Chavez urges 3-minute showers to conserve water (I've counted, three minutes, and I don't stink)

[WriteDown]

Source: Washington Post

CARACAS (Reuters) - Leftist President Hugo Chavez called on Venezuelans on Wednesday to stop singing in the shower and to wash in three minutes because the oil-exporting nation is having problems supplying water and electricity.

Venezuela has suffered several serious blackouts in the past year because of rapidly growing demand and under-investment, which has been aggravated by a drop in water levels in hydroelectric dams that provide most of its energy.

Chavez announced energy-saving measures and said he would create a ministry to deal with the electricity shortages, which have affected the image of his socialist revolution before legislative elections due in 2010.

Calling for water conservation, he said low rainfall caused by the El Nino weather phenomenon meant water levels were critically low in the El Guri reservoir, one of the world's largest dams.

"Some people sing in the shower, in the shower half an hour. No kids, three minutes is more than enough. I've counted, three minutes, and I don't stink," he said during a televised Cabinet meeting.

"If you are going to lie back, in the bath, with the soap and you turn on the what's it called, the Jacuzzi ... imagine that, what kind of communism is that? We're not in times of Jacuzzi," he said, to laughter from his ministers.

He mentioned using airplanes to try to force rain from clouds and said the government would soon publish a decree prohibiting imports of low-efficiency electrical appliances. He called on ministries and state-run companies to cut energy consumption by 20 percent immediately.


Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/20...

---

3 minutes wouldn't work for me.

[anonymous171]

1. More fascism from Chavez.

[WriteDown]

3. Did he just admit that he's a communist?

That was a weird thing to say.

[troubledamerican]

14. I'll be sure to watch for your anti-Uribe posts too.

Fascinating how the anti-Chavez DUers have nothing to say about REAL fascism, such as U.S. ally Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, who has mass graves & Death Squads. Which Chavez doesn't have.

[anonymous171]

15. Dude I was joking.

I guess I forgot how polarized these discussions are on DU. I won't forget my next time.

[WriteDown]

26. Joking or not...

you had to be targeted for elimination due to your comment.

[Johnboi70]

22. Jimmy Carter had some pretty unflattering things to say about Chavez.

He found Chavez to be a bully and a demagogue.

Why if someone criticizes Chavez do they also have to criticize Uribe? Do they also have to criticize George Bush and Vladimir Putin?? It's entirely possible to find Chavez's strong-arm approach to governing objectionable AND acknowledge that he appears to have done quite a bit of good for the people of Venezuela.

Personally, the thing I find disturbing about his policies is how he uses petro dollars to buy influence. In the short term, he has bought Venezuela quite a few friends... ones that will likely float away when the money supply dries up. At the same time, he could have used that money to, say, invest in Venezuela's infrastructure. Seems pretty wasteful to me.

I didn't like the strong arm stuff when Bush was doing it. I refuse to adopt a double standard.

[Johnboi70]

23. What about the Yanomami?

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/07/world/americas/07vene...

According to the Yanomami themselves, Venezuelan neglect has led to the deaths of 50 of their people. This is a complex story and the situation is fraught bad options, but it's worth considering what a more thoughtful leader would have done. Perhaps kicking the missionaries out was the right choice? What about replacing the services they provided? Why are Chavez's folks accusing the Yanomami of exaggerating and treating them like cry babies??

[lumpy]

45. The US buys friends and useless wars using tax dollars that

could be used investing in US infrastructure. Sounds pretty hyppocritical to me.

[Johnboi70]

66. I am not commenting on US policy...

Are you saying that I should NEVER criticize Chavez?

[clear eye]

51. I understand your point about being allowed to criticize.

In response to the "wastefulness" of monetary aid to friendly local gov'ts, you should know that the Columbians who are tightly allied w/ the power elite of the U.S., have military and para-military that keep crossing into Venezuela looking for FARC, despite Chavez's best efforts to keep both sides out. Combine that w/ Exxon-Mobile's drooling over Venezuela's petroleum, and it is reasonable for a country to fear destabilization or overthrow of the deomocratically elected gov't. In that context the aid is probably a good investment.

