Friday, July 4, 2008

Composting toilets

After yesterday's post I got to thinking about what else I could do to eco-pimp out any future property. I think I've got energy usage and generation covered, but I'd like to reduce my water usage for sure since it is expensive and scarce. I will install low flow/aerated faucets and showerheads, but I have been looking into composting toilets, especially this Swedish beauty. When I think about composting toilets I think about a bucket with a cover, but today's toilets are pretty sophisticated (and damn expensive). However, they are waterless, do not put any funk into our water supply and no longer stank. I've got a pretty sensitive nose though, but I'm not sure hardware stores will let you field test them. "Sir? Sir? What are you doing? You can't use that. Sir? Sir? That model is for display purposes only. Sir? Did you just back one out? Oh Jesus, that smells! Oh mother Mary of God!" Heh. You need to vent them to outside, need to hook them up to power so they can heat up the composting funk and you need to put mulch after doing the deed.

The big question is: would you use one? Let's say you're a guest in my eco-pimped home and you've got to go. Would you be too weirded out by a composting toilet? Most of the homes I'm looking at currently have two bathrooms so I would probably just change out the toilet for the master bathroom. When I'm home, I can do my thang in there, but guests have the option of using a more conventional toilet. Of course, if it does stink then I'm not sure I want it adjacent to my bedroom.

Hmm... I think I will plow through the list posted yesterday before considering one of these bad boys, but I want my home to be as self-sufficient as possible. You never know when the apocalypse will strike.

5 comments:

Unknown said...

This blog excerpt is hilarious. Funny mofo you are. I am intrigued by Composting toilets...at first, it just seemed to be an outhouse indoors with some composting capabilities. Now, they do seem to be a bit more sophisticated by your apparent research.

Jeremy said...

Yeah, they've come a long way. I first thought of a board with a hole in it above a bucket, but they look just like regular toilets except they don't flush.

A friend brought up a good point: what if your dooker doesn't go straight down and takes a more leisurely route? There isn't any water to clean up the skidmarks. Hmmm...I think there aren't any sides and that you crap into essentially a self-cleaning bucket.

Unfortunately, they run more than $1k. Too rich for my blood.

Unknown said...

That's an expensive throne to hold your byproducts. You might want to have gold-leafed, unbleached toilet paper to accompany the bourgeoisie bowel movement.

rly said...

intriguing.. yet disturbing!

Jeremy said...

Yeah, I'm not sure I want a composting toilet in my house. I could see installing one at a mountain cabin or a beach house, but in my main crib?