Guest Post: How to Make Locker Rooms more Eco-Friendly

As more people become aware of the state of the environment, they are looking for ways to decrease their impact on the planet. Even educational institutions and businesses are seeking ways to incorporate green practices into everyday operations. Some simple changes in the locker room can not only help the environment but can also potentially save cash-strapped school districts, universities and businesses money on operating expenses.

Installing low-flow shower heads and toilets is one way in which locker rooms can be made more eco-friendly. Since about one quarter of all water use in America is from toilet flushing, low-flow toilets can contribute significantly to the sustainability of a locker room. Modern low-flow shower heads reduce water use at least 50 percent over traditional models. Innovations in design assure a high pressure shower while still cutting waste.

Furnishings and fixtures can also be part of an environmentally-friendly locker room. Dividers, benches and even lockers made from post-consumer plastic waste are widely available. By recycling milk jugs and other plastic containers into new lockers, less material is sent to the landfill. Less oil is used, since most new plastic is still made from petroleum.

Plastic lockers have another advantage over traditional steel units. In the humid conditions of a typical locker room, even treated steel will rust and degrade over time. Regular preventive painting may be carried out to forestall deterioration, but many paints and sealants contain volatile organic compounds. These airborne compounds can cause a host of breathing and other health problems. Since plastic lockers don’t break down when exposed to humidity, they can last far longer than metal models. This saves both money and the energy used to manufacture replacements. Plastic lockers don't require repainting, which lessens VOC exposure.

Installing on-demand water heaters can also increase the sustainability of a locker room. Tank-less, or on-demand, water heaters only heat water as it is being used. Since energy isn’t being constantly used to keep large tanks of water hot, the school or commercial athletic facility will reduce their carbon footprint. Depending on siting and geographic location, the school or business can also install a solar water heating system. By harnessing the free energy of the sun, the locker room can become even greener.

This is a sponsored post from Patterson Pope, an eco-friendly, industry leading supplier of steel lockers, and other storage solutions for athletic facilities and locker rooms.