Of the three countries, Columbia, Venezuela, and the U.S., only Venezuela has the validity of its elections overwhelmingly endorsed by international election watchdog groups, so its not for us to judge whether Chavez has a right to be in office. Criticism of policies is another matter. But it does help to know the context.

[Johnboi70]

68. You and I basically agree.

There's good and bad there. I'm not attempting to lay any judgement on his validity as a leader. I am saying that he's hardly a paragon and should not be treated as such. Is he really different than Huey Long? He looks very similar to me.

[clear eye]

69. Long didn't have to worry about a militia from neighboring states

allying w/ the elite of his state and violently overthrowing him. That's what I meant about "context".

[drdtroit]

36. Yeah, if I want to let the water run out of my tap all day,

it's OK 'cause I'm an American! yeah!
Let's waste some more water on golf courses in the freakin' desert.
WOW, some people just don't get it (slapping my forehead repeatedly).

[excess_3]

2. gasoline costs 4 cents a gallon in Ven.

hard to believe there is a
shortage of electricity

[ro1942]

4. The whole world needs to cut back

we are killing our planet

[Umbral]

5. I hope he doesn't propose that people properly inflate their tires... nt

[provis99]

6. A South American rain forest like Venezuela is short of water?

How many hours a day does the average Venezuelan spend in the shower, anyways?

[excess_3]

10. more likely, electricity shortage .nt

[Arctic Dave]

7. Three minutes! Are they rubbing one out while they are in the shower too.

[Cleita]

8. As an expert in the two gallon shower, I can honestly say that you don't

need to spend more than three minutes with actual water running on off of you. You do a quick wash over, soap yourself without the water running and then rinse it off. It does take longer than three minutes for the whole process though but not for actual water to run.

Just some information from moi who spent ten years of her life camping...constantly...no motel breaks, and a lot of the bathing/showering done with cold water.

Since many of the poor in his nation probably bathe with a bucket of water thrown over them after the soaping ritual, I wonder what segment of his population he is reaching out to.

[WriteDown]

12. Like navy showers....

A nightmare. Never really could make it work. I need extra cleaning.

[Algorem]

9. this is like Jimmy Carter with his authoritarian sweater-wearing thing.

Who will America try to set up as the Venezuelan Ronald Reagan?Hey that rhymes.Venezuelan Reagan.

[No Elephants]

70. Requests and suggestions about conservation are not authoritarian, ffs. If Carter had

forced you to wear a sweater or Chavez starts arresting people who run water for over 3 minutes, that would be authoritarian.

[Ter]

11. Did he just openly admit he's a Communist?

"imagine that, what kind of communism is that?"

This is huge.

[YouTakeTheSkyway]

13. Under-investment, eh? Gee, I wonder why that might be...

[KakistocracyHater]

16. baths use less water than showers

& you can always wash your parts with less water

[WriteDown]

25. Not exactly...

http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/myths/shower_vs_bat...

[No Elephants]

71. Depends upon how long you run the water when you shower.

[dysfunctional press]

17. my wife would be emigrating if she were there...

on at least three occasions- she's EMPTIED a 40-gallon hot water heater. (okay- you can't 'empty' it- but she used every drop of heated water in it.)

[Jim Sagle]

18. Chavez stinks - by his own admission.

[JDPriestly]

19. He should take a tip from Los Angeles and limit watering of lawns and gardens

to two days a week. We have also been instructed to take short showers. A chronic shortage in water is developing in many parts of the world. L.A. is one of the worst areas.

If this is an el Nino year, then maybe we will get water in L.A. We really need it.

[Billy Burnett]

33. LOL.

Yep, they're watering their lawns too much.

[harry_pothead]

20. The GOP, on the other hand, can shower for 2 months straight and still stink.

Aint nothing gets that out.

[Rebubula]

21. No way

Long and hot showers are one of my guilty pleasures.

