Would you approve of using human waste as alternative source of energy?
@joyadalia (1408)
Philippines
September 11, 2008 6:50pm CST
San Antonio, Texas has approved the use of human 
excrement as an alternative source of energy. They have finished finalizing everything and plan to use this VERY renewable energy source into biogas. This will surely help out in sewage problems and global warming. Do you approve of it? 
For those who do not know what biogas is, here's an explanation:
[i]Biogas can easily be produced from current waste streams, such as: paper production, sugar production, sewage, animal waste and so forth. These various waste streams have to be slurried together and allowed to naturally ferment, producing methane gas. This can be done by converting current sewage plants into biogas plants. When a biogas plant has extracted all the methane it can, the remains are sometimes better suitable as fertilizer than the original biomass.
Alternatively biogas can be produced via advanced waste processing systems such as mechanical biological treatment. These systems recover the recyclable elements of household waste and process the biodegradable fraction in anaerobic digesters.
Renewable natural gas is a biogas which has been upgraded to a quality similar to natural gas. By upgrading the quality to that of natural gas, it becomes possible to distribute the gas to the mass market via gas grid.[/i]
So, do you think that it is alright to use human waste as fuel source? 
excrement as an alternative source of energy. They have finished finalizing everything and plan to use this VERY renewable energy source into biogas. This will surely help out in sewage problems and global warming. Do you approve of it?
For those who do not know what biogas is, here's an explanation:
[i]Biogas can easily be produced from current waste streams, such as: paper production, sugar production, sewage, animal waste and so forth. These various waste streams have to be slurried together and allowed to naturally ferment, producing methane gas. This can be done by converting current sewage plants into biogas plants. When a biogas plant has extracted all the methane it can, the remains are sometimes better suitable as fertilizer than the original biomass.
Alternatively biogas can be produced via advanced waste processing systems such as mechanical biological treatment. These systems recover the recyclable elements of household waste and process the biodegradable fraction in anaerobic digesters.
Renewable natural gas is a biogas which has been upgraded to a quality similar to natural gas. By upgrading the quality to that of natural gas, it becomes possible to distribute the gas to the mass market via gas grid.[/i]
So, do you think that it is alright to use human waste as fuel source? 3 people like this
20 responses
@yellowhipon (793)
• Philippines
12 Sep 08
of course its alright!
with the billions of people living on this planet, thats enough human crap for biogas. help save the world, poop all you want!yey!
1 person likes this
@str8_up_cutie83 (217)
• United States
12 Sep 08
i guess i would approve of it, since it would help out the earth alot, however i think its a pretty gross concept, i guess i have to see and smell it in action.:)
1 person likes this
@irishidid (8687)
• United States
12 Sep 08
Does this mean the price of beans will be going up?
1 person likes this
@divinchris (2449)
• India
12 Sep 08
I agree that human waste can be efficiently used as alternative source of energy.Thank You.
@iceblizzard (749)
• Philippines
12 Sep 08
Very well. That is a great idea. Even animal waste can be used as alternative source of energy, so I think must consider that too, not just the human excrement. Well, that's one good source of energy to cut the shortage of energy in the area. Its also environment friendly and economical compared to coal and natural gas.
1 person likes this
@scorpiobabes (7225)
• United States
12 Sep 08
I think its a great idea! There have been few publicized alternative fuels to petroleum in nearly 8 years because at heart, Bush IS an oil man. Obviously there are some options available right now, and those are extremely high anyway...remember the hype about concervedting to an electric car? It would take about 7 YEARS to make a purchase economically feasible! Who keeps cars that long any way! By that time, there will be even more economically feasible options available!
I just probably wouldnt want to live next door or nearby a collection site--now THAT could get smelly!
@samtaylorskykierajen (7976)
• Canada
12 Sep 08
I would approve of anything that would help the environment or lower prices . It sounds like it is something that would benefit us more . Things need to be done about global warming and if this will help then this is something that we do need . Global warmings are getting worse every year and it makes me wonder what it will be like for our children when they are adults if we don't find a solution to this problem . So I would be all for helping the environment any way I could . As long as it was tested and safe then there would be no reason for us not to approve :)
1 person likes this
@joyadalia (1408)
• Philippines
12 Sep 08
Great. If we all can be open-minded about this then it would go a long way. @pkc3000 (1266)
• India
12 Sep 08
hey joyadalia I have gone through your topic we should think about it to tap alternate energy. I personally think there is no harm to use human waste for generating alternate energy . We are using animal waste for biogas etc. I think human waster is abundant and there will be no shortage. I really appreciate your views.
pkc3000
1 person likes this
@joyadalia (1408)
• Philippines
12 Sep 08
You are right . But some people think that the smell would outweigh the benefits.
