It's funny - I'm somewhat known for discussing my toilet habits over at Planet Green's sister site TreeHugger. From the selective flush to the less controversial shared flush to the touchy subject of peeing in public, I haven't been backwards about coming forward about my tips for greening your number ones.
Still I've yet to enter into that territory here on Planet Green, and even my fellow TreeHuggers Collin and Lloyd only went as far as advocating low flow toilets and closing the lid in their bathroom tips. So what's up with that? Are Planet Green readers too squeamish to "let it mellow if it's yellow"? I suspect y'all are a more rugged bunch than we give you credit for - so here are a few tips for ans1wering nature's call without destroying the environment. No fancy technology or complicated DIY necessary.
(And for those who find this subject gross, let's just remember that the status quo of peeing in perfectly good drinking water and then flushing it down the drain is a little disgusting too.)
Top Tips for Peeing Green
If It's Yellow... : OK, we touched on this a little already. But do you really need to flush each time you pee? Contrary to popular belief, pee is actually pretty sterile - and if you are concerned about smells, you can always flush as and when things start to get aromatic. If that's going too far, as it was for some commenters on my selective flush post, then consider asking your partner if they need to go before you flush - or just institute a night time ritual of letting it mellow.
Go Outside: This one is easier for us guys, and for those who live in the country - but peeing outside is often not only greener, it's also easier. No water required, no cleaning the toilet, you just pee and go. Now if you want to go a step further, you can look at using urine as a valuable fertilizer in your garden - either applying it diluted to your plants, or letting it soak in the compost pile. (If you add some charcoal to the compost, it will help retain the urine as a nutrient for plants.)
Pee in the Shower: This tip seemed to cause an outrage for some when Warren suggested peeing in the shower, but really it is little different to using the toilet. All you are doing is peeing in water that will go down the drain - the only real difference being that the water is washing your body before it becomes a waste disposal medium. And even if you don't believe us when we tell you that pee is sterile, there is little chance of anyone coming into contact with your urine. Just pee when you get in the shower, and try and aim for the drain. Now if we suggested going number two, that would be gross...
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