Bread and pizza oven, composting toilets, worm farms
Workshop Leader: Joe Polaischer
- Address: Rainbow Valley Farm, 588 Matakana Valley Road, R.D. 5, Warkworth, New Zealand
Email: kana@rainbowvalleyfarm.co.nz/
Format: Slide show/talk
Summary
Introduction to practical ways of building and using compost toilets and pizza ovens Joe has over 40 years of experience of building these and gave information as to which systems and models would suit people’s different situations.
Key Points
* Flush toilets are extremely damaging to the environment-it wastes valuable fresh water and can contain artificial oestrogens (changing the sex of fish) and is a wasted resource that can be used to add nutrients to the soil.
* Models include a simple bucket and and sawdust with a hinged seat, carousel systems and vermicast-the latter being the system that Joe has found to be the most effective with least maintenance and emptying.
* Components of a vermicast system are the worms (They only need introducing once), a solar chimney, a slope and slaters (woodlice). Seats should be low enough for effective elimination.
* This system is effective in killing pathogens.
* Pizza ovens can be easily made from scrap materials and cost very little. Cob, driftwood, stones, willow, re-cycled fire bricks and mud can all be used. Waterproof models need a layer of cement plaster to finish them off and this is applied on to chicken wire to ensure a bond
* A thickness of 10-12 cm is needed to achieve sufficient thermal mass. They are very efficient with fuel. After cooking a pizza at a high temperature, allow to cool to 250 degrees c, add bread and shut door. After this fruit can be left in overnight to be dried.
* Further reading, The Humanure Handbook – Joseph Jenkins. http://Weblife.org/humanure/
[SCRIBE: Julie]