Links to Other Ecological Design Resources
Links to all manner of ecological design resources elsewhere on the web, as well as suppliers and references.
Caution: While most of the resources cited here are excellent, these
listings have not been screened.
Note: any time you see a "©" in an e mail it really means"@"—this change was done to foil automated spambots which glean e mail addresses from the web.
Ecological design
- Bill Wilson Environmental Planning & Design - Wastewater planning, equipment, gray water and water recycling systems, stormwater planning, BMP's, water harvesting, Orenco systems and ECS systems, evapotranspiration and sensitive environment applications, code approved, nation-wide. Also work in the Caribbean and South Pacific, Mexico, and Peru. (310) 441 3861
- Jeff Nighman. Edible landscaping, irrigation, greywater systems. Southern California. 805 965-4839.
- Meg West Design Ecological Landscape design
-
Recommended reading:
Green Building
- Cob Cottage Company —Suggest you purchase the "Hand Sculpted House" and attend one of Ianto's life-changing workshops.
- Green Builder Directory
- Firespeaking - Natural Building, Wood-Fired Ovens, Masonry Heaters. Design-build, workshops, educational materials, on-line resources.
- City Farmer - Canada's Office of Urban Agriculture
- Home Power Magazine-the hands-on journal of homemade power
- Ferrocement.net
- Oikos: Green Building Source - Green building product directory, books and information.
- Creative Energy Technologies-Solar Equipment
- ReSource Institute for Low Entropy Systems-Sustainable Development.
- Long Branch Environmental Education Center, Inc.
- US DOE-Commercial High Performance Buildings project
- Green Building Resource Center
- Dirtcheapbuilder.com-Books on building
- Greenbuilder.com-Sustainable Building Sources
- Green Home Building - A website devoted to alternative building and sustainable architecture resources.
- Self Build - Portal for self-built house information.
- Environmental House Plan - An architect-created house plan, designed from the ground up for energy conservation and efficiency.
- Meta-Efficient - A Guide to the Most Efficient Things in the World. Reviews of efficient products and techniques.
- Environmental Alternatives - Lots of information on making your lifestyle more environmentally sensitive. Discusses alternatives for waste management, power generation, water use, income generation, transportation, and more.
- House Alive -Workshops in Cob, Natural Building, Natural Design, and Appropriate Technology
- Ferrocement.com- Wealth of information, books, and photos on ferrocement construction
- Tumbleweed Tiny House Company- Tiny houses from 40 square feet, house plans, books, workshops on small house design
-
Recommended reading:
The Hand-Sculpted House: A Philosophical and Practical Guide to Building a Cob Cottage (Amazon)
Rocket Mass Heaters: Superefficient Woodstoves You Can Build (and Snuggle u2p to) from the Cob Cottage Company, the only super efficient, low emission woodstove you can build yourself.
Books by Dan Chiras The Natural House, The Solar House, The New Ecological Home, The Natural Plaster Book, Superbia...Dan does consulting and speaking as well.
Water Supply
- Ground Water Science - Information and links on ground water, maintenance of ground water systems, and related topics.
Rainwater Harvesting
- Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands (book by Brad Lancaster)- How to turn water scarcity into water abundance by creating an integrated, multi-functional, water-harvesting plan specific to your site and needs—by Brad Lancaster
- Water Storage-book- A do-it-yourself guide to designing, building, and maintaining your water tank, cistern or pond, and sustainably managing groundwater storage. Includes building instructions for ferrocement water tanks.
- HarvestingRainwater.com - Rainwater Harvesting and ecological design information from Brad Lancaster
- SkyJuice - rainwater harvesting and drip irrigation systems for resident and commercial use.
- Rainwater Harvesting Guide - Discussion of rainwater harvesting, recycling and reuse.
- FAQ question about contaminants washed off roof by rainwater.
- RainHarvest Systems - "the largest and most complete inventory" of rainwater harvest systems. Also related resources, books, education.
Agriculture/Permaculture
- Permaculture Activist - home of the quarterly Permaculture Activist Magazine, plus online articles, videos, a catalog of books, and a Planetary Permaculture Directory. PO Box 5516, Bloomington, IN 47407 USA 812-335-0383. info{at}permacultureactivist.net.
