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What we do in the woods

Fri 27 Mar, 2009 10:52 pm

This is an interesting POO topic :)
How to Make Poo Porridge
The supreme method for minimum impact pooing involves a technique called 'Poo Porridge' or 'PP'. The alpine environment here means that if you dig a shallow grave and use excessive loo paper than chances are it will still be there in 2 years time... not pretty or hygenic for other users. Most climbers technique of shoving a rock on it won't cut it here, it is easy for animals to disturb it and surface water easily carries the parasites and bacteria to other water sources. 'PP' has been proven in studies to breakdown in a fraction of the time by mixing soil nutrients through the poo.
* Step 1: Find a site 100m or more from camp, and downhill from water.
* Step 2: Dig a hole with a nut key or rock 10 to 15cm deep (the top 20cm of soil has the best nutrients for breaking down poo).
* Step 3: Clench your business deal.
* Step 4: Now for the porridge bit, it sounds a bit ugly but this bit is strangely satisfying. Grab a stick and mix dirt well through the poo, the more mixed the better (it will even look less like poo after this simple trick). You can now put the remainder of dirt on top and leave stick poking out to warn others, by the time the stick falls over it's safe terrain.
* Step 5: Ideally carry the paper used out in a ziplock bag, it's light and takes much longer to breakdown than the poo itself. However it you choose to leave the paper, mix it well with the porridge and pee on it if you have a reserve tank (this speeds up the breakdown process).

Re: What we do in the woods

Sat 28 Mar, 2009 1:34 pm

Thanks for that lovely graphic description corvus....

Interesting point though. There's way too many toilet paper "flowers" out there and they really do seem to take forever to break down.

A few weeks ago we were car camping at Esperence river and we had to pack up and go because of the huge number of un-buried piles of poo and toilet paper around. It was really disgusting.

One though crosses my mind - are there any simple, readily available substances that one could sprinkle on one's deposit to speed up the breaking down process? Any chemists out there know anything we could do to reduce the poo-proportions on our tracks?

It is an interesting topic though, especially for the more crowded tracks.

Cheers,
Alliecat

Re: What we do in the woods

Sat 28 Mar, 2009 6:27 pm

I found that info in a post on this forum and agree with it wholeheartedly,my pet hate in the bush are TP flowers which IMHO are worse than aged raw poo,unfortunately some of our forum members feel the need to use TP on occasions other than for poos and on many more instances I am led to believe .
IMHO this is a situation when TP could be zip lock bagged without any major health hazards weigh not much more and would help to eradicate the dreaded TP weed evident in all areas.
I am now ducking for cover :)
c

Re: What we do in the woods

Sat 28 Mar, 2009 8:21 pm

älliecat wrote

A few weeks ago we were car camping at Esperence river and we had to pack up and go because of the huge number of un-buried piles of poo and toilet paper around. It was really disgusting

I would totally agree with the sentiments expressed here regarding the disregard that some folk have for others. :roll:
Largely just laziness or lack of knowledge of what to do but a percentage of people are just not interested,or indeed think it funny to be disgusting, particularely after a few ales etc.
Once at perdition ponds while looking for a tent site I had the misfortune to tread in a pile that had been lightly covered with sand but not buried. :shock: Enough to make one vomit! :twisted:
FF

Re: What we do in the woods

Sat 28 Mar, 2009 11:41 pm

Further to the other tales of some walkers' disregard for others, and for basic hygiene:

On a recent walk at the Talleh Lagoons, I was waiting for the billy full of water that I'd just scooped out of one of the lagoons to boil, when, "ew!", my wife spotted a pile of old toilet paper behind a rock, not ten metres from the shore.

Lucky I'd brought a couple of litres of water with us, just in case ...

My write-up of the walk is here, btw: http://theoutdoortype.livejournal.com/4808.html#cutid1

Re: What we do in the woods

Thu 02 Apr, 2009 3:05 pm

corvus wrote:IMHO this is a situation when TP could be zip lock bagged without any major health hazards weigh not much more and would help to eradicate the dreaded TP weed evident in all areas.
I am now ducking for cover :)

Don't duck for cover Corvus. I have been using a zip lock bag for many years and have found nothing to complain about. I have never understood why others (particularly females who are the higher users) have not taken up this practice.

Re: What we do in the woods

Thu 02 Apr, 2009 7:31 pm

YOU HIKE ALONE MAN!

