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Thanks to the wonders in genetic engineering, #pitcherperfectpooping found a way to the top most trending hashtags this year. Recently, after 7 years of work, the scientists at Loo Botanics Co. got a breakthrough in genetically engineering the Nepenthes pitcher species, that had evolved to feed on fecal matter of rats and bats. They successfully launched their first model earlier this year. The project was the brainchild of Dr. Jan Lelow, CEO of Loo Botanics Co., who came across these plants on her expedition in the forests of Borneo.
The newly modified species with pitchers about twice the size of the original, have fastened ‘metabolism’ that breaks down human waste naturally, turning it into nutrients that are asorbed by the plant. This has significantly reduced the amount of water needed to flush waste away. Loo Botanics Co. also specializes in the maintenance of ‘pitcher-loos’ for use in private spaces and public restrooms. The plants are carefully monitored to ensure they are healthy and thriving until the time their flaps close which is when they have reached their optimal capacity.
While people may find the idea of using plants as loos unsettling, it is fast becoming an accepted practice. The versatility of these plant loos is evident by their use across diverse environments all while preserving the natural beauty of the area. One such example is their use as public urinals on a nature trail through Kinabalu National Park in Malaysia.
Public pitcher-loos for men on a nature trail through Kinabalu National Park in Malaysia Credits: Perry Singh | Peuters
Another instance is their implementation in dog parks. ‘Pawrents’ are now training their pets to identify ‘open’ pitchers and squat to aim in them. The plants provide an effective way to dispose of dog waste, reducing the need to carry plastic bags to handle dog-poo, making the parks a cleaner space for everyone to enjoy.
The first pitcher-loos for dogs in the aerial Hanging Gardens Park, Singapore. Its first week saw about 30 pet dogs from nearby localities lined up in a queue to try this toilet Credits: Lucy Miu | Wetty Images
The plants have also found their way into the booming multimillion dollar ecotourism industry. Recently the world famous eco-resort chain ‘The Hideout’ of Bali set up these toilets at their newest location, the Penida island. They have become a symbol of commitment to eco-friendly tourism and an attraction in their own right, with visitors pouring in from all corners of the globe eager to experience the wonders of nature while leaving as minimal an impact as possible.
Interestingly, the public perception of these plants has also found its way into pop culture and language, particularly, the parlance that the Gen Double-Z is usually known for. According to statisticsonlinguistics.com, swear words such as ‘Son of a pitch’ and ‘Pitch-a-bag’ which were supposedly first used 4 years ago have seen a huge surge in its usage recently.
Eco-toilet at ‘The Hideout’, Penida island credits: Suki Chan | Wetty Images
While these plants have seemed to become a game-changer in the world of waste management, not all has been rosy with this new feat in genetic engineering. The self-proclaimed pro-choice plant welfare group ‘Humans for Plant Rights’ (HoPR) voiced their dissent against Loo Botanics Co. last summer over a case in Palm Springs, Malacca where a set of plants in ‘Meraki Eco Stays’ died within a week following ‘food poisoning’ through ‘negligent usage’ by a constipated guest. This was closely followed by another case in Kuching where a plant was allegedly infected by bacterium P. aeruginosa usually transferred through humans.
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In addition to survival woes, their new design surely isn’t doing any good for the company. In September, they faced huge backlash from the netizens after the public found the form of their recently released models for mens’ urinals closely resembling a curvaceous female body. The HoPRs demonstrated their dissent by throwing a poop-filled pitcher at the door of the company’s New York headquarters the night before the company was supposed to launch their newest and affordable model ‘Pitcher X Homme’ that is touted to hit markets early next year.
Despite the challenges, the future of 'pitcher-loos' looks promising. As technology advances, it'll pave way for even more applications - maybe in space missions, where water is a scarce resource. So keep an eye out, ‘Toilet Revolution’ is just around the corner.
By Kita Anvilkar
5 hrs ago | 5 min read
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Pitcher plants are now your go-to pots to answer your nature’s calls.
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