- City Farmer - Canada's Office of Urban Agriculture
- Permanent Publications - Permaculture Magazine; solutions for a sustainable future (England)
- Mother Earth News - Guide to living wisely. How-to stories about renewable energy, homes, health and organics.
- Regenerative Design Institute - Non-profit educational org. in Bolinas, CA that focuses on hands-on skills development.
- Permies.com--lots of permaculture forums and discussion, including many discussions on content on oasisdesign.net
Toilet resources
ReSource Institute for Low Entropy Systems - composting toilet oriented NGO
Toiletology 101: A Complete Course in Toilet Repairs
City farmer on Composting Toilets
How to Build a Septic System - How to build a septic system yourself; details and tricks of the trade.
- A Guide to the Development of On-Site Sanitation
Franceys, et. al., World Health Organization, Geneva.
Focuses on third world conditions. - Appropriate Technology for Water Supply and Sanitation-Low Cost Options
for Sanitation, A State of the Art Review and Annotated Bibliography
World Bank, Transportation and Water Department, 1818 H Street NW, Washington DC 20433.
Focuses mainly on third world conditions - Cadillac Desert
Mark Reisner. Viking Penguin Inc., New York, NY 1986. Exceedingly well researched analysis of the history of western water. - Compost, fertilizer, and biogas production from human and farm wastes
in the People's Republic of China
(Hard to Find) - Design Manual; Constructed Wetlands for Municipal Wastewater Treatment,
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development. 1988. Center for Environmental Research Information, Cincinnati, OH 45268. - Excreta Disposal for Rural Areas and Small Communities.
Wagner, E. and J. Laniox. 1958 (reprinted 1971). Monograph #39, The World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland. Information and diagrams about the effectiveness of soils for containing and processing nutrient and pathogen contamination from human feces, as well as other technologies. - Fertile Waste; The green way to deal with domestic sewage
By treating your own sewage you can feed plants and soil, reclaim otherwise lost nutrients, and save water. Explains how a composting toilet works, describes different kinds, and how to make your own. Examples from many tried and proven designs. Also covers greywater, septic tanks, and how to best deal with other waste waters. $12 - Future Fertility Transforming Human Waste Into Human Wealth
by John Beeby, Bountiful Gardens, 18001 Shafer Ranch Road, Willits CA 95490 - 9626 USA. 1995 164 pages $18.50 plus shipping
"Despite all of the knowledge humankind has accumulated in the past 10,000 years, we still do not know fully how to use our urine and manure to fertilize our farmlands in a way that is simple and efficient, will not spread disease, and will benefit the soil. This knowledge is increasingly important as soils continue to lose the minerals and organic matter they need to remain fertile. Discovering how to utilize our waste as fertilizer is the challenge we must meet if our farmlands are to continue to provide us with food." - Goodbye to the Flush Toilet: Water-Saving Alternatives to Cesspools,
Septic Tanks, and Sewers
Carol Hupping Stoner, editor. Rodale Press, 1977. - Green Land, Clean Streams; The Beneficial use of Waste Water Through
Land Treatment
From page 176, ", Daniel J. Elazar, 1972. Center for the Study of Federalism, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA. 19103. 215 204-1480. An analysis of large scale land treatment facilities. Currently out of print, but photocopies are available. Summary table of treatment effectiveness, which is amazingly high, even for overland flow. - Guidelines for the safe use of wastewater and excreta in agriculture
and aquaculture : measures for public health protection
D. Duncan Mara
(Hard to Find) - How to Shit in the Woods
Kathleen Myer has a second edition out with much new material, especially regarding new river-running equipment. From Ten Speed Press, Berkeley, CA - National Small Flows Clearinghouse
West Virginia University, P.O. Box 6064, Morgantown, WV 26506-6064. 800 624-8301. Clearinghouse with a wealth of information on water treatment. - On-Site Stormwater Management: Applications for Landscape and Engineering
Ferguson, Bruce K., Thomas N. Debo. 2nd Edition, Van Nostrand Reinhold 1989. - Rainwater Harvesting; The Collection of Rainfall and Run-off in Rural
Areas
Arnold Pacey. Intermediate Technology Publications, London 1986. - Residential Water Reuse
Milne, Murray. 1979. . California Water Resources Center, University of California at Davis, report #46. Regents of the University of California. A 550 page, highly readable gold mine of fascinating information and history of water reuse. Includes 50 page annotated bibliography. Out of print but available from NTIS 5285 Port Royal Rd., Springfield, VA 22161. - The Humanure Handbook
A Guide To Composting Human Manure (Emphasizing Minimum Technology and Maximum Hygienic Safety)
by J.C. Jenkins
Chelsea Green Publishing Co.
