givelove eco-sanitation

WHAT IS ECOLOGICAL SANITATION ?

Ecological Sanitation is a bold new approach to sanitation and resource management that recognizes the importance of recycling.

Eco-san is a low-cost management practice that enables the complete or partial recovery of nutrients found in common household waste such as greywater, food scraps, and human excreta (urine and feces).

Through a process of containment, sanitization, and recycling, these organic products can be re-used safely to rebuild soil, prevent pollution of water resources, and increase agricultural productivity.

There are many different approaches to eco-sanitation and different kinds of compost toilets, but all of these systems offer exciting alternatives for people living without any sanitation at all.

OUR SANITATION WORK IN HAITI ?

Most people don’t know that you can safely treat and recycle human urine and feces (Humanure) by composting it. Ecological Sanitation recognizes the value in recycling the valuable nutrients in all organic matter, and protecting scarce resources like water and soil.

GiveLove is working to promote eco-sanitation by providing training, technical support, and environmental education for Green Schools, and community-based composting projects throughout Haiti. Eco-sanitation can improve public health, clean the environment, create new jobs, and ensure dignity and safety for women and children by providing people with clean toilets.

While there are many approaches to eco-sanitation, GiveLove is focused on teaching Haitian people how to do thermophilic composting.

GiveLove established its first successful humanure compost project in Cite Soleil in May 2010, at one of the largest IDP camps in Port-au-Prince.
Thermophilic composting is a low-cost method to treat and recycle human excreta on-site without special equipment or extensive training. Using locally available construction supplies and organic cover materials (such as market scraps and agricultural refuse) we are able to establish community compost centers almost anywhere in Haiti. With our comprehensive training program, community compost workers can easily acquire the skills they need to safely manage these improved sanitation systems.

GiveLove established its first successful humanure compost project in Cite Soleil in May 2010, at one of the largest IDP camps in Port-au-Prince.

WHY IS ECO-SAN SO IMPORTANT ?

Eco-san requires a paradigm shift and radical new way of thinking about the interconnections between health, quality of life, and protecting the environment for future generations. Eco-san approaches encourage zero-waste, and a complete closure of nutrient loops.

Eco-san practitioners recognize that our natural resources soil and water need to be managed to ensure life on this planet.

Most of the worlds poor people do not have access to a proper toilet or affordable, clean drinking water. Open-defecation, and the use of plastic bags to collect excreta are common practices in many parts of the world. Water-based sanitation systems are too expensive to build, and clean water is becoming a scarce resource. Eco-san practitioners are working to develop low-cost sanitation alternatives for poor people to improve health, provide dignity, and prevent pollution of water resources.