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MNN.COM > MNN BLOGGERS > Matt Hickman's Blog

Matt Hickman

The Girl from 'Impeenema'

A TV ad campaign in Brazil urges folks to urinate in the shower to conserve water ... and save the rain forests.
Wed, Aug 05 2009 at 2:06 AM EST
Read more: HOME IMPROVEMENT, WATER CONSERVATION

No matter how long we stay in or what kind of showerhead we use, we all have unique shower routines and rituals, some more complex than others. The Brazilian environmental group SOS Mata Altantica, via a cute, kid-oriented TV ad campaign called "Xixi no Banho," suggests that citizens add one more task to their soaping-up, shampooing, conditioning and shaving routines — peeing. 
 
The group believes that by adding a yellow stream to the morning's shower, one toilet flush can be prevented. If one flush is avoided each day in a single household, 4,380 liters (1,157 gallons) of water is saved per year.
 
As you'll see in the below, um, "PeeSA," Gandhi, Michael Jordan and Alfred Hitchcock are portrayed emptying their bladders while rinsing off. Now if that's not inspiration for young Brazilians to tinkle in the tub, I don't know what is.
 

 

Via [HuffPo Green]
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Comments(35)

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Posted By Adam - Wed, Sep 23 2009 at 9:55 AM EST

Lol

awesome

  • reply
Posted By josh kc - Tue, Aug 18 2009 at 1:13 PM EST

people

people who thinkz peeing in the shower is gross well so is thier mother

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Posted By Anonymous - Tue, Aug 18 2009 at 1:10 PM EST

right!!!!!!

whats the big deal its natural and healthy so keep on doing it!!!!!!!

PEEING IN SHOWER ROCKS

  • reply
Posted By BeWaterWise Rep - Mon, Aug 10 2009 at 9:54 AM EST

Ways to save water

Installing a ‘water smart flush’ is a good idea for saving water in the toilet. With the fresh water reserve levels dropping rapidly, all of us need to make sure we do all it takes to save every drop we can .This could be simple things like taking shorter showers, checking for leaks in the plumbing, washing only full loads of clothes or dishes etc. all these simple yet inexpensive tips can save you many gallons of water. For some more useful tips on how to use water efficiently visit .... More

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Posted By Sergio - Thu, Aug 06 2009 at 6:24 PM EST

Options..????

Ok guys...Slow down..at the end of the day It's about "options"..If you do not like this , DO NOT DO IT!!!"......but if this save water and you care....just do it. You can tell me that you save water here and you waste water making paper or something else, but if we all together can start making a difference it's worst it.
Gracias....Obrigado...Thank you!

  • reply
Posted By JR - Thu, Aug 06 2009 at 11:10 AM EST

nasty

If anyone else uses the shower except yourself, its just nasty and inconsiderate.

  • reply
Posted By Anonymous - Fri, Aug 07 2009 at 11:16 AM EST

It's STERILE!

Urine from healthy people is sterile! If yours is not, please see a doctor.

  • reply
Posted By PCV - Thu, Aug 06 2009 at 8:30 AM EST

Military

I was almost sent back two weeks in boot camp for peeing in the shower.....and I aimed for the drain! Finally.....VINDICATION!!!

  • reply
Posted By Anonymous - Thu, Aug 06 2009 at 8:08 AM EST

Girls do it, too!

Despite being scolded for "titi"-ing in the shower as a child by my grandmother, I've continued to break the rules for 30+ years. Viva water conservation!

  • reply
Posted By Joe Bagori - Thu, Aug 06 2009 at 12:24 AM EST

Pee In The Shower

From the ountry that uses eight gallons of water to produce one gallon of ethanol.

  • reply
Posted By Anonymous - Wed, Aug 05 2009 at 4:23 PM EST

what's the big deal?

You Americans are really funny. I don't see what the big deal is. I always peed in the shower. Never had fungus, athlete's foot or anything of the kind. Eating McDonald's hamburgers is way more disgusting. Over half of the US population eats crap in their meat and now "oh, peeing in the shower! disgusting! Let's weigh 300 lbs, but peeing in the shower? no way!". Besides, this advertisement does not mean all 190 million Brazilians agree with that. Of course I'm siding with my native country, .... More

  • reply
Posted By PeePee Herman - Thu, Aug 06 2009 at 12:17 AM EST

Urea in pee

Actually, peeing on your feet will not cause athletes foot and your actually contains Urea which is an ingredient that is found in OTC fungal treatments. Yet, pee alone wont cure athletes foot. :p

  • reply
Posted By Anonymous - Fri, Aug 07 2009 at 11:23 AM EST

Urea

Urea is also found in many lotions. It keeps your skin nice and hydrated. Portuguese urine used to be highly desirable back in the day before commercial lotions were available. It was also used as a tooth whitening agent!

  • reply
Posted By Anonymous - Wed, Aug 05 2009 at 6:14 PM EST

Mellow Yellow

Peeing in shower better than eating McDonald's hamburgers? I say drinking urine is probably better for you than eating a McDonald's hamburger! I'm an American who pees in the shower AND (since I pee more often than I shower) follows the rule: If it's yellow, it's mellow. If it's brown, flush it down.

