This #WorldWaterWeek, Berkeley CEE Professor Kara Nelson (chair of Development Engineering) spotlights how sustainable sanitation is shaping climate resilience.
Her team is developing a toilet that separates urine and feces—turning urine into local fertilizer. This simple yet powerful idea could:
- Reduce risk from unsafe waste disposal
- Help farmers increase yields with affordable fertilizer
- Cut global emissions—since synthetic fertilizers account for ~2% of the carbon footprint
- Conserve water—reducing reliance on traditional flush toilets amid growing scarcity
With plans being adapted from Kenya to communities like San Francisco, this engineering approach is climate-smart, context-driven, and scalable.
“Smart sanitation that serves people and the planet”—that’s a shift we can flush with pride.
Check out the full article and interview here.
#SanitationInnovation #ClimateAction #DevelopmentEngineering #BerkeleyCEE