As We've Discussed, Shit isn't Waste... That Goes for Us, too

I've written before that the Arava desert, in which Lotan is situated, is an “extremely arid” desert. Needless to say water is a highly valuable resource. Flushing water down the toilet bowl is a ridiculous thing to do in this environment and as a result areas of the kibbutz utilize composting toilets to reduce water consumption.

Composting toilets convert human waste into organic compost and usable soil. Generally speaking, people don't use "humanure" (yes, it's a ridiculous term but I assume the opportunity was too good to pass up) as fertilizer or soil on annual garden plants. Not only is there a fundamental "icky" factor, but there are some potential health concerns as well. Instead it is used on trees and flowers.

I have seen a handful of composting toilets in my day and not all of them have been pleasant experiences. The Lotan composting toileting experience, however, is a dream.

Check it out, here is the bathroom building from the outside:

One of the FOUR stalls:

A close up:

The sink:

I am totally impressed with these babies. There is no god-I-hope-it-doesn’t-smell anxiety before I enter, it is fun (a handful of straw into the pot after you do your thing does the trick), and it’s good for the environment! Hats off to Lotan for making composting toilets respectable.
-Katie

Note: I apologize for back-to-back postings discussing shit. I will avoid all things fecal in my next installment.