About toilets (you have been warned!)

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This morning, I am thinking about toilets…in Europe. They are all different, and more or less effective.

Some years ago, when I was writing a book about designs for sustainability, I did some research on how toilet design was changing…and found a hilarious article about the necessity for a reliable product to use when testing flushing effectiveness, that is, without having to depend on volunteers off and on during the day. I think that the final product consisted of peanut butter, and other organic ingredients.

At the time, manufacturers tested for volume as well as different consistencies…at some point, they even had a chart that I saw in one of the big box stores (some toilets were better than others re: volume or amount)….

I don’t believe this research has reached Europe...at least not the countries we have been in...

In my humble opinion, experience, etc., here in Europe, mostly France, but now in Italy…few European toilets are effective in flushing..usually requires several flushes and almost always, the use of the brush which is ALWAYS stationed nearby.

What really is a challenge here, though, is finding the flush button. It is rarely on the toilet tank. Indeed, most toilets don’t have tanks…seems that the water supply is hidden in the wall. The flush button is often on the wall, sometimes several corners away, sometimes even on the floor…in fact, there are often posted instructions on how to FIND the flush button, so obviously, it is not just us Americans who are confused!

I didn’t think to start photographing toilets until now…and I am not going to start…enough with the manhole covers…

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