One of the easiest and most inexpensive ways to use solar energy is with a solar shower. The simplest solar water shower is simply a bag that you fill with water and set it out in the sun. The bag absorbs solar energy and heats the water inside. You hang the bag above head level and turn its valve on and you have an instant shower.
This can be great for camping or any situation where a shower wouldn’t otherwise be available. It can also be good for home use. If you aren’t prepared to spend 1000′s of dollars on a home solar water heater system you can convert your shower to solar today for less than $20.
We used one of these solar water showers all last summer. As long as it was a sunny day it worked great in the back yard. Fortunately we have a private back yard so taking an outdoor shower was no problem. I left the shower hanging on a post in the showering location so there was no need to lift it up and down. I had a chair positioned behind the post so I could stand on it with a hose to fill the bag with water.
If privacy is a problem where you live you can build or buy a privacy curtain or structure. If you are not comfortable showering outside you can easily carry the bag inside and use it in your home shower. You will probably have to install a hook or a shelf inside your shower to put the solar shower bag on.
I got to where I actually liked showering outside and at the same time I was showering I was also watering the yard.