Tel: (802) 295-6300
1994, (198 pgs.)
http://www.jenkinspublishing.com - The Toilet Papers; Recycling Waste and Conserving Water
Sim Van Der Ryn. Available from Chelsea Green, Tel: (800) 639-4099 - The Waste of Nations : Alternative Sources of Organic Fertilizers : Global
Prospects for Recycling Human Waste in Agriculture
Lattee A. Fahm / Published 1980
(Hard to Find)
Composting toilet suppliers
Add your company to our list of composting toilet suppliers
- Technisch buro HAMAR ecosanitair - Manufacture compact composting toilets for home & camping (Netherlands).
- Sun-Mar Corp. - Composting toilets for cottage, cabin, and rural residential applications. (Canada)
- Enviro Options (PTY) Ltd - Enviro Loo composting toilet. I hear these are very good. (South Africa)
- Gough Hybrid Flush/ Composting toilets -Molder of hybrid flush/ composting toilets (Australia)
- BioLet - self-contained composting toilets since 1972.
- BIO WC - Portable composting toilets.
- Air Head Environmental Toilets for boats- highly recommended by one of our readers.
AlasCan Toilet System
David Kern
3498 St.Al bans Road
Cleveland Heights, OH 44121
USA
Tel: (216) 382-4151
e-mail: Drewid©star21.com
15 minute video about the system available for $15 US, includes shipping &
handling.
From AlasCan: The AlasCan Composting Toilet and Greywater Treatment System
is a 15 year proven economic and environmental alternative to septic and sewer
wastewater treatment technologies with over 100 systems installed in Alaska
alone. It conserves water by 40 - 95% and provides for sustainable developments.
Aquatron International AB
Box 2086
SE-194 02 Upplands VÇsby, Sweden
Tel: +468 590 304 50
Fax: +468 590 304 94
e-mail: info©aquatron.se
http://www.aquatron.se
Contacts: Rolf Kornemark or Torgny Sundin.
From Aquatron: The biological toilet system Aquatron is a composting toilet
utilizing ordinary Water Closets. Aquatron Systems combine the comfort and hygiene
of a WC system with the ecological and environmental characteristics of a bio-degrading
toilet system. Our six Aquatron standard systems operate by using just the momentum
of the flushing water, centrifugal force and gravity. Therefore, neither chemicals
nor moving parts are needed in the separation and composting processes.
Bio-Sun Systems, Inc.
RR#2 Box 134A
Millerton, PA 16936
USA
e-mail: bio-sun©ix.netcom.com
Tel: (800) 847-8840
Fax: (717) 537-6200
Bio Services Ltd. (trading as BIOLOO)
4 Westminster Drive
Rotorua, New Zealand
Tel: 07 345 7778
Fax: 07 345 3331
e-mail: vanb©wave.co.nz
Contact: Mike Van Bennekom. Makers of single-dwelling and commercial size (50-80
people per day) composting toilets based on the continuous process Clivus design.
Also makers of greywater systems, low-end and high-end options. Continuous research
and development. Have been in operation 8 years.
Clivus Multrum, Inc.
15 Union Street
Lawrence, MA 01840
USA
Tel: (800) 425-4887 (800-4-CLIVUS)
Tel: (978) 725 5591
Fax: (978) 557-9658
e-mail: : forinfo©clivusmultrum.com
http://www.clivusmultrum.com
US Distributor of Clivus Multrum composting toilets, a proven technology from
Sweden. Also a supplier of infiltration bed greywater systems and information.
Infiltration bed, greenhouse and freeze switch designs are courtesy of Carl
Lindstrom.
Clivus Multrum Canada Ltd.
PO Box 3212, Winnipeg
Man R3C 4E7
Canada
Clivus/ British Columbia, Canada
Composting Toilets Western
J. Rockandel, Tel/Fax: (604) 533-5207, Langley
R.C. Tapp Tel: (604) 926-3748,W. Vancouver
Clivus/Hanson Associates
Lewis Mill
3205 Poffenberger
Jefferson, MD 21755
USA
Tel: (301) 371-9172
Fax: (301) 371-9644
Contact: John Hanson. Rep for Clivus Composting Toilet. Source for greywater
systems. Leaching chamber and box trough designs are thanks to John Hanson.
