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Welcome to our Summer Interns! Feat. Guest Post on Peecycling at Family Vacation
Welcome to our summer interns, Charlie & Ben!
Charlie Bartholio is a Geology student at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona with a strong interest in sustainable agriculture and conservation. They are excited to be working at Rich Earth learning more about regenerative agriculture and deepening their passion for sustainable land management. Growing up in a large city in California, Charlie has had limited exposure to holistic land practices, making this opportunity especially meaningful. In their free time they like to do woodworking, cycling, crafting, and spending time in nature.
Ben Ravas is from Cleveland, Ohio and is a rising senior chemical engineering student at the University of Dayton. He is excited to spend the summer in Vermont and learn all about sustainability initiatives with Rich Earth Institute for his second co-op experience. Ever since embarking on a trip to Yellowstone National Park, he has gained a greater appreciation for the earth and is eager to learn more about what he can do to protect it.
Intern Story: Bringing Peecycling to My Family Vacation
A guest post from Ben:
As an intern at the Rich Earth Institute, I’ve really bought into the whole idea of urine recycling and circular sanitation. So when it came time for our annual family vacation at Pine Point with my mom’s side of the family, I was excited to bring those ideas with me.
I packed a Peecycler with two 5-gallon jugs and a Toilets for People “Pee Toilet” with two 2.5-gallon jugs, ready to spread the word (and collect some urine). I was fully expecting some jokes and maybe even a little disgust, so I was honestly just hoping to fill at least one of each jug.
After showing everyone what I brought, the laughs definitely came but so did a lot of curious questions, which I loved answering. To my surprise, nearly everyone embraced the idea, with some even proudly telling me how much progress they’re making on their jug.
By day five, with two days still left in the trip, all the jugs were full. Donating our “liquid gold” had officially become a family affair. After sending a video of the deposit of their urine to our family groupchat, my uncle replied, “that is awesome. I never thought my pee would amount to anything. Glad to see it at work. lol 😂”.
