Living small brings many decisions one’s way. Compromise is required at every turn. But never compromise on healthy options.
One of the first considerations and decisions I had to make was if I was going to have a toilet in my van. If not, then what?
After looking at many small options, I quickly decided that my toilet would simply be a recycled yoghurt pot with a lid that fixes on firmly. Wees are easy to do in it and easily taken to dispose of when a toilet is available. Or water added and a tree watered. A spray bottle of environmentally friendly disinfectant gets it back to an acceptable standard of hygiene.
For the 6th stage of elimination a doggy poo bag is fitted into the yoghurt pot and one “pops a squat”. Elimination deposited, bag tied closed and lid fixed firmly onto the tub. Appropriate disposal into a refuse skip or doggy poo bin.
Too much information… I know… sorry. Yet when it comes to effective elimination whether you are living “small” or “large” SQUATTING is a gamechanger. The puborectalis muscle, that is normally contracted and causing a kink in the rectum, relaxes when the hips are flexed. This allows the rectum to straighten out. In turn the following benefits occur:
more complete emptying of the rectum
faster elimination
no straining required
less clean up needed
Speaking of clean up…
Time for the paper work… or not?
I had to take a look at the most environmentally friendly way to do that.
It’s not toilet paper! which I have read takes 13 gallons of water a roll to make. That isn’t even considering the impact of the trees felled.
It’s not wet wipes! Because most wipes contain plastic resins like polyester, polyethylene and polypropylene and take 500 million years to break down (yes, that is an exaggeration). Most sewer abuse is caused by wipes. Even when they are marked “flushable” they’re probably not.
It’s not “the family cloth”. That term is such a misnomer. If I had a household of people using little squares of washable and re-useable cloth to wipe between their “cheekies”, I’d certainly want each to have their own stash. The heating and water to do this laundry makes it questionable as a solution. Especially in a van where the used bits must be stored until laundry is done… which wouldn’t be in your own private machine! I have seen the system effectively at work in one household, though.
The answer imho, is to use a bidet attachment. Water sprayed directly onto the areas to be cleaned. Yes… possible in a van. There is a portable gadget that can go with you hiking, camping, traveling. So much cleaner and healthier for you and the planet.
Live well and find the happy,
Merryl @ GreenSmoothie.com
P.S. There are many varieties of portable bidet to choose from. Some with electric function and USB charging. Others that can attach to any bottle.
Click here to see one example of a simple manual function portable bidet.
North Somerset, England
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