"CTS" Toilet Composting Toilet Systems
PO Box 1928
Newport, WA 99156-1928
USA
Tel: (509) 447-3708
Fax: (509) 447-3708 or 447-3753
e-mail: joel©povn.com
5 models offered with NSF International listing
DOWMUS Composting Toilets
PO Box 323 Cooroy
Queensland 4563
Australia
Contact: David Campbell
e-mail: djrcamp©peg.apc.org
Tel: (074) 476 342
Mobile: 018 711 438
Fax: (074) 425 228
International telephone: 61 74 476 342
Ecosphere Technologies
28 place Docteur Bourdongie
26110 NYONS
FRANCE
Tel: +33.4.75 26 10 44
Sanivertes, Saniblanches composting toilets.
ECOS/Water Conservation Systems
152 Commonwealth Ave.,
Concord, MA 01742
USA
Tel: (508) 369-3951
Fax: (508) 369-2484
e-mail: watercon©igc.apc.org
EKOLET Composting Toilets
Estetie 3, 00430
HELSINKI, FINLAND
Tel: 358 40 5464775
Fax: 358 9 5635056
e-mail: ekolet©ekolet.com
http://www.ekolet.com
Contact: Matti Yl?joki
EKOLET Distributor in Sweden:
Ekosanic Scandinavia
Box 620
S-135 26 Tyresö
Sweden
Tel: +468-745 06 30
Fax: +468-777 45 07
e-mail: m-20071©mailbox.swipnet.se
Contact: Rickard Forsman
Enviro Loo
PO Box 27356
Benrose, 2094
South Africa
Tel: 011 618-1350
Fax: 618 1838
http://www.eloo.co.za/
Makes best composting toilets in the world, according to one source.
Envirolet Composting Toilet
Sancor Industries Ltd.
140 - 30 Milner Ave.
Scarborough, Ontario M1S 3R3
Canada
Geoflow
200 Gate 5 Road #101
Sausalito, CA 94965
USA
Tel: (800) 828-3388
Fax: (415) 331-0167.
Contact: Rodney Ruskin. Their premium underground drip irrigation tubing is
impregnated with herbicide to keep roots out and has a good reliability record.
H2YDROSAVE
Wastewater Management Systems Pty Ltd
c/o Ron Bishop
PO Box 231 Caloundra
Queensland 4551
Australia
Tel: (074) 911 422
The H2YDROSAVE is a fully automatic greywater system for flushing toilets. Cost
$1,600.
Homestead Enterprises
17366 E. Meadow Lane
Mayer, AZ 86333-4119
USA
Tel: (800) 292-5342.
Contact: Anton. According to their literature, makes "cycle tank"
system that filters and chlorinates greywater to reuse for flushing toilets.
Jade Mountain
717 Poplar Ave.
Boulder, CO 80304
USA
Tel: (800) 442-1972 orders
Tel: (303) 449-6601 technical info
Fax: (303) 449-8266
e-mail: jade-mtn©indra.com
http://www.jademountain.com
Mail order source composting toilets, greywater systems and parts.
LUONTO-LAITE OY
17740 KASINIEMI
FINLAND
Tel: +358.19 68 133
Naturam composting and urine separating toilets.
Marfor Co.
PO Box 2793
Dublin, CA 94568
USA
Tel: (510) 829-4390
Fax: (510) 828-8989
Contact: Ken E. Anderson. Makers of "Eco-Chambers."
Merus Milleu France
Mont™ou Route de Grasse
BP 32
83830 FIGANIERES
France
Tel: +33.4.94679767
Merus composting toilets (electric).
Nature-Loo
Savannah Environmental Pty. Ltd.
PO Box 156 Toogoolawah
Queensland 4313
Australia
Tel: (07) 5423 0200
Fax: (07) 5423 0211
e-mail: info©nature-loo.com.au
http://www.nature-loo.com.au
Australian company specializing in composting toilet technology.
