The Dutch government has launched a campaign aimed at reducing shower duration to just five minutes, but this initiative does not have the support of all residents. According to the Wall Street Journal, Carla Generalal, a resident of Noordwijk, is accustomed to showering in hot water for 15 minutes, but her boyfriend, who showers in cold water for a minute and a half, does not understand such extravagance, which is why he bought her a 5-minute hourglass timer.
The Dutch government is now trying to convince Carla and others like her to conserve their use of hot water. In an interview with the newspaper, 37-year-old Carla observed that the rising cost of energy bills and the potential shortage motivated her sufficiently. She stated, "Now I shower for five minutes. And only once a month."
The newspaper reports that local authorities in one northeastern province of the Netherlands have distributed the mentioned timers to residents to encourage them to save hot water. Meanwhile, Thea Derks, a music journalist living in Amsterdam, mentioned that she has always tried to limit her energy consumption, so she showers only once a week, and it does not take more than 5 minutes. The 58-year-old indicated that she uses a bicycle for her commutes.
At the same time, scientist Rint Jan Renes, who is used by the government as an advisor in persuading citizens to save energy, pointed out that residents like saving money and caring for the environment, but they view government requests with suspicion and usually do not make personal sacrifices without a good reason. The newspaper noted, "For many, the bathroom remains a sacred place."
For example, Friesland Mender, a 23-year-old climate-conscious student, typically opts for trains when commuting, but he outright refuses to reduce his usual shower duration. He asserts that to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, energy consumption should be reduced "in the major industrial sectors."
