Reflections from the PHLUSH Board President

By Hayley Joyell Smith | April 8, 2017

The other day in a rest stop there was a classic motivational poster with the word S.E.R.V.I.C.E. No doubt this was aimed to demonstrate their commitment to keeping things tidy, but for me it resonated with my current service on the PHLUSH Board of Directors. The affirmation-like description below the bolded lettering was poignant. “Extraordinary…

PHLUSH looks towards the future as nationally recognized nonprofit

By Hayley Joyell Smith | March 4, 2017

It’s official. PHLUSH has earned recognition as a nonprofit by the IRS. We are thrilled to announce that our growing organization is moving forward as a 501(c)3. PHLUSH started out as a small community group responding to a lack of toilets in downtown Portland. We drafted design principles that influenced the construction of the Portland…

An interview with Anna Preble on Portland’s All-User restrooms

By Phlush | October 18, 2016

PHLUSH is an all-volunteer organization; our volunteers respond to calls from local agencies and organizations. This ethos brings together a group of motivated professionals working all across North America on diverse sanitation issues. We are proud to feature the work of Anna Preble. Her tireless efforts around public toilet access in Portland have led to…

Popular Posts

The Importance of Inclusive Restroom Signage

By Phlush | August 24, 2023

Professional photographer Mark Chester did not intentionally find the issue of inclusivity in restroom access – the issue found him. Chester began photographing restroom signs 12 years ago. In conducting this work, Chester began pondering the relationship between signage and inclusivity. What he found is that the barriers to equitable restroom access for people across…

Tips for Creating a Successful Family Emergency Plan

By Phlush | June 26, 2023

  The scariest thing about natural disasters is that they can happen out of nowhere so you need to be prepared. Does your family know what to do if a tornado, hurricane, or wildfire erupts around your home? In addition to creating an emergency response kit, an emergency plan is crucial to ensure your family…

There’s plenty of toilet paper in the US – so why are people hoarding it?

By Phlush | March 20, 2020

Almost 150 U.S. companies make toilet paper. Studio Dagdagaz/Shutterstock.com Jay L. Zagorsky, Boston University The other day I went into Costco to buy some toilet paper. It came as a small shock when I couldn’t find a single roll. The new coronavirus is inspiring panic buying of a variety of household products such as toilet paper in cities across…

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Second Graders Tackle Sanitation Justice in Brooklyn, New York

By Phlush | July 6, 2019

July 6, 2019 This guest post from Amber Hickey, doctorate in Visual Studies and service-learning project faculty member for Service Learning Project, highlights the need to involve youth in sanitation advocacy. This past spring, 2nd graders at PS 298 in Brownsville, Brooklyn advocated for sanitation justice in their community. Participating in the youth-led Residency Program…

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Let’s Legalize Composting & UD toilets in US

By Phlush | August 3, 2014

Our friends at Recode have drafted model code for composting toilets with urine diversion (UD) and IAMPO is preparing to vote on it. This Portland-based group of scientists and policy advocates have made spectacular progress. Now Recode is calling on us to help make history. Please consider a tax-deductible donation to enable Recode’s Director to travel to California to address IAMPO officials. Details are in…

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GottaGo! campaigning for public toilets in Ottawa

By Phlush | May 15, 2014

This guest blog post is from Joan Kuyek of GottaGo!. The GottaGo! campaign in Ottawa, Canada’s capital city, is advocating for a network of open clean, accessible public toilets and water fountains in key places in the region. Currently, the only public toilets in Ottawa are in recreation centres, libraries and large parks. When the programming…

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