The Scoop on Poop: Safely capturing and recycling the nutrients in greywater, humanure and urine

by Daniel D. Chiras

The most up-to-date, practical and scientifically accurate guide on safe, effective, and ecologically sound means of reclaiming nutrients in humanure Flush it and forget it is the plumbing mantra of the industrialized world. Most people just want sewage to go away, preferably without having to see, smell, or worse yet, touch it. But crap has a bad rap. Human waste is a valuable resource we can use to support food production. Blackwater, urine, and are actually rich in organic matter, and alternative means of handling these "wastes" can conserve enormous quantities of fresh water for other uses. The Scoop on Poop presents a wide range of ways to answer the call of nature, and in so doing to maximize the benefits of existing waste water. This book explores proven alternatives to Western waste water disposal. Whether you're interested in composting toilets, outdoor grey- or blackwater planters, constructed wetlands, or other innovative solutions, author Dan Chiras will walk you All system plans are relatively simple and straightforward-enough so that the average homeowner can build and install them. Intended for readers who live in cities, towns and rural environments, this is a practical guide to safe, ingenious ways to capture the nutrients from waste and recycle them back into your soil to grow fruit trees, vegetables, and flowers-all without running afoul of the "ick" factor.

Genres: Gardening

352 pages, Paperback

First published February 9, 2016

About the author

Dan has spent much of the past 30 years studying sustainability and applying what he has learned in solar energy, natural building, and green building to his residences, and most of the last ten plus years sharing the practical knowledge he has gained through writing, lectures, slide shows, and workshops.
Dan Chiras paid his last electric bill in June of 1996. It is not that he has disavowed the use of electricity and modern conveniences, but rather that he has turned to the sun and wind to meet his family's needs.

Reviews

[Eli · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good primer on different systems for moving off of conventional septic systems. Mostly what I got from it was that my basic ideas about greenhouses and greywater make sense but I have more research to do before im ready to implement. I wasn't really impressed with the author's explanations of constructed wetlands, which are mainly what I'm interested in, but there were a lot of recommendations for more in-depth reading material and this was a fine training wheels book.

I think it's kind of a bummer that so much of this type of writing assumes the reader wants to transition to a totally off-grid, bicycle-only, barter economy lifestyle. Like, the systems in this book are totally reasonable, ecologically and financially, and could represent a positive change for wastewater systems but when there followed by a bunch of prepper nonsense about "when shit hits the fan" it makes them seem really far-fetched. I will probably be referencing this book as I continue planning my greywater greenhouse.