Building a composting tumbler

On the composting piece, here's a great video about how to build your own composting tumbler. I'm fairly certain you can use the same (assuming that you put enough biomass and ash/sawdust) for composting humanure.

Composting Toilets

But for the sign, would you know that this was a composting toilet?? (photo courtesy: SRU.edu)

Having covered waterless urinals, its time to talk about Composting Toilets. If animals can make manure, why can't we??

Actually we can. Make did a great write up on the subject, including several resources about human manure.

Like waterless urinals, it would be great to incorporate composting toilets. But the reality of the situation is that it probably won't happen. This is a classic case of sociological issues rather than technology issues. There are just TOO many psychological issues to contend with. I can't get friends of mine to stop drinking bottled water in the United States (where tap water quality is excellent), because they are worried about germs in the tap water...I have no hopes with the composting toilets. And these are all people with college degrees from good schools!!

But maybe it'll have to become like the Darfuri solar cookstoves, where there are strong negative incentives that force people to use the technology. If things got so bad in the U.S, maybe we'd start using solar cookstoves, or composting toilets to save the planet (well, more like save ourselves).

How a composting toilet works.
Build a composting toilet for $25
Is Humanure safe?


Profile of one of the many composting toilet designs (photo: weblife.org)

Waterless Urinals

Kohler's line of waterless urinals (photo courtesy: Kohler.com)

You are probably cringing as I write this. I did too. Men's bathrooms smell bad enough with running water...imagine how bad it could be without water!

One of my biggest annoyances when I'm traveling through developing countries is the presence of the ubiquitous man-facing-the-wall-and-peeing-wherever-he-feels-like-it. Many guys suggest that my irritation comes from not being anatomically endowed to do it myself. I disagree. My irritation comes from the sheer inconsiderate and unsanitary nature of this behavior. Many developing countries have enough waste and sanitation problems without having to deal with issues like this.

But there are water problems and the smell from many urinals is often unbearable, so can waterless urinals really work?? Apparently so.

How do they work??


How a waterless urinal works (photo courtesy: wired.com)

http://greenlineblog.com/waterless-urinals-how-do-they-work/

Fascinating stuff. Apparently they require little maintenance, and no water; and still are odorless and sanitary. This makes it perfect for the developing world...as Falcon Waterfree Technologies has already shown by installing their line in the men's bathrooms at the Taj Mahal in India.

Here are some posts about waterless urinals:
No Flush Urinal
Waterless Urinal
Waterless Urinals already being used in Japanese Train Stations