the ultimate in recycling?

Posted by: Anne HolmesAdministrator

the ultimate in recycling? - 08/01/14 07:09 PM

Elsewhere on this forum we have been discussing recycling via shopping at thrift shops and garage sales, etc. A good topic we all seem to agree on.

But here's a recycling topic that may gag some of us. Especially because I remember we had a discussion about a month ago about some community that was proposing to turn what is politely called "biosolids" into fertilizer for use by home gardeners.

How about this then? According to this article I saw today via NPR, there are some ecologists who are discussing whether or not we ought to consider building up the nutrients in our farmers' soil in a very natural way: though the use of human pee.

Now, the NPR article claims human urine is sterile -- yes I hear you gagging -- but according to this article I just found in the UK's "Daily Mail," it may not actually be.

But getting back to the original question, I was intrigued to find out that urine contains many of the nutrients we need to apply to supplement our soil. So the concept is, why not fertilize the soil naturally?

Well, I'll let you read the two articles. Personally I was interested in the second one, which seems to suggest that women with overactive bladder bladder problems may have bacteria in their urine.

This finding could point to a new way to treat this bothersome issue...

Your thoughts?

Posted by: jabber

Re: the ultimate in recycling? - 08/04/14 05:55 PM

You really have to wonder who on earth sits around and thinks up this stuff??? Gag is right! GAG...
Posted by: yonuh

Re: the ultimate in recycling? - 08/04/14 08:02 PM

I can't imagine it's any worse than some of the chemicals we're currently putting on our food.
Posted by: orchid

Re: the ultimate in recycling? - 08/04/14 09:57 PM

I think we're too protected in our modern society. We've forgotten what was used for fertilizing a few centuries back. I'm not suggesting we should go to huge efforts to try this...it only makes sense if it's easy, economical and safe for a homeowner with big gardens. Imagine, what would be the harm for floral gardens that are strictly pretty to look at but not for eating at all?