Seems simple

So we're months into a little-to-no-rain situation and yesterday the newspaper's top story is about the governor asking all North Carolinians to reduce their water usage by half. A few paragraphs in I read this:

"That means three-minute showers, limited washing of clothes and dishes, and strategic toilet flushing. Other possibilities: turning off the tap while shaving and brushing teeth, and collecting water in a bucket from your shower to use elsewhere."

My question is, are there really people who still run the water while shaving and brushing teeth? Even if we weren't in the middle of a drought, but especially since we are, do they not feel guilty watching water gush down the drain? It's not as if it takes a lot of effort to turn the faucet off and on.

I'm guessing that these are the same people who leave their cars idling while they run into the store for five minutes and who don't bother to turn off the lights when they're not home. Even those who don't give a flip about conservation ought to realize that using less water, gas and electricity leaves more money in their pocket.

Maybe we wouldn't be facing three-minute showers, limited laundering and "strategic flushing" if more people were responsible about water usage in the first place.