Actually, a VERY good discussion. As I'm unused to this environment, I would never have thought of that. If I ever see you traipsing through the bush with a stick, a baggie and some water, I'll leave you alone though.

Re: What we do in the woods

Thu 02 Apr, 2009 8:41 pm

Just save all your walking for the snow season. Then no TP is required to be carried in OR out. ;-)

Re: What we do in the woods

Thu 02 Apr, 2009 8:48 pm

I just remembered why I dont shake your hand anymore and what are the girls supposed to do with SNOW :?
c

Re: What we do in the woods

Fri 14 Jun, 2019 2:09 pm

I collect a few suitable leaves at opportune moments. I have toilet paper for absolute emergencies but only absolutely minimal quantities. I burn it after use as with the leaves where that's safe and possible or I bag it and take it with me. I also choose my spot BEFORE the urgency of the matter acts as the impetus for a rush job. Definitely avoid the morning rush. It's lovely to stroll free of gear for half an hour at the end of the day. Stake your claim in the perfect place. After letting the rest of the group know I'm off to feed the crocodiles, I wander off to my that pre-determined destination with some water and a damp cloth torn from an old sheet or t shirt. Then I dig the little hole and take in the scenic beauty of nature, relaxed, at peace and one with it all. TP goes in a bag with the little rag, poo and leaves go under dirt and hopefully, I'm not leaving much of a trace. I live in a wilderness at home, a covenanted Nature Refuge protecting many rare plants and animals and a delicate ecosystem of mountain heaths and ancient, open eucalypt forest. It's more or less pristine. I have the same attitude. Poo and household organic waste go into an aerobic composting loo and water is treated in a reedbed and from there all goes into a closed system garden and orchard. It doesnt waste water being treated as sewerage and the sewerage isnt being released underground as treated water. My garden and I benefit. Composting loos at NP arent used correctly so they are often little more than anaerobic long drops that are periodically pumped out. A little more education about the throwing in a handful of sawdust with every deposit is needed and'/or NP staff doing that once a day or week would make them work a lot better.

Re: What we do in the woods

Fri 14 Jun, 2019 6:49 pm

ThehannaTree wrote:A little more education about the throwing in a handful of sawdust with every deposit is needed...

Basic toilet paper (unbleached and unperfumed) is not too different from sawdust, so it's good to bury it in the cathole with the sh:t.

Re: What we do in the woods

Fri 14 Jun, 2019 10:53 pm

corvus, you and I have very different desires of what we want to do in the woods...

Re: What we do in the woods

Wed 24 Jul, 2019 1:29 am

This is why I hike offtrail, freedom from poo and pooing freedom. :lol:

Re: What we do in the woods

Wed 24 Jul, 2019 7:43 am

No need for toilet paper at all, if you clean asian style...left hand only. :wink:
A 500ml squirt bottle & some handwash might come in handy... :D

Re: What we do in the woods

Tue 01 Oct, 2019 8:16 am

Discovered these today, Wysi Toilet paper tablets. Compressed toilet paper, just add water!
They look like a great logistical and space saving option, especially for longer walks. Anyone else using them?
https://youtu.be/dP9U7cuzpuY
Last edited by crollsurf on Tue 01 Oct, 2019 8:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Re: What we do in the woods

Tue 01 Oct, 2019 12:50 pm

Hey Crolly yes I have some but not used them. Using them as loo paper would require bringing them out and putting them in the rubbish-like so called composting 'flushable' wet wipes they have some non composting/toughening ingredient -they are (the ones I have anyway) far tougher than wet wipes. Then because you'd have to bring them out you would negate the space savings I reckon.
Might be best for the Armageddonoutofhere gang where space in the bunker is limited perhaps.

Re: What we do in the woods

Tue 01 Oct, 2019 3:20 pm

Hi Lamont, They claim to be compostable and biodegradable. A Canadian product so a better than average chance what they claim is true http://wysiwipe.com/index.html
Might test run one in the compost bin first before heading out with them

Re: What we do in the woods

Tue 01 Oct, 2019 3:44 pm

Yep, I agree the Canucks are reliable.
Just concerned and I wonder how long until it really breaks down.
It is tough looking stuff in the video.
Tell us it goes in the bin please. Maybe put some loo paper on the other side of the bin to compare?

