When we were little ones growing up in drought prone California there was a hippy saying when hitting the loo, "If it's yellow, let it mellow. If it's brown, flush it down." We still adhere to that motto, because really all of planet earth is drought prone -- water is one of our most valuable resources that we take for granted. Many toilet, sink, and shower head companies have worked hard to create modern plumbing that cleans but doesn't waste. During a recent trip to the Monterey Bay Aquarium we were inspired by the water conservation efforts in their public restrooms and wondered if this idea would eventually make it into homes.
Monterey Bay Aquarium's Conservation Restroom
The women's restrooms featured toilets whose flushing lever did different things depending on which way you flushed. Pull up on the green lever and a fraction of water and water power was used to discard of urine, push the lever down and the appropriate, and larger, amount was used to get rid of the solid stuff. It's such a simple, yet important design element to an appliance that really hasn't had much innovation since it's invention.
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When I was in Europe this May, we saw several smarter toilets than ours already. With two types of flushses, one for pee another for poo. It's silly we cant have something like that over here!
view chikizz's profile
We actually have these types of toilets at my workplace... a government building on fort huachuca. And as far as I know most bathrooms on post have also been upgraded to these.
view gallaghertron's profile
Lets hope this is a trend that will continue to penetrate both company buildings and homes!
view soniaz's profile
I saw this on a trip to Boston. Thought it was a great idea, but you really have to notice the sign to know there is a purpose to which way u flush.
view Chris.blusky's profile
These "dual flush" toilets are very common where I live (far western Canada). We recently replaced ours with a cheap dual flush toilet. and about 1/4 of the toilets on display in the plumbing store we bought it from were dual flush.
view SoIarisphere's profile
The San Diego Community College District is in the process of installing this type of toilet at all the campuses. The colleges' district office already has them installed along with waterless urinals. The urinals take a bit getting used to.
Dual flush toilets for home are pretty common here, but the above toilet isn't very residentially esthetic.
view highlander403's profile
Wait a minute. MAKE it into homes?! I think I haven't seen a toilet that is not equipped with this for... probably years now.
view zeta's profile
The IKEA in Cincinnati, OH has these toliets. I know my sister in seattle has a dual flush toliet that just got installed throughout her apartment building. I think this opinion is quickly becoming more common and available.
view Signe's profile
I have used a dual flush toilet for as long as I can remember (20 years) in our home. Although it helps to live in the country that it was invented in. Australia!
http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/australia_innovates/?behaviour=view_article&Section_id=1040&article_id=10044
view ans's profile
The new Danforth Center at Washington University has these throughout. Personal experience reveals that both methods "flush it down" effectively.
view McKenzie's profile
As with ans, I too have not seen a single flush toilet in probably a decade. We've also seen several designs of the button; most commonly a split button to press, but sometimes a button to lift for half, push for full, like the lever pictured. I wonder why this has been so slow to propagate around the world.
view tysonarmstrong's profile
My workplace has also installed these new toilets. However, for those of us that have been "foot-flushers" for so long, this was a tricky new way to get used to flushing. You have to remember to kick up on the handle, instead of just plopping your foot down on the handle.
view GretaGrace's profile
havent seen anything like this in DC....wish i did though
view beesknees's profile
I first saw these around Harvard- first in housing then in all of the other buildings. Now they're popping up all over Cambridge.
view caseyness's profile