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Fighting Our Flush Fixation (No water in toilets to flush)
The Washington Post ^ | Saturday, June 3, 2006 | Elizabeth Williamson

Posted on 06/03/2006 1:35:09 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican

As worries about resource conservation and global warming spur growth in environmentally sensitive construction, builders find that one room separates the greens from the traditionalists.

The restroom.

Once the most generic of features in commercial buildings, toilets loom as the earth-friendly builder's final frontier. Eco-friendly toilets -- low-flush, dual-flush or no-flush compost -- conserve water and cut pollution, a double benefit that few other green features can claim.

But try to find one of these toilets. As more builders earn plaudits and save money with geothermal heating and bicycle parking, they remain more likely to plant roof gardens than to install green toilets.

Plumbers say waterless urinals, which use a replaceable cartridge, are unsanitary because they don't wash waste away. Municipalities resist making the changes to plumbing systems that compost toilets require. (In a compost toilet, the high-tech version of an outhouse, accumulated waste decomposes into liquid fertilizer and organic matter.) Users complain that high-efficiency toilets, which use less water than traditional models, require two flushes to do the job.

Behind such objections stands this truth: America remains a flush-oriented society, and the more powerful the flush, the better.

"It was a morale issue," Anja S. Caldwell, green building chief for the Montgomery County public school system, said of initial resistance to the 50 waterless urinals introduced over the past year. "People thought that by taking the flush away, you're taking an entitlement."

Six years after the U.S. Green Building Council established standards governing construction with low environmental impact, buildings certified by the builders' group total 6 percent of construction. The trend is growing. Fifteen states and 49 cities -- including Maryland, Virginia and the District -- have some green building legislation or incentives.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; US: District of Columbia; US: Maryland; US: Virginia
KEYWORDS: constipatedlogic; crappers; dc; environment; maryland; toilet; virginia; washingtondc; water
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Wood chips can be dropped into the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's composting toilet after using it. Wood chips can be dropped into the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's composting toilet after using it.

1 posted on 06/03/2006 1:35:12 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
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To: MinorityRepublican

Ain't gonna happen. The Plummer's UNION is on the case.


2 posted on 06/03/2006 1:42:26 PM PDT by FlingWingFlyer (DemocRATS! America's Lynch Mob.)
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To: MinorityRepublican
As worries about resource conservation and global warming spur growth in environmentally sensitive construction, builders find that one room separates the greens from the traditionalists.

Someone explain to me (even in an enviro whacko's warped reasoning) how toilet flushing affects so-called global warming.

3 posted on 06/03/2006 1:44:29 PM PDT by ElkGroveDan (California bashers will be called out)
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To: MinorityRepublican
Users complain that high-efficiency toilets, which use less water than traditional models, require two flushes to do the job.

When we moved into our new home in 1998, I had disabled the commie, low-flush feature before the dishes were unpacked. I then went around the block showing all the new neighbors how to do it.

4 posted on 06/03/2006 1:47:55 PM PDT by ElkGroveDan (California bashers will be called out)
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To: MinorityRepublican
"conserve water and cut pollution, a double benefit that few other green features can claim"

Conserving water on a planet where the quantity of water is a constant is almost as silly as conserving energy in a universe where energy is a constant.

But, it's not about to stop because Dim's are also a constant.
5 posted on 06/03/2006 1:48:18 PM PDT by vetsvette (Bring Him Back)
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To: ElkGroveDan

"As worries about resource conservation and global warming spur growth in environmentally sensitive construction, builders find that one room separates the greens from the traditionalists."

One room hell, the entire structure seperates me form those whackos.

As long as I pay for it i'll use as much of anything as I want to, screw their environment.


6 posted on 06/03/2006 1:50:21 PM PDT by dalereed
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To: MinorityRepublican
Screw the low-flush toilets...when I build my house I'll install a NORMAL toilet...every low-flush I have seen needs TWO flushes to work....

