This nifty device made in Sweden allows avid farmers to create their own fertilizer!
Urine has been getting a lot of attention recently. Though most city dwellers are opposed to a quick public wee, urine is so powerful it can be used to energize fuel cells and as fertilizer.
Small scale farmers or gardeners who want to eschew expensive fertilizers have a more natural option. And thanks to a Swedish company called Guldkannan (Gold Can), a neat technology that makes their own urine easy to capture.
World War I chamber pots in Britain had the Kaiser’s face on the inside, according to Wikipedia, giving users extra satisfaction. Modern users of a sturdy green potty will give the satisfaction of creating a DIY fertilizer.
Even the Washington Post acknowledges that urine is safe, and that its high content provides crops the nutrients it needs (and some!) Plus, saving urine rather than flushing it down the toilet could have the benefit of saving water.
In the Middle East, where water is one of the most precious commodities, this could be a real boon.
Users in our region may not be able to purchase the chamber pots unless they have Swedish cousins, but the idea can’t be terribly difficult to replicate.
It is important that the watering can is sturdy enough to carry even the heavy users (Guldkannan’s piss pot can accommodate up to 150 kilograms and holds 10 liters!)
And it should be well sealed so that neither the nitrogen nor the odors infiltrate the home.
Also, if innovative farmers find their own way to capture and use their urine, they should dilute it with water first. More power to the pee!
Website: www.guldkannan.se
Contact: [email protected]
:: Springwise
More on the green power of pee:
How green is a quick wee in public?
Is the UAE ready to drink recycled cow urine?
Your pee could power Ecobot III
Author: Tafline Laylin
As a tour leader who led “eco-friendly” camping trips throughout North America, Tafline soon realized that she was instead leaving behind a trail of gas fumes, plastic bottles and Pringles. In fact, wherever she traveled – whether it was Viet Nam or South Africa or England – it became clear how inefficiently the mandate to re-think our consumer culture is reaching the general public. Born in Iran, raised in South Africa and the United States, she currently splits her time between Africa and the Middle East. Tafline can be reached at tafline (at) greenprophet (dot) com.
I once planted geraniums in an old toilet…looked a little strange, sitting there in my garden, I have to say. But it was a perfect plant container – came with its own drainage and everything. 🙂