Day 50: Outdoor Ethics - Part 3: How to "Go" in the Woods

So, if you are travelling in the outdoors for any period of time... chances are that at some point, you will have to "go"! But how? and where?

Well, first things first - if there is an outhouse, use it! No matter how smelly it is, it is the best option.

What if there is no outhouse?

Well, is some places you may have to pack it out, be sure to refer to any guidelines of places that you may be staying. Check out this article about hiking to Conundrum Hot Springs in Colorado!

Otherwise,  other options depend on how long you are staying and if you are going number one or number two.

Urine directly  has little effect on vegetation, however, it may attract wildlife which are attracted to the salts. These critters may defoliate plants or dig up the soil, so the best choice here is to try and urinate on rocks, pines needles or gravel, and, if you can, dilute it by spraying some water on the location.

For solid waste, there are a couple of options for different situations.

If you are just passing through the area the best thing to do is to make a cathole. A cathole is just like what it sounds, a hole in the ground which, for humans, should be about 6 inches deep and 4-5 inches in diameter. Location selection is very important for catholes and you want to make sure that they are at least 70 meters away from water, trails and camp. When you are finished the waste should be buried and then disguised with natural material. If you are camping in a large group or staying more than one night, be sure to disperse catholes (dispersing human waste, rather than concentrating it, helps in decomposition).

Some more things to consider about catholes:

1) Try and find a site with deep, organic soil (the organisms in the soil will help decompose the waste).
2) Try and find a site that will get a lot of sunlight, as this also aids in decomposition.
3) Choose an elevated site to try and keep your feces from running off into bodies of water!

You may have heard about Latrines, and, according to my research, they are best used for large groups that are staying in the same place for a while or when you have young children along. The concentration of human waste will slow down the decomposition, so choosing a location is especially important (the location requirements are the same as for catholes).

Another consideration is toilet paper! Use it sparingly and use plain old, unscented toilet paper. It decomposes more quickly when buried in the soil (just putting it under a rock doesn't count) than when left out to the open air. In arid lands, it is best to pack out toilet paper in a plastic bag since the dry environment doesn't promote decomposition.

Anyways, despite the fact that I have always considered myself a fairly competent outdoors-woman, I sure learned a lot about "going" in the woods today, and hopefully you did too! I will be sure to employ what I learned on my next back country trip! If you are interested and want to learn more, take a  look at my sources!

Any thoughts or suggestions? Did you already know these things?

Sources:

http://hikethru.com/hiking-information/backyard-science/toilet-paper-decomposition
http://www.leavenotrace.ca/principle-dispose-waste-properly