# Is it more environmentally friendly to pee in the sink? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 10, 2019, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-more-environmentally-friendly-to-pee-in-the-sink/841591 "2019-10-10T14:03:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2019, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-more-environmentally-friendly-to-pee-in-the-sink/841591/61 "2019-10-17T13:34:33Z")
While we’re on the subject, do they still have those abominable toilet bowls in Europe where instead of it being filled with water there’s a shallow platform in back and a well in the front. I hated visiting my relatives not because of them, I loved them, but hated crapping there. It would just sit in open air unless you immediately courtesy flushed. You’d presumably have to wipe, so you wound up flushing twice per visit. Super wasteful. ---
**Author:** ![Fleetwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fleetwood/32/271_2.png) [@Fleetwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fleetwood)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2019, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-more-environmentally-friendly-to-pee-in-the-sink/841591/62 "2019-10-17T13:50:50Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Yeah, living in the country, if I’m outside doing something I _never_ go inside to pee. Never seen a lion, mountain or otherwise. It works well as a bear deterrent. Have seen bears change direction to avoid my piss line. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2019, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-more-environmentally-friendly-to-pee-in-the-sink/841591/63 "2019-10-17T17:56:02Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Huh. I’ve been in mensrooms where someone was peeing in the sink. I never realized they were environmental warriors. I was always an early adopter. Thank you. I like to think the whole world is my urinal no matter how much the police disagree. If show poodles can pee freely on fire hydrants, I see no reason why I can’t do the same. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2019, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-more-environmentally-friendly-to-pee-in-the-sink/841591/64 "2019-10-18T23:34:41Z")
Remind me never to attend a Dopefest at the OP’s house. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2019, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-more-environmentally-friendly-to-pee-in-the-sink/841591/65 "2019-10-18T23:54:02Z")
As the Mother of a grown son i would be horrified if he pee’d in a public restroom sink. I would consider my toilet training of him to be inadequate. What he does in his own house I’ll leave to my DIL to sort out. Somehow, I don’t think she would find it amusing. Even the deer camp that he and his Dad run has a nice bath-house. What they do on trees can stay in the woods, I don’t wanna know about it. ---
**Author:** ![Yakamaniac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a5b964/32.png) [@Yakamaniac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yakamaniac)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2019, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-more-environmentally-friendly-to-pee-in-the-sink/841591/66 "2019-10-19T06:35:44Z")
My personal experience is that peeing in the sink causes the sink to smell like urine after a while. I discovered this living in a hotel in a downtown area, the bathroom was down the hall, and peeing in the sink was easier. But it smelled of urine when I moved in. In regards to low-flow toilets, they can cause problems when there is not enough water to carry the feces all the way to the sewer. Drains can get clogged with dried waste, which sets up like concrete, requiring the drain line to be replaced. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2019, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-more-environmentally-friendly-to-pee-in-the-sink/841591/67 "2019-10-19T15:52:36Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > As the Mother of a grown son i would be horrified if he pee’d in a public restroom sink. I would consider my toilet training of him to be inadequate. > What he does in his own house I’ll leave to my DIL to sort out. Somehow, I don’t think she would find it amusing. > Even the deer camp that he and his Dad run has a nice bath-house. What they do on trees can stay in the woods, I don’t wanna know about it. If your son has attended a large rock concert or a sporting event, they’ve at least had the opportunity to pee in a public restroom sink. Pretty much everything with a drain gets used as a urinal at those. We have no need for bathrooms! [The universe is our bathroom!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHcH795M3qQ&feature=youtu.be&t=7) Yeah, I’m another one of those folks who will just go ahead and pee outside if I’m outside. My mom was never happy about my dad’s habit of doing that. On the other hand, I never saw any mountain lions, bobcats, bears or sharks hanging around. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2019, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-more-environmentally-friendly-to-pee-in-the-sink/841591/68 "2019-10-19T20:17:53Z")
In related news, the head of Oslo’s sewer agency has [told](https://voiceofeurope.com/2019/10/norway-head-of-oslo-sewer-agency-urges-people-to-pee-in-the-shower-to-save-water/) folks that when in the shower let it rip. It’s getting a surprising amount of pushback. I’d imagine the suggestion to use a sink would be met with even stronger resistance. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2019, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-more-environmentally-friendly-to-pee-in-the-sink/841591/69 "2019-10-19T21:46:16Z")
Yeah, I told my husband that I don’t mind if he pees in the shower, but I’d be unhappy if he were peeing in the sink. (And yes, I would likely notice.) ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2019, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-more-environmentally-friendly-to-pee-in-the-sink/841591/70 "2019-10-20T02:33:55Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > Yeah, I told my husband that I don’t mind if he pees in the shower, but I’d be unhappy if he were peeing in the sink. (And yes, I would likely notice.) Splashback from the garbage disposal? ETA: likely not the kitchen sink, I’ll bet. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2019, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-more-environmentally-friendly-to-pee-in-the-sink/841591/71 "2019-10-20T02:55:06Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Remind me never to attend a Dopefest at the OP’s house. I _might_ go to Jim’s house, but he is definitely not coming to mine. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-more-environmentally-friendly-to-pee-in-the-sink/841591.md?page=3)