Hello EarlDaily,

Thxs for the solviva.com link--new to me.  Looks interesting from my initial glance.

Bob Shaw in Phx,Az  Are Humans Smarter than Yeast?

Ummmm... The Solviva folk are not the best source of information. They aren't necessarily the worst either, but you have to take into account that they had tonnes of money to throw at the project. Their claims on the profitability of their greenhouses is simply insane. ($500k/annum! Maybe if that's gross, and the operation is in an extremely affluent area, and they're growing pot.) Infact, many of their claims seem unrealistic IMHO. Still, as a source of motivation, and a quick overview of what might be possible, the Solviva book has value.

For composting toilets, the best source is still Joseph Jenkins' The Humanure Handbook (readable online here). He outlines many systems but champions one in particular. It is simple and cheap (but probably not strictly legal). My two years of first hand experience with the same system has consistently agreed with Mr. Jenkins' writing.

For passive solar heating and cooling James Kachadorian's The Passive Solar House is an excellent introduction (although getting dated).

Put on your shades before you click that Solviva link.