An Introduction to Humanure: Let's Talk about Poop

Let’s talk about poop.

If you’re anything like me, you look into things and ask questions, a lot of questions. This has the often dramatic effect of creating radical shifts in lifestyle choices. Once I have a little information on a subject, I tend to immerse myself, because

If you don’t live fully, you’re certainly missing out. And humanure is no exception. (I immerse figuratively not literally where this is concerned.)

Homo Sapiens have a strange habit of creating an artificial separation between ourselves and everything else. A Man vs. Nature mentality that not only goes against natural laws, but also creates a mess for future generations to deal with. The way we deal with “waste” is a perfect example. Nature does not waste, only transforms and connects nutrient loops, thereby maintaining equilibrium and balance. By upholding the idea that “waste” exists at all and not finding a way to return the “waste” into another system is not only losing nutrients, but also actively creating pollution. I for one am none too happy about this…

Humanure is just what it sounds like, the manure of humans (yes we have manure just like every other creature, although we have many foul names for it). The problem with humanure lies not it what it is but how we deal with it, or mostly DONT deal with it. In the “developed” world, we use potable water (often using a lot of energy to earn the title of potable) in copious quantities to flush a nutrient rich manure (and urine) to Away.

Wait, I need directions to this place Away…. Away is where it becomes someone else’s problem. Right.

The manure mixes with water and becomes sewage, which ties up and pollutes more potentially potable water. Then comes the issue of transporting this sewage whether through centralized sewers of septic tanks that need to be emptied and hauled to Away. Its not getting any prettier from here, so the long of the short is that it’s not a good idea to mix drinking water with our manure. So, um, what to do?

Luckily there is a simple, proven and effective method for safely transforming our excreta into valuable humanure. The answer is compost it. So simple a 5 year old could think of it, but it doing it safely and properly does take some knowledge that many 5 year olds may not posses. I will go into a more in depth look at details and options in later posts including a detailed look into the system we built and use, so stay tuned.

Our slow to adapt and evolve cultures (like North America) would do well to learn from the rest of the cultures that have allied with microbes to safely mange humanure through a variety of composting methods, varying in scale and complexity but all relying on the basic of biology; everything eats everything.

Everybody poops, but not everybody deals with it.

The good news you needn’t much to start doing it. And composting humanure can be done safely and easily with little inputs (we don’t pay a dime, unless you include recycled unbleached toilet paper). Plus you’ll be producing a fantastic compost to boost fertility and soil health (many people prefer using it on shrubs and trees).

Many municipalities go so far as outlaw composting toilets, but allow composting to occur in backyards. Gardening breaks fewer bylaws than human excreta. This is a loophole that could allow many urban dwellers to retrofit their existing conventionally plumbed toilets to accommodate the noble task of safely managing humanure.

So if you’re keen to get more in line with the natural order of things and closing a nutrient loop, what are you waiting for?