day out to store drinking water in. This way, you'll never pass the night thirsty.

Solution 2: Maximize the availability of water

Make it a point to take a bath within the period where there is water. Since most of us leave well before 8:00 in the morning, we bathe between 5:00am and 7:00am. And based on Solution 1, we fill in the drums while we bathe. In the evening, it is advisable that you go home early. Arriving home early allows you to clean-up before the water flow is reduced to trickles.

Use this time to fill in all empty water bottles, do your laundry, and water the plants.

Solution 3: Recycle

Here's the trick! Get an empty pale, straddle it and take a bath collecting water in the pail along the way. You can also wash your undergarments on top of the pale while you're at it. This will allow you to collect used water that will be enough to flush your toilet.

Also, brush your teeth near your garden and sprinkle gurgled water on to the plants. Who knows. your plants may become well protected against cavities. :)

Bath time - thermodynamics

During my physics class in high school, we were taught that thermodynamics is the study of the movement of heat. It is said that heat moves from a warmer region to a colder region.

As such, warm air melts the ice, not the ice cooling the air.

Why is it still freezing in the North and South Poles? My guess is that the air in the region does not get heated up fast enough to counter the coolness of the region.

It is the same with your fridge. Why is it cold inside when the heat is up outside? Well, because its sealed, dummy!

Kidding aside, even if you open your fridge, ice cubes on your freezer doesn't melt because the warm air gets cooled while on its way to the ice cube. But try leaving your fridge open for a long time and you will see the ice slowly melt. And you will see the insides of the fridge collect water. And you will see the electric meter running faster than usual. And you will see your electric bill is now beyond your paying capacity.

Using the same concept, when you take a shower after an athletic activity -- ball game, jog, gym workout -- you are advised to take a warm shower. Why is that? -- Thermodynamics. After all those strenuous activities, your body parts have collected so much heat. Taking a bath in cold water will damage those parts in the same manner a hot glass (from a microwave oven) breaks when you pour in ice cold water.

Similarly, after a hard day's work, you are also advised to bathe in warm water.

But what if you do not have a heater and you feel icky and needed to take a shower?

What you do is expose your arms and legs to the shower spray first. Then drench your body slowly to cool it at a slower rate. And lastly, drench your head. Of course, don't stay too long under the shower.

This method will help you avoid headaches often caused by showering after a work out or a tiring day.

Keep it cool and stay healthy! -- did this make sense at all?