Nothing better than standing in a steaming spray of hot water while daydreaming....

[uncle ray]

31. nothing better except:

standing in a steaming spray of hot water while daydreaming....on pot.

[Odin2005]

24. How the hell can anyone take a decent shower in 3 minutes?

I'm usually in the shower for 15-20 minutes. Then again, I'm a bit OCD.

[yellowcanine]

28. If you take a "navy" shower, 3 minutes is more than adequate.

Turn water on to wet hair and body. Turn water off. Lather up. Turn water back on to rinse off.
1 minute to wet thoroughly, 1 minute to rinse thoroughly. 2 minutes max. For OCD people it actually works better, because the soap has more time to contact the skin before it is rinsed off.

Singing doesn't need to correlate with the with the length of time the water runs. Chavez is a little confused.

[MercutioATC]

30. My average shower is about 5 minutes.

I could probably do it in 3 if I had to.

[LanternWaste]

27. As conservation of resources...

As conservation of resources more often than not takes a personal sacrifice, I doubt it would ever happen in the States in our current climate of personal gratifications at the expense of the our futures.

We justify our indulgences with a religious fervor, and pride ourselves on our own greed, all the while pointing our fingers at the sins of other nations and cultures.

It is in fact these small things we all can do with little effort that would change our world for the better, but it is in fact these small things that too few are willing to sacrifice.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

29. As I am reading some of these replies --

I am stunned. The idea of taking a 20+ minute shower is just crazy -- all that water and energy waste just blows my mind! As a Californian during our first huge drought back in the late 70s, it became ingrained in me to take 3 minute showers (or even skip a day or two if it could be done), turn the water off when brushing my teeth, only flush for #2, run the dishwater only when it was fully loaded (saves more water than handwashing), and mnay other water saving actions.

Today, if someone in my house lets the water run or takes a super long shower it drives me crazy. Such a damn waste.

As I do some remodel work my home, I am taken even further steps to reduce my water use and use what water I need differently. I am installing a cistern so I can do rain harvesting, a grey water system, and a composting toilet that uses zero water.

Fresh water is a finite resource. Reducing water usage is the future, people, get with the program.

[LanternWaste]

35. Yeah-- some of the replies illustrate...

Yeah-- some of the replies illustrate to me that the earth-friendly movement is little more than a spurious and temporary weapon of self-validating finger-pointing to many people. That when push comes to shove, and our little creature comforts become threatened by acts of self-sacrifice, many of us are simply no better than those we accuse.

"J'acuse!" we righteously proclaim, pocketing our own thirty pieces of silver.

[WriteDown]

40. Its like people who unnecessarily post on the internet when

those resources can be conserved. I can't stand those people. Oh wait....

[Hell Hath No Fury]

41. Actually, I do energy conservation when on the computer --

The printer is unplugged, I am sitting here with no TV or music on, and I have turned off all but one small light where I am located. If the computer is off (turned off at the surge protector), I may turn back on the overhead light or listen to some music. The printer doesn't get plugged in until I need it.

I make a point of reducing my evergy use every way I can that is available to me. It's not hard at all.

[LanternWaste]

42. Since the PC stays on due to office policy

Since the PC stays on due to office policy, it may be wiser (and more effective) to target your righteous indignation elsewhere...

[WriteDown]

46. Be a rebel....

Turn it off. Also, posting causes the processor to run and therefore uses more electricity.

[LanternWaste]

54. riiight.

Riiight. I don't know yours is a case of overreaching or simply jumping the shark.

Anyway, I'm much to respectful to my job to "be a rebel."




On edit: If you can't stand "those people..." it begs the obvious question of why the continuous, self-validating interaction...

[JonQ]

57. Too respectful of your job to be a rebel

but ok with screwing around at work posting on internet forums? I'm assuming that is not one of your job responsibilities.

[LanternWaste]

62. Or I do it while on break or at lunch

Or I do it while on break or at lunch.

I've often found there are usually many more explanations available than one may initially think...

