I've been using a Humanure toilet (which I constructed from the online instructions) for about 10 months now. There's definitely a learning curve in terms of keeping odour down, but since I found the right sawdust, all has been well. I built several compost piles out of chicken wire and t-posts and always have hay and straw on hand, because I have horses. Only one guest has used the toilet so far, but said it was basically like using a normal toilet, if you didn't look down.
Many people have stared at me askance when I tell them of the Humanure toilet; they ask why I would ever choose to use one. My usual response is that, to an environmentally conscious person like myself, flush toilets are an abomination. That usually shuts them up, although their looks of amazement tend to deepen.
For a while, I was diverting urine using a very simple system (a bowl which fit into the toilet seat, and a large container with a funnel). I keep telling myself that I should put in a proper urine diverter, with a small collection container, which would force me to empty it more often (as there is a bit of a smell from the large container). But I read The Humanure Handbook again recently, and Joe Jenkins says to just do everything in the bucket. (This was an early version of the book ... if anyone has any comments, I'd be interested in hearing them.)
I'm still many months away from using the contents of the first compost container on my garden.
I guess the only other thing I'd say is that it's amazing to me how funny people are about discussing everyday bodily functions which are common to most mammals. I wrote a blog post in which I promised to give readers 'the poop on poop' and my sister-in-law said she almost split a gut laughing. Still ... nice to know I'm filling an entertaining purpose here on earth.
