Imagine using a big pile of organic waste to heat a hot tub! That’s exactly what we’re doing here. We’re also building a special toilet that uses the sun to turn waste into compost. Let’s dive into how this works and why it’s important.
Every year, humans produce a massive amount of waste—about 290 billion kilograms! Usually, we don’t think about where it goes. But in this project, we’re taking a closer look at how we can use our waste in a helpful way.
We’re creating a solar composting toilet that will turn waste into compost. This compost will help grow trees on the farm. The toilet uses the sun to heat the waste, and solar-powered fans remove moisture and heat. This process should keep it from smelling bad.
Composting is a natural process where bacteria break down organic material. This process releases heat, which we can use to warm our hot tub. By layering materials like manure, rotting vegetables, and straw, we create the perfect environment for bacteria to thrive.
Composting helps reduce waste in landfills, which can produce harmful methane gas. Instead, composting turns waste into a valuable resource that improves soil health. It also helps recycle important nutrients like phosphorus, which is essential for both plants and humans.
To build our compost pile, we layer materials rich in carbon, like wood and straw, with materials high in nitrogen, like organic waste and manure. This balance helps the bacteria produce heat efficiently. We also use a coiled copper tube to transfer the heat to the hot tub water.
It’s important to keep an eye on the compost temperature. If it gets too hot, we risk killing the beneficial microbes. By turning the pile, we can cool it down and add more oxygen, which helps prevent methane production and keeps the compost safe for use.
Composting not only reduces waste but also creates nutrient-rich soil that farmers and gardeners love. It helps recycle nutrients back into the environment, making it a sustainable practice.
After a few days, our compost pile heats the hot tub to a cozy temperature. It’s amazing to think that this warmth comes from decomposing food waste! Plus, the compost pile doesn’t smell, proving that waste can be transformed into something useful.
This project shows that waste isn’t really waste if we find a way to use it. By composting, we can turn something smelly into a valuable resource. It’s a great reminder to stop wasting waste and start seeing its potential.
Gather some organic materials like fruit peels, leaves, and grass clippings. Layer them in a small container to create your own mini compost pile. Observe how the materials break down over time and measure the temperature changes with a thermometer. This hands-on activity will help you understand the composting process and the heat it generates.
Using materials like cardboard, plastic bottles, and foil, create a model of a solar composting toilet. Think about how you can incorporate solar panels and fans to manage heat and moisture. Present your model to the class and explain how it would work to turn waste into compost.
Organize a relay race where teams compete to correctly sort and layer materials for a compost pile. Use colored paper or cards to represent different types of waste. This fun activity will reinforce your understanding of the carbon and nitrogen balance needed for effective composting.
Conduct an experiment to see how different materials affect compost temperature. Create several small compost piles with varying ratios of carbon to nitrogen materials. Measure and record the temperature of each pile over a week. Analyze which combination produces the most heat and discuss why.
Create a poster that highlights the environmental benefits of composting. Include facts about waste reduction, methane gas prevention, and nutrient recycling. Use drawings, diagrams, and bullet points to make your poster informative and visually appealing. Share your poster with the class to spread awareness about the importance of composting.
Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript, removing any explicit language and inappropriate references while maintaining the overall context:
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This is a large pile of organic material made from animal waste and our organic waste. We’re going to use it to heat this hot tub, and I’m building a toilet that will use the sun to compost our waste.
Both: This is “Shut It Off Asap.” All of this material right here is from the entire production over the last week, which is actually not that much because we’ve been trying really hard to have an eco-friendly production. But this episode, we are shutting off our waste, which means we don’t know where this is going to go. But it also means we don’t know what we’re going to be doing with the waste from our bodies.
It’s one of those things that you don’t often think about; your waste just kind of gets taken from you and dealt with, but this week, we’re going to be dealing with it. And this is honestly quite smelly. So we’re going to figure out a plan.
Humans create a lot of waste—290 billion kilograms every year. So I’m going to figure out how we’re going to harness that to create fertilizer.
We’re going to be building a solar composting toilet that will create compost that we’re going to use to grow trees on the farm.
I have decided to try and deal with our organic waste. My hope is to make a compost, which doesn’t sound that exciting, but my idea is to use the heat that comes from compost to heat a hot tub, so that after all of this, we can relax in a nice bath.
We have picked the hottest day to build this solar toilet that the farm will be using after this. The sun is going to be baking the waste. This little bit coming out of the back is where the waste will be, and it’s made with plastic that’s going to act like a greenhouse to heat it up. Then we’re going to have solar-powered fans that will take out the moisture and heat.
Will it smell? It’s not supposed to, in theory. But we shall see. I don’t want the solar toilet to be too far from our cabin, but since this is my first time building one, I also don’t want it to be too close to the cabin and have the smell coming right back into the living space.
I’m here with Dave, who works on the farm, and he’s going to help me with our composting mission to heat our hot tub.
