STEP INTO THE SHED
Let’s talk compost toilets, simple solar and off-grid stuff
Hi, I’m Martin and welcome to my website. I’ve gathered a lot of practical and theoretical knowledge on designing, using and maintaining simple compost toilets and have been tinkering with small-scale solar PV for quite a few years. This website will help you if you want to embark on a simple solar electricity or compost toilet journey of your own!
Turning human waste into a resource
I love this short video by the Rich Earth Institute in Vermount, USA. Their main focus is turning human urine into fertilizer. This pioneering work supports sustainable agriculture and protects vital water resources. But, they are not only looking at the science behind using human waste (pee and poo) as a fertiliser, but they’re taking…
What’s the best wood burning stove for cabins, sheds, tiny homes and small spaces?
When you start thinking about using a small space (shed, summerhouse, cabin, tiny home, caravan etc) throughout the year, it becomes obvious that having some way of heating the space will extend and enhance its usability. Heating becomes a necessity if you are living there throughout the winter! As we’re mainly dealing with off-grid scenarios…
Reducing Nitrates from urine with a Woodchip Bioreactor
Allowing small amounts of urine to be discharged into the ground, through a soak-away pit, is the usual way of dealing with the urine output from urine-diverting compost toilets. In the UK, specifically England and Wales, the Environment Agency, permits discharges to ground of up to 10 litres per day (with certain provisos) as part…
Black Dog Carpentry – Joe’s Cabin
I think I first came across the cabins and work of Black Dog Carpentry in 2012 or so. I was captivated by the unusual and often organic (non-boxy) style of the cabins. Black Dog Carpentry are a small collective of woodworkers and makers based in Devon, UK. They try to use homegrown timber and recycled…
Choosing the right size solar panel and battery
In my various roles, I have often been asked to help people choose the right size of solar panel and battery for a low power device (lights, compost toilet fans, USB chargers…). In many cases, it’s been to power the fan in an off-grid compost toilet (although my methods and maths applies to anything that…
The Night Soil Man
Night Soil, is untreated, uncomposted human excrement (aka raw poo). It was commonly used as a fertiliser on farms in the United Kingdom until around 60 years ago. It’s still used in some Eastern countries today, but comes with health risks as raw human faeces can be a vector of human to human disease transmission….