DUBOIS – Environmentalist, author and public speaker Joe Jenkins will offer his lecture, Humanure – The Inexhaustible Natural Resource, as part of the campus Earth Day Celebration. He is set to speak during the Natural Resources Colloquium at 12:15, on Earth Day, April 22, in the Hiller Auditorium.
Jenkins’ book, the Humanure Handbook, examines the process of recycling human waste to be used as an all natural, organic fertilizer. He explains that the use of “humanure” can benefit the environment in a variety of ways, and will detail the process outlined in his book during his lecture.
According to Jenkins, “All animals produce manure, including humans. Yet, humanity has thus far not succeeded in constructively managing or recycling its own excretions. In the United States, water pollution and declining soil fertility are the results. Disease and death are common consequences in the third world, where water pollution from fecal contamination of the environment can have disastrous effects on public health. Yet, human excrement can be constructively recycled using microorganisms in aerobic composting environments, thereby eliminating the disease factor and creating valuable soil fertility.” Â
The public is welcome to this event, and all other speaking events held as part of the Natural Resources Colloquium.Â
The Natural Resources Colloquium at Penn State DuBois is the periodic gathering of the natural resources scientific community on campus. During each colloquium meeting, students, faculty, and community members share some snacks, listen to a scientific presentation, and engage in discussion.
Steve Harmic, Penn State DuBois
