Going Green Nature Composting toilet

[StuM]

Originally Posted by smj

Friends in the Keys have actually trained their cats to use the standard marine head. So is that more green than cats trained to use a composting head or is the opposite true?

I'd love to see them working the pump

[smj]

Originally Posted by StuM

I'd love to see them working the pump

😁I would love to see them take the night watch!


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[first wind]

Originally Posted by Scout 30

Absolutely! BoatUS should give a break on insurance for composting heads. 2 less holes in your boat has to be a good thing.

i thoroughly agree about less holes being better (no holes is best, in my opinion).........however, i was actually being punny

[David B]

Simply amazing - the emotion just keeps coming.


False statements on both sides - I suggest everyone just moves on. Life is way too short!

[newhaul]

Here in my marina you need a 15 gallon holding tank to liveaboard in unless you have a composting head. In which case you don't need a tank at all and on my 24 I would rather have food storage than have a poo tank. ( mine will be green ) getting the paint as soon as I finish building my head.

[Storspigg]

Take a look at the Baltic Sea on a map!

The Baltic Sea is connected to the Atlantic by a sound between Denmark and Sweden. Take the fate of the Baltic sea as a model for what might happen to our common sea!

I started teaching biology and environmental protection in 1980 in Kalmar, a city on the east cost of Sweden. The sea was full of life, and we studied all the plants and animals. But about fifteen years later we noticed how algae growth increased and a few years later water animals slowly died out. Cod, pike and many other fish species could not be found anymore. The same thing happened to the eider ducks.

Together with my pupils I have visited Poland and Kaliningrad where we have found the same problems due to too much nutrients. (Possibly there are other causes, too, all around the Baltic.)

During the last fifteen years we have had algae blooms by algae giving us skin problems. The water is slowly getting cleaner due to efforts taking place in most countries around the Baltic.

From this summer we are not allowed to dump any toilet waste into Swedish waters. Most sailors have put in holding tanks and some have chosen compost toilets. Around our coasts stations, where you can empty your holding tank, have been build. People with compost toilets can empty the urine there, if they don’t give it to a farmer or use it (diluted) in the garden. The compost part is also good for plants, and must not be dumped into the sea, where it acts as a fertilizer..

In lakes phosphorous is limiting algae growth, in salt water it is nitrogen. Most nitrogen in human waste comes from the urine.

Conclusions: Any toilet, that collects the waste to be taken care of in order to return the nutrients to the soil, is a green toilet. If we go on dumping waste into the seas, we risk the well being of coming generations.

[Scout 30]

Originally Posted by Storspigg

Take a look at the Baltic Sea on a map!

The Baltic Sea is connected to the Atlantic by a sound between Denmark and Sweden. Take the fate of the Baltic sea as a model for what might happen to our common sea!

I started teaching biology and environmental protection in 1980 in Kalmar, a city on the east cost of Sweden. The sea was full of life, and we studied all the plants and animals. But about fifteen years later we noticed how algae growth increased and a few years later water animals slowly died out. Cod, pike and many other fish species could not be found anymore. The same thing happened to the eider ducks.

Together with my pupils I have visited Poland and Kaliningrad where we have found the same problems due to too much nutrients. (Possibly there are other causes, too, all around the Baltic.)

During the last fifteen years we have had algae blooms by algae giving us skin problems. The water is slowly getting cleaner due to efforts taking place in most countries around the Baltic.

From this summer we are not allowed to dump any toilet waste into Swedish waters. Most sailors have put in holding tanks and some have chosen compost toilets. Around our coasts stations, where you can empty your holding tank, have been build. People with compost toilets can empty the urine there, if they don’t give it to a farmer or use it (diluted) in the garden. The compost part is also good for plants, and must not be dumped into the sea, where it acts as a fertilizer..

In lakes phosphorous is limiting algae growth, in salt water it is nitrogen. Most nitrogen in human waste comes from the urine.

Conclusions: Any toilet, that collects the waste to be taken care of in order to return the nutrients to the soil, is a green toilet. If we go on dumping waste into the seas, we risk the well being of coming generations.

This is why I love this forum, I'm actually changing my mind. Regulations prohibiting pumping overboard while nutrient runoff remains relatively unabated has always seemed like scapegoating to me. I guess it's kind of like the guy who removes the emissions controls on his car because 1 car doesn't matter. That guy always pissed me off but it turns out that maybe I'm that guy. I guess 1 boat does matter just like 1 car matters so I'll store & dump on land. Of course me changing won't save the world but changing our mindset is the only thing that will give this planet a chance.

[Kenomac]

My cat is "going green."

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Scout 30

This is why I love this forum, I'm actually changing my mind. Regulations prohibiting pumping overboard while nutrient runoff remains relatively unabated has always seemed like scapegoating to me. I guess it's kind of like the guy who removes the emissions controls on his car because 1 car doesn't matter. That guy always pissed me off but it turns out that maybe I'm that guy. I guess 1 boat does matter just like 1 car matters so I'll store & dump on land. Of course me changing won't save the world but changing our mindset is the only thing that will give this planet a chance.

Nicely said Scout. The argument that I'll stop behaving poorly as soon as THE OTHER GUY does, has always been the excuse of those who are part of the problem.

[jkindredpdx]

Originally Posted by Scout 30

... I guess 1 boat does matter just like 1 car matters so I'll store & dump on land. Of course me changing won't save the world but changing our mindset is the only thing that will give this planet a chance.

25 years ago my friend a "recycling proponent and educator" told me it only requires 10% of the population accepting an idea for it to reach critical mass and become common practice. Back then we carted our waste to the recycling center. Today nearly every town has curbside pickup of recycling and nearly 80% of people in the U.S. recycle.

[bletso]

Originally Posted by jkindredpdx

25 years ago my friend a "recycling proponent and educator" told me it only requires 10% of the population accepting an idea for it to reach critical mass and become common practice. Back then we carted our waste to the recycling center. Today nearly every town has curbside pickup of recycling and nearly 80% of people in the U.S. recycle.

That may indeed be where you are but here in KY it is hard to find recycling locations.

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by bletso

That may indeed be where you are but here in KY it is hard to find recycling locations.

OK this is a good thread drift IMO
Where in my are you located most residential refuse companies do/offer recycling even in Kentucky.

[Scout 30]

Even in Florida, where tree huggers are considered to be on a par with child molesters, recycling is a state law.

[jkindredpdx]

... And here in Oregon and Washington I believe the Waste Management Companies are required to pickup recycling for free as part of their profit making landfill pickup contract. My guess probably 90% of people in the PNW recycle in some form.

My point however (to get back on track) is that in the US only five short years ago it was extreme weirdos that were installing Composting toilets while living off the grid on farms or cabins in the the woods... today there are several commercially made composting toilets and they are being installed in a variety of settings. See the "Treehouse Masters" and Tiny Home TV shows for examples...

[Scout 30]

What's surprising to me is that California with some of the most progressive environmental laws around has not officially embraced composting toilets as a way to save water.