Commodious

So my latest foray into permaculture has been very literal: DIY composting toilets. Being dismayed at commercial ones costing thousands of dollars, I as others have thought 'there has to be a better way!' Enter the good people from Humanure, who have simple commodes (and bin liners for the squeamish) and while other sites have DIY set ups that are like what you would see in old outhouses, except with the 5-gallon bucket beneath, and no smell!

These function with the simple expedient of adding a scoop of sawdust or similar fine organic matter over all. No water is necessary. When the bucket is 1/2- 2/3 full, you take it to your compost bin, make a little well in the compost, add the material, cover. Clean out the bucket with some white vinegar and a little soap. You can used the same kind of brush you would use with a toilet, a scrub brush or whatever works.

Easy peasy.

Now some of you might be grossed out by this, as with the boiling laundry idea, but it is really quite sanitary and odourless (unlike boiling men's dirty socks) and completely natural. If the simple processes are followed, and common cleanliness is observed (that means wash your hands and clean the seat and lid as you would any toilet) nature will do the rest with the waste matter, without disease, flies or other vermin.

Much cleaner and less bother than a traditional outhouse!