The Universal Toilet

By Gunnar Baldwin and Lenora Campos, Ph.D.

Remodeling the bathroom is a good starting place to make a home more sustainable for aging in place. AARP research shows that more than half (52%) of American homeowners age 45 and older are interested in remaining in their homes as they get older. Green remodeling reduces monthly utility bills while universal design elements increase comfort and improve lifestyle, and all people — no matter their age — appreciate additional comfort and safety. Today, advances in technology make it possible to improve both convenience and performance.

Additional features that are popular for the enlarged spa master bath:

• Exercise equipment such as stationary bicycle, and treadmill;
• Separate tub with features such as warm air injected through tubing that creates a massage and aroma therapy experience accompanied by music systems integrated into the tub itself and chromatherapy lights to induce that relaxed mood;
• A separate shower without entry barriers in case the homeowners ever need to wheel in. One way to achieve this is to have the floor gently slope toward a perimeter drain at the far side. Continue reading →
  

By Robert Nielson

Are you aware that over 100 million rolls of toilet paper are consumed every single day throughout the world? The United States alone uses over 3.2 million tons of toilet paper per year. In fact, 54 million trees are cut down every year just to produce toilet paper for the US market. In addition, the production process itself is very destructive and wasteful of resources. Each roll produced consumes:

• 1.5 pounds of wood
• 37 gallons of water
• 1.3 KWH of electricity
• Harmful chlorine, sulfur, and calcium carbonate

Having a modern toilet bidet in your home will reduce toilet paper consumption from 50 to 100% via the effective cleansing of the warm water wash and optional warm air dryer. In addition, a toilet bidet only uses an average 5-7 cents of electricity per day - even less when its power saving features are activated. The use of a toilet bidet supports both a green lifestyle and aging in place.

A toilet bidet eliminates the need for abrasive toilet paper when using the toilet. The warm water jet and warm air dryer clean and dry the user, providing great relief from symptoms such as tenderness and irritation. Whereas sufferers with traditional toilets often dread going to the bathroom and try to wait as long as possible (causing further complications), toilet bidet owners may actually look forward to using the toilet because it has become a pleasant, soothing experience. Continue reading →