BTW, hippie-kid school NOLS teaches the little commies-in-training to use PINE CONES to wipe their a**!!!! LOL!!!

...or I should say OUCH!!!!

7 posted on 06/03/2006 1:51:56 PM PDT by ATCNavyRetiree (I can most times spot a liberal...they look weak, cowardly and undisciplined.)
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To: vetsvette
Conserving water on a planet where the quantity of water is a constant is almost as silly as conserving energy in a universe where energy is a constant.

Thank you. To that I also add - "Use is NOT Waste!!!"

8 posted on 06/03/2006 1:52:49 PM PDT by Mygirlsmom (This Mess is a Place!)
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To: FlingWingFlyer

I have no specific info but i read about a case last year where where these waterless urinals were going to be installed (east coast i think if anyone is local to it). The plumbers union protested. They ended up installing the waterless urinals and paid for all of the actual plumbing to be run as well but capped of at the fixture.


9 posted on 06/03/2006 1:54:15 PM PDT by kinoxi
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To: MinorityRepublican
Back to the future... No Flush Toilet!


10 posted on 06/03/2006 1:55:15 PM PDT by operation clinton cleanup
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To: operation clinton cleanup

Nothing like the smell of an outhouse on a hot day!


11 posted on 06/03/2006 1:58:31 PM PDT by Mr Rogers
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To: FlingWingFlyer

And that's the truth. I read an article not to long ago (in all likelyhood it was posted on FR) and one contractor or builder (in Chigaco?) wanted to do this and he got holey hell from the union. They ended up compromising to have some sort of regular plumbing, too, in order to appease the union and to be able to follow through with their plans to build their own building.


12 posted on 06/03/2006 2:00:54 PM PDT by synbad600
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To: MinorityRepublican

When we were in the market to buy a house a few years ago my wife went to an open house that had a composting toilet system. The home owners proudly showed off their system including how the "compost" should be stirred every now and again.

I wonder if anyone ever bought that house.


13 posted on 06/03/2006 2:03:20 PM PDT by Straight Vermonter (The Stations of the Cross in Poetry ---> http://www.wayoftears.com)
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To: MinorityRepublican
There'a reason they tell you to close the lid...

PEW.

14 posted on 06/03/2006 2:04:32 PM PDT by mewzilla (Property must be secured or liberty cannot exist. John Adams)
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To: ElkGroveDan

I'm moving into a new home in a few months. Can you give a reader's digest version of how to?


15 posted on 06/03/2006 2:06:34 PM PDT by GeorgefromGeorgia
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To: MinorityRepublican
When I flush the toilet I want something that resembles Niagara Falls, not a drinking fountain.

The Greens have WAY too much power in spite of being thoroughly discredited on every major issue or cause they've used to further their Socialist agenda over the past 30 years.
16 posted on 06/03/2006 2:06:55 PM PDT by Jaysun (Failure has gone to their heads.)
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To: synbad600

Exactly. I read that article here also. I can't remember where it happened but they wanted these things put in some government building and the union boys raised holy hell. LOL! I love it.


17 posted on 06/03/2006 2:11:02 PM PDT by FlingWingFlyer (DemocRATS! America's Lynch Mob.)
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To: operation clinton cleanup

At work, we'll be picking out an empty cube... or occupied, if you really don't give a s _ _ t.


18 posted on 06/03/2006 2:16:46 PM PDT by johnny7 (“And what's Fonzie like? Come on Yolanda... what's Fonzie like?!”)
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To: MinorityRepublican

The Watermelons won't be happy until we're all forced to dig holes with our bare hands and dump in them, then cover them up like a bunch of house cats.


19 posted on 06/03/2006 2:17:25 PM PDT by motzman (Let's Go Mets!)
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To: johnny7
At work, we'll be picking out an empty cube...

LOL!... thats gross.. LOL!

20 posted on 06/03/2006 2:21:31 PM PDT by operation clinton cleanup
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