The Future of Sustainable Sanitation, Agriculture, and Energy: Humanure Toilets and Biogas Digesters
Mirella Kades
Primary Content Advisor
Leyf Starling
Driving Questions
- How can humanure toilets and biogas digesters be used as a sustainable sanitation, agriculture, and energy solution?
- How can we generalize this system to achieve several of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals listed below?
- #2 Zero Hunger
- #3 Good Health and Well-Being
- #6 Clean Water and Sanitation
- #7 Affordable and Clean Energy
- #9 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
- #11 Sustainable Cities and Communities
- #12 Responsible Consumption and Production
- #13 Climate Action
- #15 Life on Land
Preliminary Resources and Activities
- I have been fascinated by and researching humanure toilets and biogas digesters for many years
- I am interested in how combining the use of humanure toilets with biogas digesters can create a sustainable and innovative system
- Throughout my research I have found no systems that combine the use of humanure toilets and biogas digesters
- I am interested in how combining the use of humanure toilets with biogas digesters can create a sustainable and innovative system
- I recently did a deep dive on this topic in my chemistry class as a passion project resulting in an infomercial promoting the system in podcast form (linked below)
Plan
- Research
- Review previous research
- Do additional research as needed
- Design
- Working through engineering design process
- Using what I learned in STEAM by Design, Intro to Engineering, and DARC SIDE
- Working through engineering design process
- Prototype
- Testing variables such as function and easy of use
- Ability to transport toilet contents
- Need to develop system for transport
- User interface
- Industry innovation and applying universal design principles
- Ability to transport toilet contents
- Testing variables such as function and easy of use
- Build
- Use & test
- Testing easy of use
- Testing how many usable products of the system are produced and the amount produced (biogas, compost, liquid fertilizer, etc.)
- Testing success criteria
Timeline
- First semester of senior year (2021-2022 school year) with the intention of extending the independent study to the second semester
Mechanism for Showing Progress
- Engineering notebook
- With audio clips, video, etc.
- OneNote Notebook
Expected Final Products
- Humanure toilet
- Biogas digester
- Demonstration of how to use the toilet and digester
- Demonstration of cooking with the biogas produced by the digester
Note
I have been planning this independent study since the end of my freshman year. Humanure toilets and biogas digesters have been a fascination of mine since middle school, and I have spent many hours exploring them. I first learned about these systems through my other fascination, tiny houses and sustainable living. I am extremely excited to be pursuing this project and would greatly appreciate any support.
Thank you for your time and consideration!
Jack Linger Explorer Grant
This independent study is supported by a Jack Linger Explorer Grant. Thank you to the Linger family for believing in my project!