Re: What we do in the woods

Wed 23 Oct, 2019 11:02 pm

I take biobags with me. They are fully compostable in drop pits and you can just pack out everything. I double bag them just in case and then throw them in the nearest long drop on the way out of town.

Re: What we do in the woods

Thu 24 Oct, 2019 6:11 am

Smellypaddler wrote:I take biobags with me. They are fully compostable in drop pits and you can just pack out everything. I double bag them just in case and then throw them in the nearest long drop on the way out of town.
Is this the reason for choosing your username? [WINKING FACE]

Re: What we do in the woods

Sat 21 Dec, 2019 6:41 am

Portable bidet....

https://culoclean.com/

Re: What we do in the woods

Sat 21 Dec, 2019 1:23 pm

ofuros wrote:Portable bidet....

https://culoclean.com/


Just needs a tiny mirror added, for confirmation of results...

Re: What we do in the woods

Sat 21 Dec, 2019 1:44 pm

Neo wrote:
ofuros wrote:Portable bidet....

https://culoclean.com/


Just needs a tiny mirror added, for confirmation of results...


Err no. I suggest you use one.

Or youtube (description only) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZZW9yKtpTs from 11.50

Trust me ... you do not want a mirror.

Re: What we do in the woods

Sat 21 Dec, 2019 5:01 pm

I can't resist with this one any longer. I have to weigh in.
I've always wondered at the effectiveness of the bidet.
*&%$#! sticks right? At least that's what they say.
Even if you have the luxury of always having a clean break. I don't know, maybe you have a lot of oil in your diet. Surely your aim with the water can't be that good all the time. You would likely end up with a wet bum some of the time. Don't you want to wipe that dry before you pull your pants up? Are you going to call out to friends that you're waiting for your bum to air dry?
I can't be the only person who occasionally has a 'pinch and smear'. I have my doubts a jet of water will always get that clean.
The mirror idea isn't going to catch on.

Re: What we do in the woods

Sat 21 Dec, 2019 6:24 pm

It would involve the senses, you would know when you hit the spot.
The (tiny) mirror is to cover the guesswork.
Air drying, ya bum is sweaty anyway so not noticed after 60 seconds ;)

Re: What we do in the woods

Sat 21 Dec, 2019 6:39 pm

You eat with your right hand ..
the other hand is for the other end...
watch the youtube I linked too.

A large number of the worlds population use water to clean their bumbs.

Re: What we do in the woods

Sat 21 Dec, 2019 7:54 pm

I'm sure someone out there can advise us of the huge volumes of water that are required to create toilet paper.
Some people have been advocating for years now the next world war will be over water availability.
Just look at conditions here in Australia now. What with the drought and the apparent increase in temperatures.
Towns all along the Great Divide are running low on water.
Polar ice is decreasing rapidly and we're losing fresh water only to have it mix with salt water.
How could we still advocate using water to clean bums?

I can only guess we are going to have to resort to leaves and sticks. Those Gympie Gympie stinging tree leaves are nice and big. I often get stung. Still haven't become desensitised but i'll have to try harder.

Re: What we do in the woods

Sat 21 Dec, 2019 8:09 pm

We wash our cracks as well as the rest of our bodies in the shower everyday...taking it to the bush by using a squirt bottle filled with water, is no different.
Left hand to wash....right to eat & greet. Use handwash afterwards.
Less toilet paper being left or dug up in the environment has to be a good thing.

Needs a mindset change though...or at least a curious mind to try something different. :wink:

It's a personal, environmental choice...if I know I'll be driving passed a composting toilet after I've finished a bushwalk here in Qld, I'll use a poo tube during the walk & empty the contents as I pass by...again a personal choice.

Re: What we do in the woods

Mon 23 Dec, 2019 7:30 am

Aardvark wrote:I can only guess we are going to have to resort to leaves and sticks.


I tried it with leaves and with snow. I highly recommend using snow to wipe your bum (when it's available). I actually prefer it to toilet paper.

I had a problem with leaves though... after I got home the next day and had a shower, several bits of leaves were washed out in the shower. I guess they didn't work as well as I thought they had! :-) If only I'd had a mirror to check. ;-)

Re: What we do in the woods

Mon 23 Dec, 2019 7:57 am

Amazon won't ship the Culoclean to Aus, ebay wanted 18 euros to buy and post one, so alas I must invent my own.
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