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IrishAyes

(6,151 posts)
28. They're not like old-fashioned outhouses at all.
Sat Aug 9, 2014, 11:12 AM
Aug 2014

You might also want to check a book called 'Humanure Handbook' or some such. That's what it's about anyway.
After one year it's safe to use on ornamentals. IF I recall correctly, after 2 years it's safe to fertilize food plants. The best compost toilets have a built-in separator for liquid and solid waste so they never mix. When it comes to that, fresh human urine from a healthy person is pretty sanitary on exit - it can be caught in a container and well diluted with water to make an excellent fertilizer you can use immediately.

One thing you'd want to consider is burning the paper, though. Saves on work.

I understand the gross-out factor for those who've never experienced the system. But once you get over modern western social taboos and look at it scientifically, you might even prefer it. After all, today's West and Southwest are going to become basically unihabitable shortly. Municipalities will have to figure out how to process urine into safe drinking water. I've never seen them here, can't find them online, but I know in Israel and probably more of the Mideast they have high tech toilets that already process urine into drinking water cleaner than you'll find in most cities worldwide including America.

Funny thing. When I bought a place in one of the oldest settlements in the Louisiana Purchase, I knew the main house was almost 100 years old which it is now. But I also knew exactly where the outhouse had been not only from studying customs of the era but also because that's where the tall lavender grows. People used to plant that to help check odors in the outhouse. They would've been better off with a good composting toilet!

I encourage you to post any links you have that contain free, complete, plans for tiny homes. PoliticAverse Aug 2014 #1
Might take me a few days because I'm old and slow, IrishAyes Aug 2014 #7
Always a fan of tiny houses, I just bought a tiny condo... NYC_SKP Aug 2014 #2
I think you will love your small space. cbayer Aug 2014 #4
This all started, actually, with my looking at boats and slips. NYC_SKP Aug 2014 #5
Half Moon Bay is a great harbor and very friendly towards liveaboards. cbayer Aug 2014 #6
Nowhere on earth lovelier than Monterrey. IrishAyes Aug 2014 #9
Same difference, just about. Tiny is tiny. I still love my rambling old Vic and will never IrishAyes Aug 2014 #8
I'm familiar with both apartmenttherapy.com and tinyhouseblog.com! NYC_SKP Aug 2014 #11
Don't you absolutely love how some cities are starting to set up Tiny House villages IrishAyes Aug 2014 #13
Any one of Romney's homes could house several dozen homeless in tiny houses. NYC_SKP Aug 2014 #14
It's a great idea...The only one I know of, though, is Madison, Wisconsin.. whathehell Aug 2014 #15
Sorry I can'r relate specifics to something I read months ago. Seems like it was at least IrishAyes Aug 2014 #16
That's fine, I'll just google it. n/t whathehell Aug 2014 #17
What part of California do you live in? whathehell Aug 2014 #20
Between Santa Cruz and Monterey. NYC_SKP Aug 2014 #22
Well, aren't you a lucky #!!@ ? whathehell Aug 2014 #27
This is great. Thanks so much. cbayer Aug 2014 #3
Lots of the tiny places that show up on my FB news feed have huge amounts of window space. IrishAyes Aug 2014 #10
Thanks! Little Star Aug 2014 #12
Daily Mail article on the tiny house movement... PoliticAverse Aug 2014 #18
Thanks! IrishAyes Aug 2014 #19
Hi..I went onto the "Arched cabins" link...So cute, but I have a question whathehell Aug 2014 #21
I have several friends who have compost toilets Starboard Tack Aug 2014 #23
Why do they "love" them? whathehell Aug 2014 #24
Why do they love them? Lots of reasons. Starboard Tack Aug 2014 #25
Thanks for this information.. whathehell Aug 2014 #26
They're not like old-fashioned outhouses at all. IrishAyes Aug 2014 #28
Funny you should mention that -- When I was a very little kid, we lived whathehell Aug 2014 #31
The old outhouses had to be dug out periodically. People also sprinkled wood ash to IrishAyes Aug 2014 #33
I can assure you that ours wasn't used enough to necessitate that, lol. whathehell Aug 2014 #34
Almost forgot about the arched cabins. IrishAyes Aug 2014 #29
They are uber-cute! whathehell Aug 2014 #30
Especially for prefab, they certainly do seem less expensive than the others, while IrishAyes Aug 2014 #32
About how much do they cost? whathehell Aug 2014 #35
As to cost, any exact info relayed by me at this hour after a short night and no nap IrishAyes Aug 2014 #36
Here is my list edwinston Apr 2018 #37
welcome to DU gopiscrap Apr 2018 #38
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