Make biosolids the #1 choice for fertilizer!

As humans wreck the planet more and more, their consciousness make them feel guilty and then ask themselves, “What can I do to help?” After asking this question they realize effort and time has to be put into any cause that helps the environment, and then truthfully turn away to feel indifferent on the matter. BUT WAIT!!! You the everyday person can help, in a big way with almost little or no effort at all and absolutely any time added to your already busy schedule. So what the plan? Well all you have to do is poo.

You may be scratching you’re heads thinking this is crazy but it’s true, your biosolids (human waste) is being used this very instance somewhere in the world as fertilizer. What how can this be possible you ask, well biosolids are being treated from sewage plants as sustainable agriculture fertilizer.

In regards to the matter, many people have many different opinions, so here are the pros and cons so you can come up with your own on the matter.

PROS
- Creates jobs
- It is a cost effective method of disposal
- Recycles versus filling landfills
- Reduces emissions from transportation to landfills
- Good free fertilizer
- Land reclamation
- It’s regulated according to EPA law 503
CONS
- Potential health hazard
- Effects irreversible
- Contamination resulting from accumulation of industrial waste
- Its true composition is unknown
- May contain hazardous chemicals
- Possibly transferable to crops
- Decreases property value
- Not sufficiently regulated
- Odor
(list form Lynchburg College)

My personal opinion on using our feces as fertilizer is that it’s a better option than using who knows what number of chemicals; by all means I say go for it. I see that the con list is slightly longer than the pros, but much of the cons can be invalidated. Our western perspective of thinking has made us associate human waste with nothing other than gross and gross. But in reality human waste can be useful such as diagnosing illnesses, and as you now know a better alternative to fertilizer. It is also cheaper because no one is paying to use the waste that we no longer want. All in all I think biosolids is the future of fertilizing in agriculture, and here’s how I’ll prove it.



Here's another example. An experiment was conducted in Vancouver Island. A certain number of trees were planted, and half used biosolids as fertilizer, while the other half used chemical based fertilizers. After 11 years, tree grew approximately the same diameter and height. Biosolids appear to be as effective as chemical fertilizers in promoting conifer growth on these nutrient-poor sites, but their effect is neither greater nor more prolonged.[1]

If biosolids have the same effect as chemical based fertilizers, why are we killing our planet for no reason? Not much can justify not using biosolids because if you think carefully many of the cons on the list have strong counter defenses. Humans just need to get over themselves, and just do what’s best for the environment, their home. Will be selfish, depriving the earth of essential needs, or be stewards of the earth as God intended, nuturing the planet? Only the near future will tell.

Works Cited:
1)"Ingentaconnect Eleven-year Growth Response of Young Conifers to Biosolids or Nit..." Ingentaconnect Home. Canadian Journal of Forest Research. Web. 01 June 2011. .
2)"BIOSOLIDS: Fertilizer or Pollution?" Lynchburg College, Apr. 2006. Web. 1 June 2011. . 3)"Sewage Biosolids: A Valuable Nutrient Source." Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs / Ministère De L'Agriculture, De L'Alimentation Et Des Affaires Rurales. Web. 01 June 2011. .
4)"Frequently Asked Questions Sewage Sludge (Biosolids) US EPA." Index Water US EPA. Web. 01 June 2011. cfm="">.

Video:

1)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjxcFu_HSR8

Image:

1) http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--x23K2p-ZrM/TcGwy7x844I/AAAAAAAAALE/WnatlgILzU8/s1600/use-organic-fertilizer.jpg

Blogs commmented on:

1)http://natashasbioblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/give-poop-i-mean-bio-solids-chance.html

2)http://jessy3149.blogspot.com/2011/03/human-waste-as-fertilizer.html

Hold it! Stop and think for a minute about the food you're about to eat.

Freeze! Do you know how that shiny red apple you're about to sink your teeth into came to be? A few of us may have some knowledge to exactly how that apple or any food product was created, but many us are still in the dark concerning this topic.

There are two types of farming, industrial and sustainable agriculture, both with its own pros and cons.

Industrial agriculture is devastating our land, water, and air, and is now threatening the sustainability of the planet. Its massive chemical and biological inputs such as pesticides cause environmental havoc as well as human disease and death. Industrial agriculture is defined as a form of modern farming where a combination of genetic formula and chemicals are used to produce large amounts of food. There are four features of industrial agriculture:

1. Monoculture- Monoculture is the procedure of growing a single crop year after year. It reduces the production costs significantly and results in the farmers earning a higher profit.
2. Pest prone- Industrial agriculture has a tendency to get attacked by pests and weeds. Pesticides and other chemicals are heavily relied on to get rid of them. For similar reasons, a huge amount of fertilizers is also required.
3. Unhealthy livestock- Industrial agriculture is practiced over large rich lands. This needs a huge amount of livestock also. Often the livestock are kept in filthy conditions, making them susceptible of diseases. Animals such as chickens, cows, and pigs are well known examples of this. In many cases the conditions that these animals live in before slaughter are considered abusive. Do you want that on your conscience while eating a burger?
4. Practiced frequently- In United States for example, almost all major crops are grown under industrial agriculture.

The advantages are that large amounts of food can be produced for cheap. I am strongly against industrial agriculture, so here is a video to show you why with some of the disadvantages in detail:

Now to the better of the two farming methods in my opinion, sustainable agriculture. Sustainable agriculture is a system of farming that conserves natural resources, environmental damage, while still producing profits. Sustainable agriculture is designed to take maximum advantage of existing soil nutrient and water cycles, and natural pest controls. The goal is to produce food that is nutritious and not contaminated by anything that will harm humans health. Two main disadvantages are that the there is a high initial investment to be made, and the second is that the process is much longer than industrial agriculture.

In my personal opinion there isn't even a second of hesitation in concerns to which is the better farming system. The obvious choice for me is sustainable agriculture. I know the population of our home earth is increasing, but like every growing family, who wants to feed their family second best? No one, especially not when a healthier option is available that is also environmentally friendly. Like a lot of things in life, we don't always want or know what's best for us. What's best for us is sustainable agriculture.I think the extra money invested at the beginning of the process and the longer waiting period will always be worth it. When it comes to our planet and the begins living on it, sustainable agriculture is the only path to our future.

Commented on the following blogs:
http://biologyisnotbohring.blogspot.com/2011/02/industrial-agriculture-sacrifice.html%20http://angelasbioblog.blogspot.com/2011/01/healthy-happy-world-vs-manure-in-your.html

Information Sources: http://www.alternet.org/story/13900/
http://www.economywatch.com/agriculture/types/industrial.html http://knol.google.com/k/effects-of-industrial-agriculture-of-crops-on-water-and-soil
http://www.alternet.org/story/13900/ http://eap.mcgill.ca/sustain.htm
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_the_disadvantage_of_sustainable_agriculture

Image Sources:
http://www.greenpeacecorps.org/images/industrial_agriculture.jpg
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghlyrM_AD6-IdbiEKUSZbqLsLTJVoGRzztwLg0dOZFRjvex5H4w5jpBvIS_0VoWAiXBlhl2p0Nl-Mn-ZGh1kiOczZb2GdXNPXoSeyYP62Wu0_T3ViSwEEzrSl6cmTqRDHKFI4GzllhCr2s/s1600/dairycows.jpg http://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~farmtour/images/venn.gif

Video Source:
http://video.answers.com/the-disadvantages-of-industrial-agriculture-516923313