Question

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), over 815 million people suffer from undernourishment worldwide. That means they do not have either the proper amounts or the proper types of food to prevent poor health and starvation. The FAO also recognizes that the way we consume and distribute food will create food shortages over time. To overcome these shortages, we would need to produce as much as 50% more food than we do today. To reach this goal, we need many new ideas and innovative ways to meet the need for food.

One area to explore is the recycling of human waste. As gross as that might sound, scientists have studied human-waste recycling for a long time, and it is already in use in some countries. Do some research about the following projects to see how human-waste recycling can help the FAO reach its “Zero Hunger” goal by 2030.

The Beercycling project by the Council of Agriculture and Food of Denmark
Filtration and distillation of urine and sweat on the International Space Station used by NASA
A solar-powered membrane distillation from the University of Ghent
The NEWater program in Singapore
In this discussion, recall your research into these projects and consider how they might help to reduce malnutrition and starvation worldwide. Then, think about the following questions and post your thoughts to the discussion board.

What impact do these programs have on the accessibility of clean water?
What impact would recycling human waste have on potential food sources?
What impact would recycling human waste have on global ecosystems?
Would you consider drinking water or other beverages from these or similar recycling efforts? Why or why not?
You will be graded using the Discussion Rubric.
PLEASE ANSWER QUICK ALSO GOING FOR 20 POINTS

Answer 1

The projects mentioned, such as the Beercycling project, the NASA urine and sweat filtration and distillation, and the solar-powered membrane distillation from the University of Ghent, all aim to recycle human waste and turn it into a usable resource, such as clean water. The NEWater program in Singapore is a well-established example of this, where wastewater is treated and recycled for non-potable use, such as industrial and agricultural purposes.

Recycling human waste can help to increase the accessibility of clean water in areas where water is scarce or polluted. By turning wastewater into a resource, the amount of water available for human consumption and other needs can increase.

The impact of recycling human waste on potential food sources would depend on how the recycled water is used. If the water is treated properly and used for agricultural purposes, it can potentially increase food production. However, there are concerns about the presence of pathogens and other contaminants in wastewater that can affect crops and food safety. Proper treatment and monitoring of recycled water quality would be necessary to ensure that it is safe for agricultural use.

Recycling human waste can also have an impact on global ecosystems. Poor wastewater management can lead to water pollution, which can harm aquatic ecosystems and wildlife. Recycling human waste can help to reduce the amount of wastewater that is released into the environment, reducing the impact on ecosystems.

The decision to drink water or other beverages from recycling efforts would depend on the quality of the recycled water and individual beliefs and attitudes. Recycled water can be treated and purified to meet safe drinking water standards. However, there may be cultural or psychological barriers to drinking recycled water that would need to be addressed.

In conclusion, recycling human waste can potentially increase the accessibility of clean water and provide a resource for agricultural purposes, contributing to the FAO's "Zero Hunger" goal. However, proper treatment and monitoring of recycled water quality are necessary to ensure safety and minimize potential negative impacts on ecosystems.