permaculture

[Marimike6@cs.com]

Kirby, Rita and everyone---

You're onto some really fertile ground here. Learn to safely treat blackwater (from human and animal wastes) and you'll not only gain irrigation water but valuable soil amendments in the form of stabilised and non-pathogenic sludge.

Unfortunately, sludge is a pretty deep science. It would be a good idea to learn how every municipality in America has already been doing it, since the Clean Water Act was passed in 1972. It's far from being a piece of cake ending up with a sludge that's even usable in your soil, being very much like performing a kitchen chemistry experiment. If there are any wastewater treatment courses available at your local community college it'll be worth your while to take one. Learn the basics.

Pathogenicity, for instance, is normally controlled by chlorination and subsequent dechlorination. Do without this step at your own risk-- hepatitis can be hardy stuff. High doses of UV also kill pathogens, if you can deal with the expense of a basic setup and electricity to run it.

You can grow algae for composting in ditches with a minimum of technology, but should have a look at the literature first before trying to reinvent the wheel. And you can, in fact, sequester the natural gas for use in generating electricity or burning for heat if you are willing to design a fairly elaborate, enclosed setup-- really a still. Normally, constraints of scale prohibit small installations unless you're able to find a package unit to buy and put in. Then you have a proven technology instead of an experiment cobbled together. Don't assume it's simple. Anyone sitting around a bar talking can show you how simple international politics is, for instance. To a working diplomat, it's not quite that easy.

Good luck. Study more. Come up with a way a small working farm can use its biogas and biosolids to good effect and you can patent it, sell it and grow rich teaching it to others. Don't scoff at this motive, either. If you don't do the selling, someone else will notice your discovery and do it for you.

Mike Elvin
Fuquay-Varina, NC

--- Begin Message ---

• From: John Irwin <jwirwin@permaculture.net>
• To: permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org
• Subject: Re: [permaculture] Industry and permaculture
• Date: Wed, 02 Oct 2002 11:24:04 -0400

Kirby, Rita, et al

This is a good idea. I wonder how this could
somehow avoid using disposable bottles.
Some stores around here are putting in
"fill your own container sites" for only
a quarter which Saves money and materials

John

Kirby Fry wrote:

> Hi Rita,
>
> How about collecting all of the rain water off of the roofs of the massive
> warehouses and assembly plants used by industry. Leases could be sold to
> entrepreneurs who would collect, treat and bottle the water on site. Maybe
> We can get California to put it into legislation.
>
> Richard Heiniken, here in Texas is one of the first in the state to bottle
> and sell rain water.
>
> Also, as has been mentioned, using animal manure in commercial methane gas
> digesters and steam powered generators. Same goes for land fills.
>
> One of the most interesting landscapes I see from the US Highway 290 is the
> grounds surrounding an industrial park. They've already done massive
> berming and ponding. With just a little more coaxing they could possibly
> install a perennial food system and / or some sort of waste water
> purification system such as in Beaumont, TX and Arcada, CA.
>
> Toxic sludges could be processed in specially designed wetlands where
> cattails other water plants would polish soils and waters before they were
> moved on. The plants often have to be harvested and incinerated and the ash
> disposed of as hazardous material. I believe the Tenessee Vally Authority
> was using wetlands to process mining tailings.
>
> Pc principles also apply for working conditions, distribution of wealth
> among the employees and the surrounding communities, and overall social
> accountability.
>
> Plenty more to discuss...
>
> Kirby Fry
>
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> permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org
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