Unilever aims to make the ritual of taking a shower more environmentally-friendly. The company is encouraging the members of the crowdsourcing platform eYeka.com to design the shower of the future, which uses minimum water and energy while delivering the desired comfort.

The competition is running through September 8 here. The entrants are challenged to create a concept of the shower that allows users to “enjoy showering while having a minimal impact on the planet and on our wallets.” The submissions must include presentations with pictures or illustrations and text in PDF only, while meet some specific guidelines, as follows: a new shower system must occupy no more space than a traditional one, it must recycle water and deliver more pleasurable sensorial experience. There’s also an example of what a submission should look like.

The First Prize winner of the contest will be awarded with €5,000 and will be invited to London to elaborate on the concept. There will also be four runners-up, each receiving a cash prize (€2,000 as the “silver” and €1,000 for the rest three places).

The competition has been launched in line with the Unilever’s Sustainable Living plan, which focuses on improving health and well-being, enhancing livelihoods and reducing environmental impact. The commitment was set up back in 2010 and includes more than 50 ambitious sustainability goals that are to be performed by 2020. The company informs that its “water impact per consumer use has remained broadly unchanged.” The new competition will help to improve it.

“We all love our morning shower yet the showering process hasn’t changed in decades,” said Michiel Leijnse, Water and Innovation brand director for Unilever. “It consumes substantial amounts water, requires a significant amount of energy to heat that water and it isn’t great for the skin. As part of our commitment to making sustainable living commonplace, we’d like to reinvent the shower in a way that reduces its environmental impact while enhancing the user experience.”

Unilever’s brand AXE encouraged younger consumers in Canada and the USA to have a shower collectively in 2010 and in 2012 respectively. Despite all the craziness of the message, the campaigns promoted sustainable habits among young adults and emphasized the importance of the efficient water consumption.