The Nature Enthusiast's Guide to Pooping

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The Nature Enthusiast's Guide to Pooping

Poop.  It’s a dirty, sometimes uncomfortable topic to push through, but one that should be addressed nonetheless.

Let’s face it. Most of us poop, flush, and forget. But what if there’s no porcelain God close enough to banish your unwanted doo to? What if you find yourself on a nineteen-mile hike in the middle of the high desert after gnawing on some questionable road side beef jerky for breakfast and your bowels begin that awful cramp dance before you realize you’re shit out of luck? If you’re an avid naturist like I am, this is something you're prepared for.

Yes, there’s a poop protocol, dear readers, and I am here to inform you on what to do when nature calls within nature and it’s time for number two.

What’s wrong with dumping and ditching?

On the trail, it’s considered improper etiquette to dump and ditch. Not only is it an aesthetic downer on a scenic route, but if you’re not conscious of where you’re unloading, it can be a real crappy situation for the unsuspecting hiker who comes after you. More importantly, dumping and ditching poses serious public health concerns. According to the Department of Conservation, feces carry harmful microorganisms. Improper waste disposal in natural areas can potentially contaminate water sources, in addition to spreading bacteria and diseases such as Giardia. Transmittable to both animals  and humans, Giardia is an intestinal parasite capable of surviving in bodies of water such as lakes, creeks, and streams (DOC). If you’re unlucky enough to come into contact with this vicious bugger, you can expect symptoms such as stomach cramps, nausea, and watery bouts of diarrhea until it’s flushed out of your system within a few weeks (Mayo Clinic). 

What to do with your deuce!

According to the Outdoor Participation Report, 42.1 million hikers and backpackers visited America's National Parks in 2017, 1.7 million of which roamed the back-country where luxuries like toilet paper and plumbing are nonexistent. As the healthy average adult produces nearly 1 pound of poop per day (which takes nearly 100 years to decompose), there’s potentially quite a bit of it piling up (Weisberger). Responsible, well informed nature-goers practice methods in line with the Leave No Trace movement which emphasizes enjoying the natural world in a sustainable way by avoiding human-created impacts.

Proper potty protocol in the wilderness under such guidelines include: digging cathole's, “packing your poop,” and the subtly phrased practice of “smearing.”

The most common method of disposal is digging a “cathole.” A cathole is a cutesy name for a pit dug in the ground for the purpose of discarding human waste. Once the deposit has been made, it's filled with soil and covered with loose shrubbery. This is typically done in a forested environment where the organic soil has more water and organisms to help with decomposition. While you may be more inclined to drop trou under the secluded shadows of trees to avoid any awkward, unwanted sightings, bear in mind that sunlight and heat assist in the decomposition process as well. According to my friend Joe Perrotta, a Park Ranger in Washington state, cathole's should be at least 6 inches deep, no less than 200 feet from water sources, and as far away from the beaten path as possible (see also: soiled shoes).

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As the name suggests, “packing your poop” is the immediate, physical removal of one’s waste, along with any other trash, so that it can be disposed of in a proper receptacle later. Depending on personal style, this can be done using a bag, a tube, Tupperware, or a can with a lid. While the notion of bagging one’s feces and towing it along might make the indoor city-slicker squirm, it’s business as usual for regular hikers who wish to keep the environment healthy and pristine. In fact, more and more National Parks, especially those in hot, arid environments, are beginning to implement this method as a mandatory practice as the number of visitors increase annually. In Canyonlands National Park, Brian Maffly remarked that “it’s getting to the point where it’s hard to dig a cathole… without striking someone else’s cache.” 

The original biodegradable WAG bags (Waste Alleviation and Gelling) used to "pack your poop" were created by the fine folks at Cleanwaste. They can be purchased in thoughtful little kits that include a transport bag, hand sanitizer, and toilet paper here.

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The biochemistry of a forest and a desert are quite different, the most obvious being a lack of water in desert soil. Cathole's are heavily discouraged in desert environments: instead of decomposing, poop simply dries but doesn’t go anywhere. This is problematic as the number of visitors to desert regions steadily increase. Additionally, all sorts of critters and cacti live in the sand and soil, and human feces, considered a foreign agent when buried, negatively disrupts the delicate ecosystem. Packing your poop is a viable option, but what if you find yourself on that nineteen-mile hike, beef jerky belly screaming sans bag, Tupperware, lidded can, or poop tube? 

This is where “smearing” comes into play. Yes, dear reader, it’s exactly what you think it is. Smearing, or spreading ones poop out on a rock or rocky surface, ensures that fecal matter doesn’t just sit in the ground and remain a human pathogen palace for all time. Instead, the sun, heat, and wind dry your stool out completely, break it down, and scatter the micro-remnants to the four corners like confetti.

Use your imagination. Google image.

So there you have it, from me to you - now you can be a responsible nature pooper who thinks it through. Well, about wiping, you might be wondering. Regardless of what method you works best for you, an additional point to consider: if you opt for a moist toilette or tissue, just be sure not to dump those too.

By: Natacha Bensoussan

Sources 

"Disposing of human waste where no toilets are provided." Department of Conservation.  http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/know-before-you-go/care-codes/activity-minimal-impact-codes/disposing-of-human-waste/. Accessed 30 April 2018.

"Giardia Infection (giardiasis)." The Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/giardia-infection/symptoms-causes/syc-20372786. Accessed 30 April 2018.

Maffly, Brian. "New Cayonlands rule: pack out your poop." The Salt Lake Tribune. Sep. 18, 2013. http://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=56878032&itype=CMSID. Accessed 30 April 2018.

"Outdoor Participation Report: 2017." The Outdoor Foundation. 2017.  https://outdoorindustry.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/2017-Outdoor-Recreation-Participation-Report_FINAL.pdf. Accessed 30 April 2018.

Perotta, Joe. Personal Interview. 29 April 2018.

Weisberger, Mindy. "How Much Do You Poop in Your Lifetime?" Live Science.  Mar. 21, 2018. https://www.livescience.com/61966-how-much-you-poop-in-lifetime.html. Accessed 30 April 2018.