Eat, drink, and pee merry!

[jazz lady]

Industrial agriculture has a fertilizer problem. Synthetic nitrogen fertilizers are an ecological disaster waiting to happen, emitting potent greenhouse gases and slipping into waterways. Meanwhile, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is causing a global fertilizer shortage. It’s time to rethink the way we grow our food—and some researchers say that pee is the answer. Yeah, man. Human pee.

Why urine makes great fertilizer​

In an AFP report published earlier this week, researchers discussed how human urine could “reduce reliance on chemicals and cut environmental pollution” in the agricultural realm. This isn’t anything new; agricultural experts around the world have a long history of using human waste as fertilizer. That’s because whiz is full of plants’ favorite nutrients—namely nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, which we naturally excrete when we hit the can. In fact, AFP cites one UN study which found that global wastewater has the “theoretical potential to offset 13% of the world’s demand for nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in agriculture.”

What’s stopping Big Ag from using Big Pee?​

There are a few roadblocks preventing widespread adoption of urine as fertilizer. First: how does one collect all that pee? AFP reports that a urine-centric agriculture system would have to involve overhauling the sewage system, perhaps even using fancy urine-diverting toilets that funnel urine into separate containers. Similar endeavors are underway in countries including Sweden, Switzerland, Germany, South Africa, Ethiopia, India, Mexico, the U.S., and France, AFP notes—but then there’s the PR of it all. The Pee Relations, if you will.

The big question is this: Are consumers ready to dive into a new, urine-soaked agricultural reality? Yes and no. Per AFP, the “acceptance rate” is very high in countries including China, France, and Uganda for example, but remains quite low in others. Personally, I’d take a pee potato over an artificially-fertilized potato any day. I’m ready to eat, drink, and pee merry.

MSN

www.msn.com

 

[Kyle]

I can help out a small farm on any given night.

 

[SamSpade]

Many years ago I knew a woman in Massachusetts who wrote a book - it might even be on Amazon still - about this ---

EXCEPT - you *must* dilute the urine. By a lot. Like twenty parts water to urine a lot. Straight urine is like dumping fertilizer right on the plant - it's toxic at that point.

Ditto feces, but it also has to be massively diluted, AND composted for six months to a year. Less than that, same thing, somewhat toxic to plants.

 

[Sneakers]

perhaps even using fancy urine-diverting toilets that funnel urine into separate containers.

Isn't that how a composting toilet works? They ain't so fansy.... big with the tiny home crowd.

 

[Clem72]

Many years ago I knew a woman in Massachusetts who wrote a book - it might even be on Amazon still - about this ---

EXCEPT - you *must* dilute the urine. By a lot. Like twenty parts water to urine a lot. Straight urine is like dumping fertilizer right on the plant - it's toxic at that point.

Ditto feces, but it also has to be massively diluted, AND composted for six months to a year. Less than that, same thing, somewhat toxic to plants.

Used to pee on my moms plants in the backyard as a kid, did not go well for the plants.

 

[SamSpade]

Used to pee on my moms plants in the backyard as a kid, did not go well for the plants.

Done a little refresher reading this morning. The good thing about urine is, it's pretty germ free, But right out the - gate as it were - it's far too concentrated.

Poo is totally different, though - it's full of germs, and a composting device can heat it up enough over a long time to totally kill off any nasty stuff. I'm not sure I'm really up to using poo - I have no wish to collect my family's waste just so I don't have to buy fertilizer. But until we started learning how to MAKE fertilizer, stuff like guano - bat and bird poop - were VITAL to modern civilzation.

Truth is, the easiest source of fertilizer is from herd animals and horses at local farms, where it's been festering in the sun and drying out for months.

 

[my-thyme]

Speaking of, anyone in St Marys want to share some horse poo?

 

[Sneakers]

I'm not sure I'm really up to using poo -

I'd send it to a collection tank, a septic system, and tap the methane for cooking and heat.

 

[Ken King]

want to share some horse poo?

Yo sho have a way wit words.

 

[DaSDGuy]

Need to drink lots of beer so I can nourish the plants. Because, it's science.

 

[PrchJrkr]

Speaking of, anyone in St Marys want to share some horse poo?

I know someone in Charlotte Hall if you don't find any closer. He should have some old stuff, but you have to dig for it. I'm not totally sure, but I think he's got, or has access to, a little bucket loader. If not, bring some young'uns and shovels!

 

[rio]

I compost chicken poo and pine shavings for my gardens. Don't think I'm gonna start peeing in the compost pile anytime soon.

 

[PrchJrkr]

I compost chicken poo and pine shavings for my gardens. Don't think I'm gonna start peeing in the compost pile anytime soon.

Made to mistake of putting raw chicken crap on an "oregano" plant I was growing at my first bachelor group home*. Burned it up in 2 days.

*Actually, it was an old clapboard farmhouse down near Buzzard Pt on Breton Bay that the band practiced at. Rent was 1/2 the electric bill, equipment storage and protection duty.

 

[rio]

Made to mistake of putting raw chicken crap on an "oregano" plant I was growing at my first bachelor group home*. Burned it up in 2 days.

*Actually, it was an old clapboard farmhouse down near Buzzard Pt on Breton Bay that the band practiced at. Rent was 1/2 the electric bill, equipment storage and protection duty.

Yeah, that's NOT the way to burn "oregano".

 

[PrchJrkr]

Yeah, that's NOT the way to burn "oregano".

IKR? It was broad leaf oregano, too!

 

[Tech]

A guy I worked with got some sludge from the base sewer plant where we were working. Spread it on his garden and lawn on the sandy soil in the jersey pine barrens, had hundreds of new tomato plants.

 

[frequentflier]

I used plenty of sewer sludge in FL when ever I planted anything in the ground. It was called "milorganite" and I know they used it a lot on ball fields and later read it caused cancer. (like what doesn't?!)
Lots of nitrogen and greened stuff up and helped plants' root systems get established in the sandy soil. Used a lot in laying new sod and it stunk for a couple days. Good $hit!