Rich Earth Institute
Brattleboro, Vermont
Tools, art, and educational resources for reclaiming urine as a fertilizer.
“Our urine fertilizer collectors (as seen in the New York Times!) enable home gardeners and local urine donors to collect their urine safely and effectively. We also have a variety of accompanying products available including urine privacy sleeves (available in a range of patterns and made from recycled fabric); potted plant fertilizer dispensers; “Urine My Garden” DIY fertilization guides; T-shirts, and a rotating array of peecycling-themed art and postcards.”
— Rich Earth Institute
Every day, our bodies excrete the vital nutrients that plants need to thrive. When we flush these precious elements downstream, they can contribute to nutrient pollution, harmful algal blooms, and mass fish kills. Instead, by collecting urine (or liquid gold!), our “waste” can become a valuable resource. Urine fertilization has ancient roots and is practiced in many communities around the world today. Rich Earth has been operating the nation's first community-scale urine nutrient recycling program here in Brattleboro since 2012. We first developed urine collection products to support our local community of peecyclers in participating in this program. In the decade since, we have heard from gardeners interested in learning how to peecycle in their own home gardens. As a result, Rich Earth created our “Urine My Garden” education program which provides tools and resources to enable people anywhere to ‘pee the change they wish to see.’ We have now sent our urine collection units to gardeners in 20 different states and 3 countries.
