Easy Peasy Tip: Skip a flush!
By tinychoices | September 6, 2008
Here’s a note from a friend out west:
I just got back from vacation at the Lava Beds National Monument, and they had the “big flush/little flush” toilets at the visitor center. Of course I had to take a picture for you because I am a nut like that. I thought of all people, you would get a giggle out of it. I LOVE the fact that it actually says #1 and #2. Then I come home and check my email only to find that Tiny Choices mentions the wacky Japanese toilets again. Bizarre coincidence!
The photo above (check out the green handle!) shows the toilet in question, and here is a close-up of the sign:
Great job, National Parks! Now, we all don’t have a big flush/little flush handle on our toilets at home. And we have talked about how to conserve water in the toilet department before, but at the risk of stepping over a line of propriety, may we suggest: If it’s yellow, let it mellow? Instead of flushing every single time you, well, #1, save it for every other time. Maybe don’t flush if you get up in the middle of the night (added benefit: it won’t wake your fellow householders).
What do you think? good tip, or gross tip?
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Read all of our Easy Peasy Tips!
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- Dual-Flush Toilets
- Auto-Flush Loos
- Easy Peasy Tip: Reduce your toilet’s water consumption
- Easy Peasy Tip: Skip The Hair Dryer!
- Whyever are bodily functions so interesting?
- Easy Peasy Tip: Skip The Extras!
- Easy Peasy Tip: Skip the Dry Cleaning!
Topics: Easy Peasy Tips, Home |
I think it’s a great tip! My husband, though, thinks it’s a gross tip. We’re a house divided on the flushing issue . . .
Having grown up during an 8 year drought in California, skipping flushes and avoiding washing the car is normal to me and my husband. We have taught our child differently, though, so she can maintain some degree of social acceptability. Therefore, the guest bath stays flushed; the master bath, not so much.
We also grew up during the energy crisis of the ’70’s. There’s nothing new under the sun, is there?
we have those exact toilets at my new office… so cool!
at home, i have a tendency to flush more often than not, since i have a cat who pretty much refuses to drink the water from her water dish, opting for the toilet instead… and i know i’ll never remember to close the lid. i think it would weird my bf out, anyway. :P
We’re getting a dual-flush when we renovate, but a cheaper alternative is one of these: cistern converter. It only flushes as long as you’re pushing the button, which gives you more control than the old brick/bottle in the cistern trick. Sometimes you just need more flushing :) Plus, they’re super cheap! I don’t know if they’re available much in the US, but definitely worth a look.
we are a “let it mellow” kind of house. It actually started because my daughter’s bedroom is right next to the bath, which meant that every time we flushed, it woke her up from one of her naps. So now, we only flush when needed, or when there is company over who just wouldn’t get it.
I’ve seen those toilets at national parks (in the smokies) but found that the #1 direction didn’t provide enough water to pull even a single sheet of toilet paper down. after two attempts I had to give up and use the #2 direction, which really disappointed me. but maybe that one had a problem?
These ones worked just fine. :)
In ~90% of the bathrooms I used while in Italy this summer, the toilets had the big flush/little flush option. (Not exactly the same setup as pictured above, they tended to have big push button/little push button).
Anyway, this went for private residences and public restrooms. Cityside and countryside. The 10% not equipped were in super old, seaside houses or restaurants. I have to say I was very impressed with this coming from the US where especially in our public restrooms, they have those horrible automatic flush things that go off 15 times while I’m still sitting down ;)
Great blog!
dual flush becoming pretty standard in the UK on all new build and also refurbs for residential and commercial space.
9 litre cisterns still available to buy but being phased out, same with straight single 6 litre ones.
most common dual flush is 4 litre / 2 litre and major water saving and waterless urinals (using vacuum system) although not convinced on these as needs energy to run them rather than gravity fed.
also coming into practice is grey water recycling linked to WC flushing such as an EcoPlay system
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