Seriously. This is probably better suited for the boys, but if you just pee in the grass in your backyard once a day instead of using the toilet, you save about 1-6 gallons of water every day, depending on the toilets you use. That's a savings of around 500 - 2000 gallons of water every year.
Urine is sterile and will not hurt your grass.
Just don't forget to wash your hands.
KUOPIO, Finland, Oct. 8 Finnish scientists have discovered an inexpensive, abundantly available, effective and undeniably organic crop fertilizer: human urine.
Although urine has been used as fertilizer since ancient times, its use is rare today. However, it has gained attention in some areas as farmers increasingly embrace organic production methods and try to reduce use of synthetic fertilizers.
The scientists noted urine from healthy individuals is virtually sterile, free of bacteria or viruses and naturally rich in nitrogen and other nutrients.
In the new study, University of Kuopio scientists Surendra Pradhan, Helvi Heinonen-Tanski and colleagues collected human urine from private homes and used it to fertilize cabbage crops. Then they compared the urine-fertilized crops with those grown using conventional industrial fertilizer and no fertilizer.
The analysis showed growth and biomass were slightly higher with urine than with conventional fertilizer. There was no difference in nutritional value of the cabbage.
"Our results show that human urine could be used as a fertilizer for cabbage and does not pose any significant hygienic threats or leave any distinctive flavor in food products," the scientists said.
The study is to be reported in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
Link: http://peeoutside.org/
Solution Type: Habit
Ghengis says :
My Creative Solution earned itself an article on Planet Green!
http://planetgreen.discovery.com/home-garden/pee-outdoors.html
Hahah, thanks for pitching me, Scott!
Posted 06/11/09 at 12:37 PM
larrylhall says : Check out www.peeoutside.org this group is trying to get people to pledge too. Seriously--bears, chipmunks, dogs, etc all pee outside. It makes sense.
Posted 07/31/08 at 06:41 PM
Veshengro says :
Ghengis,
Greetings...
You said: "Urine is sterile and will not hurt your grass."
I hate to be controversial but... while usine is regarded as sterile and even as and atiseptic it will harm lawn and other plant leaves for it is an acid and contains nitrates to boot.
As Skisson says, it does wreak havoc with lawn and other plant leaves. Just something to bear in mind.
The better idea is/would be to "pee" in a bottle, so to speak, say an old plastic milk container, and then add this natural fertilizer, for it contains nitrates. That being also the very reason that cabbagesgrow so well with that.
At the Center for Alternative Technology in Wales, I believe, the urinals of the gents toilets are directly linked to the sompost faclities, for adding urine to the compost bin acts as an agitator and makes for better compost.
Veshengro
Green (Living) Review
http://greenreview.blogspot.com
Posted 07/23/08 at 06:43 AM
skisoon says : There must be something in my urine that is different!! My favorite "city boy" past-time is to pee off the deck after dark (fenced backyard to a creek). For some reason those spots, where I pee, turn brown both in the wild strawberries and rye/bermuda grass. Urine may be a good fertilizer but it sure wrecks havoc on my lawn....
Posted 07/08/08 at 05:40 PM
Wolf says :
Of course no one should do this in public/broad daylight/on concrete etc.....public indecency is a crime....
There's also a great seen from The World's Fastest Indian, where Anthony Hopkins explains to the neighbor kid that the lemon tree loves pee. So be it.
Posted 06/10/08 at 02:54 AM
Mike says : Don't mind if I do.
Posted 06/03/08 at 08:44 PM
corrinacorrina says :
Women should not dismiss this proposal. I loved in the 'Successful Women Farmers' presentation at the Ecological Farming Conference, peeing outside was named in the top 10, along with computer sabbaticals, for a sane, happy life.
PS if you've got a full enough bladder, and it's a dark night, you can even pee standing up and aim, just like the other gender we know.
Posted 05/23/08 at 11:01 PM
greenprofit says : This one drives my wife crazy - thanks for vindicating me, Citizen Ghengis
Posted 02/28/08 at 06:50 PM
Boofyman says :
A posted comment made me do some research--just a Wikipedia look-up actually. I now don't have to feel guilty for adopting this wondeful (and convenient) suggestion. Urea ain't no poison.Its a fertilizer and urine poses no ingestable threat.
Posted 10/12/07 at 09:08 AM
BuildGreen says : KUOPIO, Finland, Oct. 8 Finnish scientists have discovered an inexpensive, abundantly available, effective and undeniably organic crop fertilizer: human urine.
Although urine has been used as fertilizer since ancient times, its use is rare today. However, it has gained attention in some areas as farmers increasingly embrace organic production methods and try to reduce use of synthetic fertilizers.
The scientists noted urine from healthy individuals is virtually sterile, free of bacteria or viruses and naturally rich in nitrogen and other nutrients.
In the new study, University of Kuopio scientists Surendra Pradhan, Helvi Heinonen-Tanski and colleagues collected human urine from private homes and used it to fertilize cabbage crops. Then they compared the urine-fertilized crops with those grown using conventional industrial fertilizer and no fertilizer.
The analysis showed growth and biomass were slightly higher with urine than with conventional fertilizer. There was no difference in nutritional value of the cabbage.
"Our results show that human urine could be used as a fertilizer for cabbage and does not pose any significant hygienic threats or leave any distinctive flavor in food products," the scientists said.
The study is to be reported in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
Posted 10/09/07 at 07:51 PM
Wolf says : also, people should refine this solution if they have older toilets with larger basins. Some toilets are even up to 6 gallons per flush. With this solution, that's alot of savings.
Posted 09/15/07 at 11:46 AM
Wolf says :
If you live alone or with tolerant friends/family you could also just not flush after the first pee. There's really no reason to always flush it the first time.
Hey Genghis, could you edit the solution to include money savings? Every flush that is saved yields cash in hand...
Posted 09/15/07 at 11:44 AM
BuildGreen says : In publlic, I recommend the "cellphone trick" - hold your cell phone to your ear and act as if you are in the middle of a deep and intellectual conversation, including loud aha's and any necessary expletives. with your free hand, non-chalantly prepare your equipment. begin to make hand gestures choreographed to your phone conversation as you begin to pee, as this distracts bystanders from your exposed situation. shuffle, pace, and move around to your ability as this also lessens the fact that you are publicly exposing yourself. I like to point in various directions while on the phone as if i'm giving directions. beginners will need to practice because a wet streak down your leg is a giveaway!
Posted 09/14/07 at 12:53 PM
argam says : I think it's actually good nutrition for the plants also. Americans have very high quantities of vitamins in our pee due to everything being highly fortified.
Posted 09/13/07 at 12:14 PM
Wolf says : I love this solution. I'm doing it always.
Posted 09/12/07 at 10:38 PM