  • reply
Posted By Anonymous - Wed, Aug 05 2009 at 7:22 PM EST

correction

Just a slight correction, for future purposes. The phrase is actually:

If it's yellow, LET it mellow. If it's brown, flush it down.

  • reply
Posted By Anonymous - Wed, Aug 05 2009 at 3:48 PM EST

Athletes Foot

I've been peeing in the shower for as long as I can remember. I pee right on my feet. I never get athletes foot.

  • reply
Posted By Anonymous - Wed, Aug 05 2009 at 3:40 PM EST

Leprosy

Peeing in the shower will not increase the rate of leprosy. Most people are immune to leprosy and it is not highly contagious. Further, a lot of the symptoms traditionally believed about leprosy are wrong.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leprosy

  • reply
Posted By Anonymous - Wed, Aug 05 2009 at 3:32 PM EST

What about the first movement of the day?

Suddenly, it doesn't seem like such a great idea.

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Posted By Ritch - Wed, Aug 05 2009 at 3:17 PM EST

Leprosy

guess this will help with the high rate of leprosy in brazil....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lepra_2003.png

  • reply
Posted By Anonymous - Wed, Aug 05 2009 at 7:26 PM EST

Wrong

You are definitely out of the loop and incorrect. I am glad I studied abroad and lived in Brazil last year, to attest to the fact that you are indefinitely incorrect by making such an outlandish statement. Where's the diplomacy?

  • reply
Posted By Anonymous - Wed, Aug 05 2009 at 4:32 PM EST

have you ever been there, moron?

The high rate of leprosy does not have anything to do with peeing in the shower. Have you been to Brazil? I lived there for the first 26 years of my life, so I know what I'm talking about. Unfortunately, Brazil still struggles with poverty, which leads to lack of information, education and access to health care. Therefore, many people end up looking for help when it is too late and the disease is fully developed. You know, I love California, where I currently live, and I've come to love and.... More

  • reply
Posted By Anonymous - Wed, Aug 05 2009 at 3:14 PM EST

while your at it...

piss in the sink too!

  • reply
Posted By Anonymous - Wed, Aug 05 2009 at 3:03 PM EST

Seinfeld

Don't tell George Costanza.

  • reply
Posted By Anonymous - Wed, Aug 05 2009 at 3:15 PM EST

Pipes

It's all piples, what's the difference!?

  • reply
Posted By Anonymous - Wed, Aug 05 2009 at 2:55 PM EST

hot water

makes me piss
anyone else??

  • reply
Posted By Anonymous - Wed, Aug 05 2009 at 2:25 PM EST

Behind

Way ahead of you Brazil!

  • reply
Posted By Rodney Stone - Wed, Aug 05 2009 at 2:18 PM EST

well

I pissed in the shower before it was cool.

  • reply
Posted By RHS - Wed, Aug 05 2009 at 2:11 PM EST

Eveyone does it

They just dont admit it... just aim for the drain.. I do!

  • reply
Posted By Bill Signet - Wed, Aug 05 2009 at 2:35 PM EST

Just saw this comment on Digg about this story

"And suddenly, about 50 million dudes out there can declare themselves environmentalists."

  • reply
Posted By Anonymous - Wed, Aug 05 2009 at 1:53 PM EST

I speak

Portuguese. It's small kids stating: ' if you're from outer space ' (picture of alien) , If you're an athlete (pic of jordan), "if you're a movie star" (pic of King Kong), etc... in funny children voices. Ending with pee in the shower to save wildlife.

  • reply
Posted By Anonymous - Wed, Aug 05 2009 at 1:48 PM EST

It's so much easier!

I already pee in the shower every morning. Saves me the trouble of dealing with morning wood.

  • reply
Posted By Pamela Drake - Wed, Aug 05 2009 at 2:06 PM EST

I'm sorry but.....

...yuck.

  • reply
Posted By GreenErinF - Wed, Aug 05 2009 at 1:00 PM EST

I wish...

...I knew Portuguese. I bet this is even funnier if I knew what they were saying.

  • reply
Posted By Anonymous - Thu, Aug 06 2009 at 11:35 AM EST

translation

This is more or less what they say:

pee in the shower. we want everybody doing it!
men...
women...
children..
brazillian women...
... or not...
nobles..
peasants..
musicians..
athletes..
people who are half man/half monster..
things from the other side (as in ghosts/spirits)...
brazilian legends..
greek legends..
good people..
not so good people..
art legends..
science legends..More

  • reply
Posted By Anonymous - Sun, Aug 09 2009 at 9:27 AM EST

Slight correction... and further details

This is more or less what they say:
pee in the shower. we want everybody doing it!
men...
women...
children..
brazilians... (with Carmen Miranda)
... or not...- in case foreigners live here too, this part is not said (with the Statue of Liberty)
nobles.. (with a king)
peasants.. (with a frog)
musicians.. (with an apparent boys band)
athletes.. (with a basketball player)
people who are half man/half monster (with Frankenstein)More

  • reply

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