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Apr 27

What a surprise !   Talk about great neighbors!

Fashion Buddha has just sent this fabulous new stop motion PHLUSH PSA !!!!    It was received by PHLUSH Co-Founder Lan Nguyen on the day of a special PHLUSH event.

Screen shot 2010-04-27 at 1.20.47 PMOrchid Salon, across the street from the generous band of creatives in the historic Merchant Hotel, is the site of the April 27 gathering to thank PHLUSH supporters and to introduce Recode Oregon, Cloacina.org,  NW Edgewater and Milepost 5 artist in residence Jay Critchley.

The event, which features an exhibit of waterless urinals, is at 5 pm at 203 NW 2nd, one block from the Old Town Chinatown MAX.

Apr 22
Earth Day got its start when Wisconsin Senator Nelson Gaylord called on US university students to organize Vietnam style demonstrations and teach-ins to bring attention to environmental degradation and push a new policy agenda.  It worked.
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Grassroots organizing brought together 20 million Americans in Earth Day events that first year – 1970.   In 1990 Earth Day went global and now is brings together a half billion people of every stripe- feel good folks, do gooders, deep ecologists, radical enviros  While April 22 is still refreshingly grassroots as in City Repair’s passionate, ragtag, informative day in a Portland park, the US Administration has hopped on the bandwagon with Joe Biden announcement of $452 million in Recovery Act funding for energy efficient building retrofits, including $20 million for Stumptown.
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The Earth Day news that has gotten our attention is the launch of the Sustainable Phosphorus Initiative by a group of US researchers picking up on the labors of colleagues in Sweden and Australia. Peak Phosphorus – expected in 40 years at the latest – is called – “The gravest natural resource shortage you’ve never heard of”  The parallel with Peak Oil goes only so far because humankind can get along with out oil but all living things need phosphorus to grow.
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As the world’s few phosphate mines are emptied, as phosphorus in fertilizer runs off the land, as the runoff creates great dead zones in the ocean, global food supplies will decrease. Yet, sustainable sources of essential nutrients are found in the human waste we flush down the drain.  It’s time to close the loop.
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At our PHLUSH event on Tuesday, April 27 (5 pm at 203 NW 2nd – everyone is welcome) we’ll report on our participation at the World Toilet Summit, our new awareness of Peak P and steps being taken by Portlanders who rightly consider urine and feces not waste, but valuable resources.
Apr 1
PHLUSH News Updates
icon1 phlush | icon2 Our Work | icon4 04 1st, 2010| icon31 Comment »
PHLUSH News Updates
In like a lamb, March went out like a lion, leaving PHLUSHers with a number of new projects.
World Water Day Celebration  Recode Oregon threw a great event at SEA Change Gallery on March 22   Great talk by Rep Ben Cannon who sponsored the gray water legislation in Salem. David Osborn showed the film of backyard graywater systems at currently undisclosed locations. Lasun Unger mobilized fine cuisine and Molly Danielsson made this great poster!   In another decade or two it will be unthinkable to flush a toilet with precious drinking water!
In the Neighborhood  Change starts with awareness and folks are talking on the yucky issue of [cross-class, cross gender] public urination.  Howard Weiner’s  Livability committee has been great forum for the discussion so consider joining their next meeting on Apr 11 at 11:30 at 232 NW 6th. Stay tuned for  announcement of an innovative step toward a solution.
World Toilet Summit Portland?  Thanks to Christopher Yarrow,  WTO leaders received packets inviting them to consider PDX for 2011.  Evidently they are.  Now Christopher is bringing together specialists who will evaluate feasibility and funding.  It would be so cool to finally get some local training in closed loop ecological sanitation techniques as we move away from the endless cycle of fouling our drinking water and then cleaning it up again.
Restroom Location Sign Project   Lan Nguyen did such a good job lunching the project that everybody now want signs telling where neighborhood public restroom are.  PHLUSH has a grant proposal for Phase II into the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability and fingers crossed.
Collaboration with the International Code Council A team conveniently located on five continents is drafting international guidelines for public toilet design to be present at the next World Toilet Summit. Carol McCreary is coordinating sub-groups on General Provisions and Potty Parity (or Why are their such long lines at the women’s restroom?)
Help us build capacity?   We’re starting to get inquiries from all over.
Folks who want to know about plumbing codes.  Folks who want bumper stickers. The recent Alaska Library Association conference featured 5 PHLUSH-T-shirt-wearing librarians passed out our brochures and business cards. Berkley park activists called to inquire about better restrooms for homeless people, including the Loo.  The American Restroom Association even    refers people to us.
So we don’t become overwhelmed as we reach in new directions, we need to build capacity.  We welcome volunteers with ideas and diverse skills, including technical, scientific research, advocacy, and non-profit management.  Join us at our next regular meeting  Monday, April 19 at 5:30 pm at Orchid Salon, 203 NW Second Ave.

Celebrate GraywaterWorld Water Day Celebration Recode Oregon threw a great event at SEA Change Gallery on March 22   Great talk by Rep Ben Cannon who sponsored the gray water legislation in Salem. David Osborn showed the film of backyard graywater systems at currently undisclosed locations. Lasun Unger mobilized fine cuisine and Molly Danielsson made this great poster!   In another decade or two it will be unthinkable to flush a toilet with precious drinking water!

Helping out the Neighborhood Change starts with awareness and folks are finally talking about the yucky issue of [cross-class, cross gender] public urination.  Howard Weiner’s  Livability Committee has been great forum for the Old Town Chinatown Neighborhood Association to discuss the issue.  Consider joining the next meeting on Apr 11 at 11:30 at 232 NW 6th. Stay tuned for  announcement of an innovative step toward a solution.

World Toilet Summit in Portland? Thanks to Christopher Yarrow,  WTO leaders received packets inviting them to consider PDX for 2011.  And they are.  Now Christopher is bringing together specialists who will evaluate feasibility and funding.  It would be so cool to finally get some local training in closed loop ecological sanitation techniques as we move away from the endless cycle of fouling our drinking water and then cleaning it up again.

Restroom Location Sign Project Lan Nguyen did such a good job lunching the project that everybody now want signs telling where neighborhood public restroom are.  PHLUSH has a grant proposal for Phase II into the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability and fingers crossed.

Design Work The International Code Council has a team drafting international guidelines for public toilet design to be presented at the next World Toilet Summit. Carol McCreary is working with toilet design experts on five continents to prepare sections on General Provisions and Potty Parity (in other words Why are their such long lines at the women’s restroom?)

Help us build capacity? We’re starting to get inquiries from all over.  Folks who want to know about plumbing codes.  Folks who want bumper stickers. The recent Alaska Library Association conference featured five PHLUSH-T-shirt-wearing librarians passed out our brochures and business cards. Berkeley park activists called to inquire about better restrooms for homeless people, including the Loo.  The American Restroom Association even  refers people to us.

Join us! So we don’t become overwhelmed as we reach in new directions, we need to build capacity.  We welcome volunteers with ideas and diverse skills, including technical, scientific research, communications, advocacy, and non-profit management.  Join us at our next regular meeting  Monday, April 19 at 5:30 pm at Orchid Salon, 203 NW Second Ave.  Questions?