sawdust toilet (in leiu of a outhouse)

Started by altaoaks, January 05, 2011, 09:17:24 PM

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altaoaks

mountain don  its good to hear some real positive outcome about spreading ashes, the ramifications have me a bit concerned about something i never saw as problematic, but there is definately a pro as well as a con here.  that you get better grass growth after spreading slash ash is telling in it self.  On an organic level, there is obviously a lot of science invloved.  It sounds like one should know their soil type first and formost, but should also make sure they are not using ash of any kind near water ways or wells.  It is really a lot to think about. 

altaoaks

#26
I just followed up on the solar oven thing, which i have looked at before, but not with any real desire to apply it.  I guess i see more value in the subject now.

so when i googled solar oven and scrolled down through the sites, i came across the fresnal oven link that UK4X4 mentioned.  I had looked at the utube video, but it didnt have any volume.  the site under solar ovens for fresnal oven was very informative, and it gave a materials list and detailed instructions on building one.  the link for this is  

http://www.sunspot.org.uk/ed/  

well i'm not sure why it didnt highlight but i tried typing in the link and got straight to the fresnal oven.  its really a cool design for anyone not familiar with it.



ED: fixed link - MD


paul s

ashes from your wood stove can be very toxic!!!!!

if you live in an area of acid rain, the tees assorb heavy meatals released by the acid rain, you harvest the wood and bur it in your stove and you just concentrated things like arsenic and other heavy metals.  now you put it in your garden and eat the food if you can and eat more from your garden can get even sicker.  this has happened in the north east in a few areas.  a country doctor figured it out  it can also cause altimeers if soil conditions are right.

altaoaks

paul s, thats a bit of a scarry scenario.  im glad to know, but i was happier when i was oblivious to all of this.  you just cant learn how toxic and potentially dangerous something as simple as ashes are without seriously changing you habits.  i mean, metal toxisity, alzhiemers!  by the way, where or how did you learn of an alzheimers connection just out of curriosity?  and thank you even though i will have to think about this every time i burn anything from here on in.

Don_P

#29
That seemed a little rash,
Checking some university sources;
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/woodash.html
http://hubcap.clemson.edu/~blpprt/bestwoodash.html
If you are acidic and use it reasonably from clean wood or sources I don't see cause for alarm.

Biochar has been receiving some interest, incorporating fine charcoal dust into the soil, basically pure carbon. It has beneficial effects, lasts a very long time, sequesters the carbon, but requires a carefully controlled burn, not to ash but to charcoal.
edit: found a link;
http://www.forestry.vt.edu/charcoal/documents/Lehmann%202007b.pdf


paul s

not so rash if conditions are right,m i guess u could have your ashes tested before you spread them. this really happened in the Elmira, ny several years ago.


rman

#31
I feel I have to counter the fecophobia and inaccuracies I have read in some of the previous posts, mostly in case someone searches sawdust toilet and only sees this thread and are dissuaded from using the system because of the negativity in some of the previous posts. To these people I say investigate further, start with The Humanure Handbook, where Joe Jenkins talks about 30 years of safely using humanure on his own vegetable garden and continue with many positive accounts on the web. My own experience, which is still limited, has shown me that the system is odourless, inside and at the compost with very little odour while the compost is opened up and the emptying of the pails is occurring and no odour after the cover material is properly applied. No special safety equipment is needed although I do state now that I can walk and chew bubble gum at the same time so judge the ick factor for yourself. If you can empty a pail without slopping you should be ok. Hygienic concerns pertaining to using the indoor system and working with the outdoor compost are about the same as using a flush toilet, maybe less because of airbornes after flushing. All in all for very little effort you will end up with a lower water bill, if you have one, yearly food grade compost after 2 yrs and a good feeling about what you are doing for the planet. As to all the safety concerns about handling human feces, most people come in closer contact with feces every day that they are not constipated.

tommytebco


Fecophobia!! I love the term!! Is it a "real word"?
There's a lot of that going around.
Or course, you have to adjust soil acidity specifically to each situation.  That's what Lime is for!!
Fecal matter adds nitrogen. Wood adds carbon. It's all just chemistry.
And heat kills pathogens.
Anything done incorrectly can wind up harmful. Even cooking.
Ya'll be careful out there.





fecophobia

rman

From the writings of Joe Jenkins.
The belief that humanure is unsafe for agricultural use is called fecophobia, a term, I admit, I made up. People who are fecophobic can suffer from severe fecophobia or a relatively mild fecophobia, the mildest form being little more than a healthy concern about personal hygiene. Severe fecophobics do not want to use humanure for food growing, composted or not. They believe that it's dangerous and unwise to use such a material in their garden. Milder fecophobics may, however, compost humanure and use the finished compost in horticultural applications. People who are not fecophobic may compost humanure and utilize it in their food garden. Some may even use it raw, a practice not recommended by the author.

It is well known that humanure contains the potential to harbor disease-causing microorganisms (pathogens). This potential is directly related to the state of health in the population which is producing the excrement. If a family is composting its own humanure, for example, and it is a healthy family, the danger in the production and use of the compost will be very low. If one is composting the humanure from orphanages in Haiti where intestinal parasites are endemic, then extra precautions must be taken to ensure maximum pathogen death. Compost temperatures must rise significantly above the temperature of the human body (37°C or 98.6°F) in order to begin eliminating disease-causing organisms, as human pathogens thrive at temperatures similar to that of their hosts. On the other hand, most pathogens only have a limited viability outside the human body, and given enough time, will die even in low-temperature compost.


tommytebco

I once cooked a roast in my compost pile just to see. It was fine.

Not arguing that you don't have to "do it right". Just that when done right, it's as good as Miracle Gro.

Actually, you and I are not arguing at all. We're both apologists.
Ha!

rman

Do you know how you find a Canadian in a room that is otherwise filled with non Canadians? Start stepping on everyone's toes, when someone apologizes that is the Canadian.

Adam Roby

Quote from: rman on July 29, 2014, 08:04:08 PM
Do you know how you find a Canadian in a room that is otherwise filled with non Canadians? Start stepping on everyone's toes, when someone apologizes that is the Canadian.

HEY!  I resemble that remark!

Sorry, didn't mean to yell.   :)

JRR

Quote from: Mike KY on January 05, 2011, 10:40:57 PM....
I've used sawdust toilets quite a bit and think it's a great way to go.....
.
I'm sorry, but I just could not let this go unnoticed by anyone. 

hpinson