waste water

Human urine is actually sterile (unlike feces, urine is bacteria-free). Far from being a dirty body-waste, fresh, normal urine is actually sterile and a mixture of some of the most vital and medically important substances known to man. It contains minute amounts of proteins made by the body, including medically important ones such as growth hormone and insulin. It is estimated there is a $500-million USD-a-year market for these kinds of ingredients. Whilst the idea of recycling urine is not new, it needs thousands and thousands of liters to commercially produce products.

At San Francisco's Cleantech Forum, a conference of investors and innovators focused on the green technology business, a boatload of early stage startups seek to carve off a slice of the billions of dollars venture capitalists are investing in green tech. One participant, Leviathan Energy, based in Los Angeles and Israel, has created a turbine that would create power from the downward flow in municipal water and sewer systems. In other words, whenever you flush, you'd be helping generate electricity.

The hot story in the news today is: Pharmaceuticals Found in Drinking Water. Media is also reporting that scientists do not know the long term effects of exposure to these drugs, or the best way to dispose of medications. This blog is a good summary of the problem being faced across America, and some promising solutions.

Living Systems is the world's first biological "technology." Read all about how Nature is the world's most sophisticated designer.