City officials, activists, and citizens across the country are eagerly looking for ways to stave off the negative effects of climate change. While there are a number of highly effective strategies in fighting global warming, there’s one tool that is grossly underutilized: the public restroom. You heard that right! The Portland Loo is proving that the public toilet can actually help increase a city’s sustainability, reduce its carbon footprint, and work towards a healthier environment overall. It’s time to flush away all the harm done by standard public restroom options.
The Loo uses less energy.
Energy consumption is at the center of the battle against climate change, and the Loo is one of the most energy-efficient toilets in the fight. It delivers an energy-saving punch while still going above and beyond the call of duty (pun intended). It might sport a sleek grey color, but this modern toilet is green at heart.
Low flow toilets
With the average American flushing five times per day, there’s a lot of potential for water waste. That’s why the Loo is outfitted with low-flow toilets which only use 1.28 gallons/flush – well below the national requirements.
Natural and LED lighting
While most public restrooms require 24/7 lighting because of their closed-off structure, the Loo’s unique design lets in ample natural light. When the sun isn’t out, LED fixtures light the way while using 80% less energy than their incandescent cousins.
Solar panels
One of the surprising things people don’t know about the Portland Loo is that it can be powered entirely by solar power. This allows cities to install sustainable public restrooms in parks, nature reserves, and other off-grid locations while lowering energy usage.
It requires fewer resources.
The standard design for public restrooms focuses too much on privacy and comfort which leads to the waste of materials. You don’t need thousands of bricks, a complex roof, and a massive duct system to provide the public with a dignified and safe place to use the restroom. The Loo strikes a balance between privacy and safety with a modern, efficient, and sustainable design. The genius lies within the minimalistic, intelligent concept which maximizes quality and reduces waste. It provides everything users need without any unnecessary extras. That means lower costs for cities and a more sustainable world. Plus, the Loo achieves this efficiency while costing less than standard public restroom options.
The Loo lasts (nearly) forever.
Every city has its own public restroom horror story, but the experience typically follows the same trend. A city invests a lot of money in a restroom only to see that investment flushed away as the toilet becomes too damaged to use or too costly to maintain. The Portland Loo beats out other toilets because it’s built to last for literally 100 years. Okay, that’s not forever…but it’s a really long time! The secret is in the design. Stainless steel parts fight against graffiti and damage while a modular structure makes it easy to replace individual parts. This prevents the harmful waste of materials that occurs when standard public restrooms need to get replaced every few years.
City streets are cleaner.
A shocking and dangerous symptom of the lack of public restrooms in the US is the presence of human waste on city streets. This presents a major health concern for city officials which have to respond by employing serious cleaning solutions. Many of these products contain harmful chemicals that eventually find their way into the ground and drinking water. With a permanent, accessible, and reliable public restroom option available, people aren’t forced to “go” in…well, less-accommodating spaces. This minimizes the potentially dangerous cleaning materials that end up negatively impacting the environment. Not to mention cleaner streets!
If you’re looking for a sustainable public restroom alternative? You’re in the right place! You can get started by reading about tips to bring a Loo to your city. Feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions!