So we’ve already pre-built this. Why are we using these on the bottom? The composting process is an aerobic process, so having oxygen in there is super important for the bacteria. If it goes anaerobic, you’ll know pretty much right away because it won’t smell very good.
In an anaerobic environment, bacteria produce byproducts that can be unpleasant and toxic. But with oxygen around, we get nicer byproducts. I think the first thing we’re going to have to do before we build the pile is put these T-posts in.
Do I need my hands here or– You don’t need your hands there now. It’s going to be pretty loud.
That looks pretty good. Can you see the bubble?
So we’ve got the frame of our structure up. We have to make sure it’s straight. Now we can put on the roof.
The flush toilet was invented in 1596. Up until that point, toilets varied from chamber pots to just holes in the ground. The city of Lothal around 2350 BC in Gujarat, India had houses with their own private toilets connected to a sewer network.
The toilet is almost finished, but still not ready for use, so for now, when nature calls, we just have to figure it out amongst the trees.
I’m going to fill this trough with water, and our goal is to get that water to 104 degrees Fahrenheit, or around 40 degrees Celsius, because that’s the perfect temperature for a hot tub. Our most important ingredient is our large pile of organic material.
This is going to be a source of heat and food for our bacteria that will break it down. Just like humans with food or cars with gas, the bacteria combine their fuel with oxygen in an exothermic reaction, meaning it releases energy.
We’re also going to throw in some of our organic waste that the crew and I have been making during this show, and anything that has lots of carbon and nitrogen to feed those bacteria so they make as much heat as possible.
So this solar toilet, there was nothing there, and now there’s a structure. All the real science and what actually has to happen with our waste comes next.
I’m here with Antonio, who taught me about solar toilets. We are actually going to be using our compost to plant trees on this farm. So why is our waste, which feels so unpleasant, good for trees?
In nature, there’s no such thing as waste. Everything is a closed cycle, so compost is really good because if you eat good food, then it’s loaded with nutrients.
So we’re essentially going to harvest that. We humans need phosphorus, too. It accounts for 1% of our body mass. It forms a scaffolding of our DNA.
Composting toilets are a way to recoup phosphorus, save the environment, and reduce the cost of food.
So what I always do is start with a layer of wood chips, so that there’s already something there.
After you have that, every time you go to the bathroom, all you have to do is cover it up with the wood chips, so you don’t see anything.
The sun comes in, heats everything up, especially if you paint it black, and because it’s airtight, that moisture goes in the air, and basically we’re going to vent that out with the solar-powered fans.
The compost becomes safer as you remove that moisture, and it doesn’t smell.
Now that the foundation and structure are in place for our hot tub build, we need to add a coiled copper tube to the mix. Copper is an excellent heat conductor, and a coiled pipe maximizes the surface area of the metal in contact with the hot compost and the water flowing through it on its way to the tub.
So this is not compost yet. It’s compost once it’s all broken down by our microbes. Our layers of compost ingredients consist of manure, rotting vegetables, and straw.
Around 17% of all food gets wasted every year, and only a tiny bit of it gets composted. Instead, most ends up in landfills where it produces huge amounts of methane gas, trapping heat in our atmosphere.
But our compost pile will minimize these negative effects. We’ll be layering our brown materials like wood and straw that have high levels of carbon between our green materials, like organic waste and manure that are rich in nitrogen, to give our microbes the best environment to thrive in.
Generally, what you’ll see is the temperature will spike in those first few days. The earthworms and other larger insects will vacate the pile because it gets too hot.
Once the microbes get to work, they’ll use this nitrogen and carbon for their own benefit, and in the process release heat, which we will capture in our coil at the center of the pile.
But we want to keep an eye on this temperature. If it goes too far above 65 degrees Celsius, we risk killing the beneficial microbes, at which point, we’ll need to mix or turn the pile.
This will cool it down and introduce more oxygen again, which helps avoid methane production. Those high temperatures also kill off any pathogens, making the compost safe to use even in home gardens.
If we build this pile all the way to the top, you could probably come back in about a week and it would be about half the size.
At the end of the decomposition process, the microbes ultimately create compost, which improves soil structure, pH, and nutrient content, and is prized by gardeners and farmers for growing crops and keeping soil healthy.
It’s messy, but I am having fun. I’m learning a lot, and just hoping I don’t have to get too much into the waste, but ultimately, we need it to make our compost.
Now we’re creating a greenhouse effect. So we want to put this clear plastic on the sides. The fans will help the flow of air go up to the roof.
Antonio’s great. He’s so knowledgeable and confident, and a great asset for us to understand how simple this solar toilet is as a way to deal with our waste.
Turning it into compost is so practical; it’s fascinating. This whole design relies on the sun for the fan, so what happens when it rains or it’s at night?
Because you add all those wood chips, it absorbs moisture, and then when the sun is out, it’s effective at extracting moisture.
