SOIL Featured in New Book: Pipe Dreams by author Chelsea Wald
Are you interested in taking a global tour of sanitation solutions that are re-envisioning the way we think about the loo? Look no further than award-winning science journalist, Chelsea Wald’s new book, Pipe Dreams: The Urgent Global Quest to Transform the Toilet! The book, which debuted on April 6th, addresses numerous issues that we at SOIL grapple with every day; such as the sustainability of waste, the flaws of our current (and perhaps outdated) system, and how to properly and sustainably deliver sanitation services to underserved populations. Pipe Dreams explores the incredible work that is being done in the sector to innovate more efficient sanitation infrastructure, and address the failure of providing safe sanitation to the millions without access around the globe. The book also takes a deep dive into SOIL’s regenerative sanitation solution in Haiti and the ways in which SOIL is engineering and advocating for a new model for sustainable sanitation.
In discussing the future of the toilet, Wald takes us on a journey as she explores the history of the modern toilet, which she refers to as the “gold standard system.” Through numerous case studies from all around the world, Chelsea demonstrates the ways in which the current model is not only unsustainable, but also imperfect. She suggests creating a new type of “gold standard” that encompasses accessible, sustainable and reliable solutions, like SOIL’s container-based toilet service, EkoLakay!
In addition to toilets themselves, the book also examines the stuff we put in the toilet. If we are serious about creating a sustainable sanitation model, then we must rethink our opinions towards human excrement; what Wald calls our “output.” Human waste is not only extremely accessible and in abundance, but it also harnesses immense potential for nutrient recycling. Some examples from the book include using urine as disinfectant and fertilizer, and using poop as fuel for planes.
SOIL has been utilizing waste-to-resource technology in Haiti for over a decade and we are thrilled that Wald is furthering the conversation in the sector. We are committed to restoring ecosystems and livelihoods in Haiti and are thankful to be a part of the sanitation revolution. If you want to hear more, you can catch Wald discussing her new book and her motivation behind writing it on KERA’s Think podcast and MPR’s Marketplace.