. But some people think that the smell would outweigh the benefits.
@blackmantra_x (2732)
• Philippines
12 Sep 08
Good day.. Why not? I mean methane which is an alternative source of energy comes from decomposing organic matter and why not use human excreta as one of those. I mean if it can lessen global warming and help solve energy crisis even for a notch why not?
1 person likes this
@mimico (3617)
• Philippines
12 Sep 08
I think this of one of the best ways to use human waste. I know some of it can be used as fertilizer, although animal waste is generally what farmers use most of the time. But if our poop could be converted to some form of energy, that would be awesome! The process itself looks gross though I don't see why anyone would want to go through with it. I wouldn't work with feces even if you paid me a really good salary! Eeew! Now only is it disgusting, I might also get sick because of the germs!
1 person likes this
@joyadalia (1408)
• Philippines
12 Sep 08
But yes, you are right. These are useful but who would want to work with them? You can just imagine if one big vat will explode . Just kidding.
@sweethomecatring (1563)
• India
12 Sep 08
Today world over, this is a very hot discussion in the governmental circles and social circle how we can meet our energy requirement. Even there are talks about the garbage and human waste to convert into the bio gas. This bio gas can be used in the kitchen. Your view point if it is right to use human waste to convert in to bio gas. I may mention here that already there are Gas plants based on the animal waste and it is accepted in the country side and people are consuming it as kitchen gas. I think kitchen waste are also useful for bio gas. What is the harm in processing the municipal waste and produce energy from it to meet our requirement.
@joyadalia (1408)
• Philippines
12 Sep 08
How true, even here in the Philippines there are biogas plants from pig excrement - but from humans, well, there's none. Like the author had mentioned, it will truly raise a lot of questions.
@k1virus1978 (543)
• Singapore
12 Sep 08
Hey why not, as long as we can recycle is good. If it can help to save the world and save energy when the world is in need of energy we need to find an alternative ways of conserve energy.
1 person likes this
@joyadalia (1408)
• Philippines
12 Sep 08
Yep. My point exactly. Although, a lot have misunderstood it because of the way I asked the question 
.
@owlwings (43897)
• Cambridge, England
19 Jan 10
Yes, I certainly approve. In fact, this is already done in many sewage processing plants in the UK. The methane generated as bacteria break down the waste is collected and used to provide power to the plant. It also helps in reducing the 'rich aroma' usually associated with such plants!
There are also digesters made for domestic use. These collect the sewage and other compostable household waste in a large container where it ferments, producing methane which can be used to heat the house or for cooking. The slurry residue is safe to use as compost on the garden. This system is very appropriate for houses in remote locations and in the Third World.
@xParanoiax (6987)
• United States
12 Sep 08
I'm not sure why humanity stopped to be quite frank. I seem to remember something about it being fairly popular at some point, drat my vague memory for not having any more details, lol.
Waste is always an issue. If we can solve an energy issue and the waste issue at once, I don't think there's a ton of reasons NOT to be for it.
1 person likes this
@joyadalia (1408)
• Philippines
12 Sep 08
Yes, I hope that this program will achieve worldwide recognition. @suruchi86 (1872)
• India
14 Feb 09
I'm so sorry for coming in so late. I don't think there is any problem in using human waste as fuel. After all, human waste is a reality which we can't wish away and this has to be disposed off anyway. So why can't we use it as fuel, which is less expensive, less polluting and completely renewable.
@lanlan011 (701)
• United States
12 Sep 08
Wow thats good with me. I see nothing wrong because it just keeps coming and coming. We'll never run out of human waste. Thats a good idea.
1 person likes this
@joyadalia (1408)
• Philippines
12 Sep 08
It would be nice if other states/countries would follow then. 
@Avinigav (238)
• Indonesia
19 Jan 10
At my place, this alternative source of energy has been approved and there no objection from other. But they just not used to use that. Need more counseling and seminar about this alternative. So, they don't have negative thought about this alternative energy.