And yet, this has so little to do with the responsible conservation and appropriate stewardship of the resources at our disposal. What I would consider a tangent with no relevance.

ed: sp

[arikara]

72. I hear you...

my showers probably aren't 3 minutes, more like 5. But the shower head is extremely low flow so there isn't much water going down the drain. And I cringe anytime I hear someone let the water run while brushing their teeth. I've even pissed off the Mr a time or 2 by rushing in and shutting off the tap.

[drdtroit]

38. +1 n/t

[alfredo]

32. When I lived in the desert I bathed in one gallon of water. Of course there

was less of me to clean.

[bushalert]

34. 3 minutes makes sense to me

I can scrub up in around two minutes!

[drdtroit]

37. And you obviously have a problem with protecting the environment?

Or is it just your authoritarian nature of God bless America and nobody else?

[WriteDown]

39. Wonder how much resources internet posting uses.

[LanternWaste]

55. That's a good question...

That's a good question (if asked in sincerity). Why not let us know....?

[LanternWaste]

56. Thinking along those lines...

Thinking along those lines-- isn't internet posting one of the most efficient (energy wise) forms of mass communication available? I wold hazard it uses far less energy that newspapers, snail mail, etc. So in effect, internet posting appear to be the best, most effective, most energy-saving form of mass/long distance communications.

So it doesn't appear to be a valid analogy to compare and/or contrast the most energy efficient form of comm to the "guilty pleasure" of a twenty minute shower.

[Regret My New Name]

43. I don't see how this deserves criticisms.

They have far less water resources than we do, so it makes sense that they would have stronger conservation moves...

[madmom]

44. My dad made us do that for years while I was growing up. We used a cistern for water.

[Dreamer Tatum]

47. Chavez could encourage pants-crapping and get applause here

Along with 50 posts about how much better Venezuelan shit smells than American shit.

[Sezu]

48. LMAO....speaking truth to poopers! n/t

[Alamuti Lotus]

50. Chavez could cure cancer and still be condemned here

[harun]

52. That's because the media told them he's a bad scary guy with oil (the worst kind)

BOO !!!!

[Dreamer Tatum]

60. He has already.

He's just waiting until the next Republican in the White House to roll it out.

[Bo]

49. Venezuela is much more worse off now than before Chavez

I know, been there often. What a disaster.

[clear eye]

53. The International Development Bank disagrees w/you. n/t

[Dreamer Tatum]

61. Funny how some banks are better than others nt

[LanternWaste]

63. I imagine in most cases...

I imagine in most cases, some of one thing are better than the others.

[Realityhack]

58. Hey look another chance to yell back and forth about Chavez!

How wonderful. Now we can once again bathe in ignorant blather from both sides without any fear of encountering a fact.
I just love when Chavez comes up!

[MARALE]

59. I don't really care that much about Chavez

But what he says is true. water is a valuable commodity and we need to think about how we use it. I am female and I take a pretty short shower. Probably 5 minutes, and I do get clean. It is all about planning. I shampoo, put my conditioner in, brush my teeth, wash, and rinse. If I shave, it may take a little more. I learned it from being in the Navy I think, but there is really no reason to stand in the shower and waste water if you don't need to.

[Igel]

64. "Kids"?

Does that mean that venezolanos can all call him their "old man"? Or perhaps batyushka, since he's in good stead with Pooty.

At the same time, given that he's certainly not a nurturing mother, does that make him a stern, lecturing father figure? Isn't that a conservative, fascist trait, as opposed to the warm, nurturing maternal progressive ideal?

Hmmm ... a clash of frames.

Tsar' ti batyushka nash, zhivi i zdravstvuyte!
Raduysya, lyud! Raduysya, veselisya, lyud!
(From Mussorgsky's "Boris Godunov", Prologue)

[ChangoLoa]

65. Kids with batyushka...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEyWCtCLSbE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2gR_ZYiR0Q&feature=rela...

So cute.
Especially if you speak spanish... ya poka ne govoryu po ruski.

[Ter]

67. Uncle Hugo