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Cultura,
Medio Ambiente,
Vida Silvestre
Cultura,
Medio Ambiente,
Vida Silvestre
Cultura, Medio Ambiente, Vida Silvestre
Hygiene in Nature
Jorge Ayala
individual.team página
Introducción
In natural environments, personal hygiene plays a crucial role. Here, long-held myths about the disposal of human and pet waste during excursions are dismantled, revealing the truth about their impact on environmental health. From how to dig suitable holes to the responsible handling of toilet paper, giving essential guidelines for preserving the integrity of ecosystems while enjoying nature.
Can you do the bathroom anywhere? Like animals
The reality is that human waste, because of the pathogens it brings, is hazardous to health both for the people who inhabit it and for the flora and fauna within ecosystems.
How to do it?
- Finding a toilet This is the easiest thing to do, but most routes don't have a bathroom nearby, making it the most disposable option.
- Dig a hole (“Cathole”) between 15 and 20 cm.
This way, you leave your waste where there is more microbial activity that can “undo” it faster.
Important to consider:- Deeper and you move away from microbial activity and get closer to the water table. Shallower and you risk having your waste discovered through erosion, weathering, or wildlife .
- Even buried, pathogens in human waste take 2 years to decompose, so it's important to stay away from water sources to avoid contaminating them. Leave No Trace recommends being 60 meters (measured by 70 large steps) away from any water source
. - Packing it
isn't the most convenient option, but if there's no other option, that's what you have to do.
Can you do the bathroom anywhere? Like animals
The reality is that human waste, because of the pathogens it brings, is hazardous to health both for the people who inhabit it and for the flora and fauna within ecosystems.
How to do it?
- Finding a toilet This is the easiest thing to do, but most routes don't have a bathroom nearby, making it the most disposable option.
- Dig a hole (“Cathole”) between 15 and 20 cm.
This way, you leave your waste where there is more microbial activity that can “undo” it faster.
Important to consider:- Deeper and you move away from microbial activity and get closer to the water table. Shallower and you risk having your waste discovered through erosion, weathering, or wildlife .
- Even buried, pathogens in human waste take 2 years to decompose, so it's important to stay away from water sources to avoid contaminating them. Leave No Trace recommends being 60 meters (measured by 70 large steps) away from any water source
. - Packing it
isn't the most convenient option, but if there's no other option, that's what you have to do.
Is toilet paper biodegradable?
Toilet paper certainly breaks down over time, but it takes 1 to 3 years to do so, depending on several factors, including whether they have been buried or not. Even if you use biodegradable paper, it also takes 1 to 2 months to completely decompose (Ecogradable, 2021).
Not only is it visual pollution (something very unpleasant for other mountaineers) but also its effect on the flora and fauna of the area. For this there is only one option: to pack it.
If you're camping or going on a long route and don't want to carry around as much used toilet paper: Dana Hendricks, from the Pacific Crest Trail Association, recommends buying a rag for urination. You
keep it in a special compartment and you can rinse it as often as you want (taking care that you are 30 meters away from any water source) and if you dry it in the sun or hang it on your backpack it shouldn't smell bad.
Is toilet paper biodegradable?
Toilet paper certainly breaks down over time, but it takes 1 to 3 years to do so, depending on several factors, including whether they have been buried or not. Even if you use biodegradable paper, it also takes 1 to 2 months to completely decompose (Ecogradable, 2021).
Not only is it visual pollution (something very unpleasant for other mountaineers) but also its effect on the flora and fauna of the area. For this there is only one option: to pack it.
If you're camping or going on a long route and don't want to carry around as much used toilet paper: Dana Hendricks, from the Pacific Crest Trail Association, recommends buying a rag for urination. You
keep it in a special compartment and you can rinse it as often as you want (taking care that you are 30 meters away from any water source) and if you dry it in the sun or hang it on your backpack it shouldn't smell bad.
Is my dog's waste collected?
Although we may believe that, like wild animals, our pets can defecate freely, the truth is that they have a different diet. The former eat plants from the same area and return the same nutrients to the environment. For dogs, the processed food, medications and vitamins we give them mean that their waste contains pathogens and nutrients that are harmful to other animals and the environment (Leave No Trace, 2017).
In addition, if they are close to water sources, their waste could cause algae blooms and contamination of water sources with E.Coli and Giardia (Leave No Trace, 2017).
Canine waste takes a long time to break down, so the same rules apply as with human waste: pack it up or bury it.
Is my dog's waste collected?
Although we may believe that, like wild animals, our pets can defecate freely, the truth is that they have a different diet. The former eat plants from the same area and return the same nutrients to the environment. For dogs, the processed food, medications and vitamins we give them mean that their waste contains pathogens and nutrients that are harmful to other animals and the environment (Leave No Trace, 2017).
In addition, if they are close to water sources, their waste could cause algae blooms and contamination of water sources with E.Coli and Giardia (Leave No Trace, 2017).
Canine waste takes a long time to break down, so the same rules apply as with human waste: pack it up or bury it.
