Synopses & Reviews
Every day, each person urinates away enough nutrients to grow enough food to sustain one human being for a full day. In fact, most of the nutrients in domestic wastewater come from human urine--nutrients that end up in wastewater treatment plants, surface waters and groundwater. That's a lot of potential fertilizer discarded every day, yet growers continue to import and buy expensive commercial fertilizers. "Liquid Gold starts with a humorous look at the many ways urine has been used in the past. Tobacco leaves were soaked in young women's urine to make Cuban cigars, Native Americans made "Chinook olives" by dipping acorns in it, and it played a role in the cheese factories of Germany. Urine also has a long and colorful history as a remedy or antidote for a variety of maladies. Today, using urine (usually sterile in a healthy population) to fertilize plants is a scientifically proven solution. In Sweden, housing communities use special urine-diverting toilets to collect urine, treat it, and use it to amend soil that grows animal feed crops. For individuals and small property owners, Steinfeld shows multiple ways to use urine hygienically and productively for plant growth. Several advocates of urine diversion and their urine-fertilized gardens are profiled, showing that this practice is feasible, safe and cost-saving. Humorous drawings by Malcolm Wells "(The Earth-Sheltered Home and Architectural Birdhouses) throughout the book make this a must-read for every bathroom, a great resource for, and an enlightening problem-solver for environmental planners dealing with the nutrient pollution of our waters. "Liquid Gold is sure to be enjoyed by anyone who urinates.
Synopsis
Nitrogen pollution of lakes, rivers, and oceans by human urine is a growing problem. Liquid Gold shows how urine can safely be used to grow food, fuel, fiber, and beautiful landscapes while protecting the environment and providing free and safe fertilizer. Featuring a short history of urine useandmdash;from ritual to medicinal and even culinaryandmdash;and many whimsical illustrations, this great bathroom reader is an ideal gift for irreverent gardeners, homeowners, campers, environmentalists, and anyone who urinates.
Carol Steinfeld is a writer, urinal designer, and ecological wastewater consultant.
Malcolm Wells is a well-known illustrator and author specializing in underground architecture.
Synopsis
A humorous guide to fertilizing your plants for free!
About the Author
Carol Steinfeld is a writer, researcher, and program designer who specializes in ecological resource management solutions. She is the co-author of 3 books on wastewater management. As project director for Ecowaters, a nonprofit public information project, she conducts workshops worldwide. Malcolm Wells is a well-known illustrator, draftsman, lecturer, cartoonist, columnist and the author of several books. Trained as an architect, Mac has been a tireless promoter of earth-sheltered houses for over 40 years.