Residents interested in water conservation, sustainable building and regenerative agriculture can learn how composting toilets turn a household necessity into a resource during a Sept. 12 program in Goldthwaite.
The Texas Botanical Gardens & Native American Interpretive Center, Inc. will present From Waste to Resource: Composting Toilets for Sustainable Living with Dr. Glendon Rhoades from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Goldthwaite Pavilion, 1219 Fisher Street, Goldthwaite, Texas. The program is open to the public and is free for TBGNAIC members. Nonmembers pay $5.
What the program will cover
Composting toilets do not use water to transport waste in the same way conventional sanitation systems do. Instead, they use natural biological processes to manage organic material, substantially reducing water consumption.
During the presentation, Rhoades will explain how the systems function and why their performance depends on design and maintenance. Topics will include the biological processes involved in decomposition, the effects of moisture and ventilation, and the design choices needed for safe and effective operation.
The discussion will also place composting toilets within the broader topics of water conservation and nutrient cycling. Those systems may be particularly relevant in locations where traditional wastewater infrastructure is impractical, according to the event description.
Speaker brings engineering and agriculture background
Rhoades earned a bachelor’s degree in Engineering Physics from Tarleton State University, graduating magna cum laude. He later completed a master’s degree and Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Saskatchewan.
His work has expanded from biomedical engineering into sustainable agriculture and ecological design, including research across the American Great Plains. His hands-on projects have included rotational grazing, livestock production systems, thermal composting, off-grid carbon-bulked residential toilet systems and energy-efficient building design.
His postdoctoral research at the University of Saskatchewan examined how livestock could be integrated into resilient crop and pasture systems and drew attention from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. He now applies his systems-based perspective through sustainable building design and regenerative agriculture consultation.
“At the heart of my work is a systems-based approach to problem solving: looking for ways to transform by-products into useful resources, address root causes rather than symptoms, and develop solutions informed by both engineering and ecology. We are essentially creating the conditions for natural activity to happen at the right time and place such that it overlaps with our objectives. Since natural activity increases exponentially, when we optimize the conditions, it becomes very powerful—and that’s great when it’s working for us.”
The event’s organizers say the presentation will move beyond the novelty often associated with composting toilets and focus on the science, conservation benefits and thoughtful design behind the systems.