The compost pile is taking shape, and we are getting closer to relaxing in our hot tub.
From the outside in, it definitely looks unappealing, but composting is something that we should do.
I’m wondering what you think the main advantage of composting is. We take a lot from the soil here and send a lot of it off-farm to people’s kitchens.
So what we dig from the soil, we need to put at least an equivalent amount back in. That makes sense because just the act of growing stuff is using those nutrients.
Once we’re finished adding our layers, the pile will be big enough to turn while avoiding damage to the copper coil at the center of the compost.
While I am exhausted and sweating, the whole process is really rewarding thus far, and that’s making me really excited.
So this is the farm’s new solar toilet! It’s amazing. I’m so glad we have this.
So if you must know what happens, you do your business, and then you’re done. You grab the sawdust and put it on top.
That’s really going to help decrease the amount of moisture and decrease the smell.
It’s never been used. It’s cool in here.
And then this solar-powered fan is going to be getting all the moisture out of this system. So it’s actually going to be dry and not even that smelly when you pull it out every 2 to 3 weeks.
It’ll take over a year before you can use it on trees and shrubs. Human waste needs to compost for at least one year before we can be confident the process has killed off the pathogens.
However, it’s perfectly safe for trees and shrubs.
So we can finally go to the washroom more comfortably because we’ve been running out into the woods.
After a few days of waiting, we are finally ready to enjoy our hot tub.
First of all, can you not feel heat radiating?
The thermometer in there is reading 150 degrees Fahrenheit, which is the internal temperature of our compost pile.
So we know the system is working.
Our goal was to get around 103, 104 Fahrenheit, which is around 40 degrees Celsius.
Oh, wow.
We haven’t been able to look since we insulated it, but I’m ready to open it and see.
Okay, will you help me?
Let’s see. Ooh! It’s warm.
That is higher than we actually were anticipating.
I cannot believe this is coming from the decomposition of our food.
And can you believe that that pile of compost doesn’t smell right behind us?
Amazing.
This whole experience with waste was a little smelly at times, but I think a lot of it is context.
You realize, is it really waste if it’s used in another way?
So what’s fascinating for me is that this toilet doesn’t use any water, and when it comes to our waste, we’ve evolved to be disgusted by it to stay safe.
But when there’s so much potential for it to be a fertilizer for plants and shrubs…
The hot tub is not the most practical version, but it was a really fun way to show a principle of untapped resources, so people can take their garbage and compost it.
The end result is this nutrient-rich compost that can be used to reintroduce nutrients back into our environment.
At the end of the day, we need to stop wasting waste.
This episode did make me realize that waste is beautiful.
It’s not really waste unless it’s in the wrong place.
I think it’s a great way to end.
To be so relaxed at the end of something that was so stressful.
In a hot tub, spa vibes with a pile of compost.
While people film us, which is so absurd.
It has been such a nice experience.
I could stay in here all night.
I can’t believe this build.
You guys can all go.
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This version maintains the essence of the original transcript while ensuring it is appropriate for all audiences.
Composting – The process of recycling organic waste, such as food scraps and leaves, into a rich soil amendment called compost. – Example sentence: Composting helps reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills and enriches the soil in our garden.
Waste – Materials that are no longer needed and are discarded, often referring to garbage or trash. – Example sentence: Reducing waste by recycling and reusing materials is important for protecting the environment.
Bacteria – Microscopic organisms that play a crucial role in breaking down organic matter and recycling nutrients in ecosystems. – Example sentence: Bacteria in the soil help decompose dead plants and animals, returning nutrients to the earth.
Nutrients – Substances that provide essential nourishment for growth and the maintenance of life. – Example sentence: Plants absorb nutrients from the soil, which are necessary for their growth and development.
Soil – The upper layer of earth in which plants grow, composed of organic matter, minerals, gases, liquids, and organisms. – Example sentence: Healthy soil is vital for agriculture because it provides the nutrients plants need to grow.
Organic – Relating to or derived from living matter, often used to describe natural substances or farming practices that avoid synthetic chemicals. – Example sentence: Organic farming uses natural methods to grow crops without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers.
Methane – A colorless, odorless gas that is a significant greenhouse gas and is produced by the decomposition of organic matter. – Example sentence: Methane emissions from landfills contribute to climate change, so reducing waste is important.
Environment – The natural world, including the air, water, and land, in which living organisms exist and interact. – Example sentence: Protecting the environment is crucial for the health and survival of all living things on Earth.
Heat – A form of energy that is transferred between objects with different temperatures, often affecting climate and weather patterns. – Example sentence: The heat from the sun warms the Earth’s surface, influencing weather and climate conditions.
Sustainable – Practices that meet current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs, often by conserving resources. – Example sentence: Using sustainable energy sources like solar and wind power helps protect the environment for future generations.
