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YourCrap,OurCompost:TurningHumanFecesIntoFertileSoil|Alternet
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ENVIRONMENT

Your Crap, Our Compost:

Turning Human Feces Into
Fertile Soil
NanceKlehm,43yearoldurbanforagerandgrower,
transformshumanexcrementintonutritioussoilonebucket
atatime.
BySisiTang/InTheseTimes

August2,2009
COMMENTNOW!

Poop.
Agenerallyfecalphobicsocietyreactstothethoughtwithamixofsnickering
interestandfearfulaversion,alldispatchedinasingleflush.ButNanceKlehm,
43yearoldurbanforagerandgrower,transformshumanexcrementinto
nutritioussoilonebucketatatime.
KlehmsHumblePile,alocaldoityourselfhumanwastecompostingproject,
introducesabackyardalternativetothemachinechurning,powerdraining
wasteprocessingfacilitiestuckedawayinremotelocations.
Imnottreatingitchemically.Itrustmicroorganismstodoitforme,Klehm
says.
Inearly2008,Klehmsentlettersandhumoroussurveystohouseholdsinsix
Chicagoneighborhoods,callingonpotentialparticipantstohelptransform
wasteintofertility,pollutionintoresource,andisolationintoconnection.
WithnoneedforCompost101instruction,complexmachinery,electricityor
water,HumblePileaskedits22volunteernutrientlooperstooptfordry
bucketswithsnapontoiletseatswhennaturecalls.
TothesurpriseofLoraLode,whosehouseholdparticipatesinHumblePile,her
twoteenagechildrenKiraandCharliewerethemosteagertotakepartinthe
minimalistprocedure.Thefamilyoffourmaderoomforabucketinthe
bathroomandforstoragedrumsonthebackporchoftheirLoganSquare
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YourCrap,OurCompost:TurningHumanFecesIntoFertileSoil|Alternet

apartment.Iwasinterestedinthisasanexperiment,saysLode,whoworks
withartiststocombineart,activismandenvironmentalconcerns.Her19year
oldsonCharlieisnotputoff.IjustthinkthatifIdidnthaveahouse,thisis
whatIwoulddo,hesays.
Inplaceoftheroutineflush,Klehmsuppliesthenutrientlooperswithsawdust
tocoverstoolsaftereachdeposit,bothtodispelodorandtofacilitate
composting.
Inthesummerof2008,KlehmpersonallycollectedthefecesfromtheLodes
andotherhouseholdsandcompostedthematerialin32gallondrums,stored
atasecretlocationoutsidethecitysoastoavoidprosecutionforviolating
ordinancesonwastedisposalandstorage.Asanecologist,Idontexpect
lawtokeepupwithmeitsmoreimportanttogetthisdone,Klehmsays.
Naturedoesntseemtoheedlaweither:Shithappens,andthengoesthrough
atwoyearlongnaturalcompostingprocessthatburpsoutnitraterichsoilthat
smellslikewetbasement.ThesoilwillcyclebackintoChicagogardens,which
includea5,000squarefootgreenhouseatahomelessshelterandseveral
additionalgardensscatteredthroughoutthecity.
Imjustinterestedinpeopleunderstandingthattheirbodyisproducingsoilall
thetime,Klehmsays,andtheresnoreasonnottoreturnitbacktoearth.
AccordingtoKlehm,thelocallyproducedHumblePilecompostisasnutrient
richassludgefertilizerfrommunicipalsewageplants.Goodsoilissohardto
haveinthecity.Imconcernedaboutthestateofoursoiltheyreaffectingour
health,theyredepleted,ortheyrecontaminatedorpoisonous,Klehmsays.

DeemedafertilizerbytheEnvironmentalProtectionAgency(EPA),the
controversialsludgeisaconcoctionofeverythingthatgoesdownthedraina
heavymetalladenmedleyofindustrial,pharmaceuticalandhumanwaste.(In
anattemptatlinguisticdetoxification,theEPArenamedsewagesludge
biosolids.)
Klehmscompostingmethodhasanotherhome:anabandonedWorldWarII
eraU.S.airbase.InthesaltflatsalongtheNevadaandUtahborder,Klehm
andotherartistsandresearchersoftheautonomouslivingsystemCleanLivin
useurinedivertingdrytoiletsandacombinationofcompostingand
dehydrationtoprocesstheirwasteforlateragriculturaluse.
LongbeforeHumblePile,thewastetofertilizerprocesswasdiscovered
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5/15/2016

YourCrap,OurCompost:TurningHumanFecesIntoFertileSoil|Alternet

LEGAL

inadvertentlybyournomadic

ancestors,whoflungwasteontopiles

CUSTOMIZED
COVERAGE

thateventuallybecamefertilesoil.
Later,theSumeriansandRomans
hireddeliveryboystocarryfecesin
honeywagonstonearbyfieldsfor

GET IN

fertilization.TheChineseeven
commoditizednightsoilfrom
wealthierhouseholdsasavaluable

goodthefecesoftherichbeingmoreabundantinnutrientsduetotheir
betterdiets.
Butnow,justastheWesterncommodeismakingitswidespreaddebutin
China,KlehmisshowingatleasttwoU.S.communitiesthattheremaybea
betteroptionthanthewaterhungrymodernflushtoilet.Producingsoiland
fertilizerlocallyhelpsconserveenergyandwater,andwhereasthe
compositionofmunicipalsewagesludgeistoalargeextentamystery,what
goesintoKlehmsbucketsareparticipantsownwork.Whatsmore,Klehm
ensuresthatherDIYfertilizerissafebytestingitforE.colibacteria.
ForKlehm,HumblePileisnotanovelty.Ivebeendoingthisforfouryears,
shesays.Otherpeoplethinkitscrazy.Ijustacceptitasawayoflife.

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