[MamaWrites]

I just learned about the sawdust toilet. Have you ever heard of it? What do you think?

[Alejandros Mommy]

Ewwwwwwwww! That's all I can say. Neat idea...but not one I'd do

[matthewsmom2]

I totally agree with lessly. I cant be that frugal...imagine cleaning that out or just taking it out....GROSS!!

[MamaWrites]

I think you just take out the bucket, dump it into the compost bin and rinse the bucket out with a hose. Sort of like changing a giant cat box!

[QueenAngie]

Just curious, much of the spinach crop and lettuce crop was contaminated with e. coli
from raw sewage used as fertilizer.

How would this fertilizer be any different? It is made from raw sewage also.

[mama2riley]

Eww no thanks! Changing the diaper pail is bad enough! lol

[floridamama]

No offense to anyone, this is just my take on it but....EEEWWW! You've got to be kidding?!

[siageah]

Now I am not a composting expert by any means but I believe that sewage or any waste used for fertilizer (farm manure, human, etc) is composted for quite a while in a very definite process. So chemical reactions occur during this composting period that turns it from raw sewage to fertilizer safe for crops. An e coli contamination occurs when, via a variety of means, raw sewage or waste comes into contact with crops.

As for the toilet, if I lived in the simple living manner, I'd do this in a second. I've read about people doing these before and just think the idea is fantastic. People also do this when they are living off of the grid for short periods of time, like the Burning Man Arts festival in Nevada each year and that sort of thing.

[MamaWrites]

Siageah,

How can I learn more about living off of the grid? It sounds fascinating.

[siageah]

I would start searching under homesteading and go from there. I don't really have a need to go off grid so I don't have a lot of bookmarks or such. But homesteading groups, simple living groups, solar power etc would be a good place to start.

Just a brief search brought up this:

http://www.homesteadtechnology.com/

Which looks like it is just a very, very brief overview of different tools available. Then you could go from there with whatever you find interesting. I'm sure there are Yahoo groups and the like as well.

This newsgroup:

misc.consumers.frugal-living used to have a lot of great posters who did some off grid living and recycling and reuse.