I Compost, You Compost, We All Compost Together

I realize that I have not discussed the farm enough in detail. Our first official day on the farm, the Eco's met with Chaim to talk about the compost toilets. Since then every conversation revolves around them in some form. It really breaks down a lot of personal barriers.

I had some natural fears about using them before I came to the farm. There are about five compost toilets on the farm and two up near our domes. Some of them are made out of mud and straw and are beautifully decorated inside. The Eco toilets are less fancy, since the farm is not allowed to build any more permanent buildings. They are made out of vinyl and wood. They generally work like a normal toilet except there is no water. After each use, we dump a large handful of mulch into the bucket. It is amazing- there really is no smell. And we get to feel smug satisfaction about being so entrenched in this system. Once the buckets are full, we rotate them out and they sit for three months. After that, they are considered compost. However, the Israeli government does not allow the farm to use them on yerakot v perot. Instead we use it only on trees.

I am writing about the compost toilets first, since they embody the whole principle of the farm and permaculture. Nothing is wasted or no excess waste is created. It also strengthens our connection to the farm and local environment. It is such a small act and yet such a large one at the same time. When we go to Tel Aviv, flush toilets now inspire guilt instead of comfort.

Last week, I visited Anna's family in a Tel Aviv highrise building. Her cousin discussed at length the water problem in Israel. He told us about each family having a cap on water usage. Also each family will incur a heavy fee, if they exceed this cap. He finished with, "Well, what else can we do" I answered provocativey" "Compost Toilets." To which, he replied with a laugh, a weird face and immediately changed the subject. Yesterday, I took a shared sheroot from Afula (near where we were camping) to Tel Aviv. A Hasidic Jew from Great Britain sat next to me. Somehow, we got on an environmental conversation and he commented about how much water is wasted each time we flush. I told him excitedly about the compost toilets on the farm. It was such a random moment, but he was really into the conversation. The others on the sheroot, not so much. It was a moment that made me realize how easy it would be to make changes from flush to compost toilets. It is especially relevant in a country such as Israel where we are at the end of the dry season and the water problem is beyond clear.