Netafim
3025 E. Hamilton
Fresno, CA 93721
USA
Tel: (209) 498-6880
Fax: (209) 442-3119
Manufacturers of subsurface drip tubing which uses a mechanical barrier against
root intrusion. Though not as root-resistant as GeoFlow, it is herbicide-free.
Orenco Systems
814 Airway Avenue
Sutherlin, OR 97479-9012
USA
Tel: (541) 459-4449
Fax: (541) 459-2884
Contact: Harold Ball. Makers of sand filter septic systems, sells components,
puts on seminars. Well established, experienced.
"Phoenix" Composting Toilet
Advanced Composting Systems
195 Meadows Road
Whitefish, MT 59937
USA
Tel: (406) 862-3854
Fax: (406) 862-3855
The Resource Institute
179 Boylston Street, 4th Floor
Jamaica Plain
Boston, MA 02130
USA
Tel: (617) 524 7258
Fax: (617) 522 0690
e-mail: resource©riles.org
http://www.riles.org
Rota-Loo
Buzz Burrows, General Manager
Environment Equipment Pty Ltd.
PO Box 988 Braeside
Victoria 3195
Australia
Tel: +61 3 9587 2447
Fax: +61 3 9587 5622
Mobile: +61 04 1611 9243
e-mail: buzz.burrows©rotaloo.com
http://www.rotaloo.com
Servator Separett AB
Skinnebo
330 10 Bredaryd
Sweden
Tel: +46 371-712-20
Fax: +46 371-712-60
jorgen©separett.com
http://www.separett.com
Contact: Jorgen Bang. Manufacturer of composting/urine separating toilets. In
business for 25 years.
Servator distributor in Ireland/GB:
Robert Forrester
The Old Rectory
Easkey, Co. Sligo
Rep. of Ireland
Tel: +353 96 49181
e-mail: adlib©tinet.ie
Sun Mar Composting Toilet
Sun-Mar Corporation
5370 South Service Road, C-9
Burlington, Ontario L7L 5V2
Canada
http://www.sun-mar.com
Sun-Mar Distributor:
Mountain Lion Distributing
2404 North Columbus Street
Spokane, WA 99207-2126
USA
Tel: (509) 487-0765
Tel: (888) 4-SUN-MAR
Fax: (810) 283-5005
e-mail: sunmar©mtlion.com
http://mtlion.com/sunmar/
Sunergy Systems Ltd.
Box 70
Cremona, Alberta T0M 0R0
Canada
Tel/Fax: (403) 637-3973
Sunergy Systems Ltd.
British Columbia Office
2945 Haliday Crescent
Nanaimo, BC V9T 1B2
Canada
Tel: (250) 751-0053
Fax: (250) 751-0063
Sustainable Strategies
PO Box 1313
50 Beharrell Street
Concord, MA 01742-2973
USA
Tel: (978) 369-9440
Fax: (978) 369-2484
e-mail: sustainable©aics.net
http://www.ecological-engineering.com
Contact: David Del Porto
Source for a detailed catalog of a wide variety of composting toilets and greywater
systems.
Distributor for VERA/Eco-Tech Carousel, manufactured in Norway and now in Concord,
Massachusetts.
Water Recycler
1973 Cordilleras Road
Redwood City, CA 94062
USA
Tel: (415) 369-7010
Fax: (415) 369-8695
Contact: Ken Leek. Has a proprietary reverse osmosis-type filter system for
greywater reuse for toilet flushing, etc.
Energy
- Solar Tube Installation — Local installer of solatubes (easy interior daylighting) for Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Luis Obispo Counties. 805 682-5939
- Off-grid — Magazine of people, places or buildings without mains, water, or power.
- Greening the Grid. The Ecological Modernisation of Network-bound Systems
By Bas van Vliet, Wageningen University, Netherlands 2002. 169 pp. ISBN 90 5808
Environmental policy group, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Hollandseweg 1, 6706 KN Wageningen. Tel: + 31 317 482473, Email: Bas.vanVliet©Alg.SWG.WAU.NL
Bicycles
- Car free cities
- Center for Appropriate Transport
- Fossil Fuels Policy Action Institute - Group which runs the Alliance for a Paving Moratorium.
- Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition
- Walk/Bike California Conference hosted by the California Bicycle Coalition
- Recommended reading: The Art of Urban Cycling (Amazon)
Ecological economics
- Tom Bender Various articles and resources on sustainable economics and architecture.