Women's Exposure to Chemicals May Explain Unexpected
Breast CancerLindsey Konkel and Environmental Health News
Scientific American
February 25, 2013
Environmental Science: Toxicology
Summary...In Sotang, Nepal, farmer Budhiman Tamang has been growing cabbage by using human urine. He uses his urine has fertilizer for this cabbages and then sells them. Just by doing so he made 252 U.S. dollars by selling cabbages and cauliflowers, which increased his income. He is putting a lot of the money towards his families education. The urine mostly contains water and nutrients that the plants easily absorb. By replacing mineral fertilizer with urine is has reduced their carbon footprint and reduced the need for phosporous. To reduce concern he spreads the urine on only the soil and not the leaves. A concern is that traces of medicine and hormones can be an environmental threat if released but its not too bad. The farmer is making good profit off of his idea.
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Reflection...My reaction towards this article was that I thought it was very interesting because of how he can use human waste and reuse to benefit his income, family and community. I think it is kind of strange using urine because that is pretty gross but if the vegetable is handled correctly in the kitchen and is cleaned well, there should not be any risk at all. The idea is very disgusting but if the idea is not going to harm people and it is benefiting himself and others, then it is worth it.
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