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| Manual fill feature - no extra charge |
You just toss in the clothes, add some detergent and walk
away. Maybe you have one of those fancy machines that weighs the clothes and
calculates needed water and detergent, plus adds softener to the final rinse.
Well, lucky you. Very few folks out here in the 3rd world even have
a washing machine – most still do the wash by hand. I’ve done it totally by
hand and can tell you it is a major chore.
Those few who do have a “washing machine” here count
themselves fortunate indeed. I use the quotes, because the washers here are
nothing like their big beefy cousins in Estados Unidos. The washers here are
meek little 90 lb weaklings and require almost as much work as hand washing. They
are not made by Whirlpool or GE, but by Sanyo and LG and other electronics
makers – that should give a hint.
First, there is no automatic fill – you take a hose and fill
the “wash” compartment to your liking and add soap. Then you set the timer and
watch as the machine gently nudges the clothes back and forth. Look at the
agitator in the photo and you’ll see that these machines gently push and not
much else. Most folks let the “washer” work for at least an hour. Even then,
only the light dirt will come out. Heavy dirt or stains must be “pre-washed” by
hand.
Next, you manually open the drain on the wash section and
place the pieces – a few at a time – into the spin section. Most folks actually
hand wring the clothes as they put them in to save time. The spin starts out
VERY slow and gradually increases in speed. When top speed is reached, a red
light comes on. The user then determines how much spinning they want and lifts
the lid.washer spin video
Now the clothes are put back in the wash section, water
added and timer set. Again, I’d give it at least 30 minutes. This time, you
inspect the water coming out of the drain to see if you can get away with a single
rinse (odds are against it) or dirty enough to warrant yet ANOTHER rinse cycle.
Figure about 2 hours for the complete process and you really must be present
for almost the whole time.
Feeling a little more gratitude for your nice washing
machine now ?? Next time you go to use
it, give it a little stroke and let it know how much you love it. Maybe even a
hug.
Human Compost
It has been just about a year since we built the first
composting toilets in Ipeti, Panama. Over half of the users have reported that
one of the compost compartments is full and has had at least 3 months to “mellow”.
That means it is time to open up the back doors and retrieve the special
compost, cleaning the compartment so it is ready to go when the other side gets
full.
Opening the back portals was supposed to be relatively easy.
I told the albaniles (masons) to just apply a LIGHT coat of mortar around the
doors to give a seal. We even had a demonstration. However, being the good
masons that they are, many decided that the doors needed to be “properly”
sealed. So, they filled ALL the gaps and sides with nice hard concrete and not
the soft mortar.
So, I had to buy some big chisels to assist in the grand
openings. A little more work than we had planned and we have made sure that the
masons got the message this time.
But, the results are outstanding : Beautiful, rich, light
compost with a hint of “earthy” fragrance. Yes, Virginia, this is human waste –
shit, ca-ca, poopy doo – decomposed and blended with sawdust to make a lovely
soil amendment, rich in nutrients and thoroughly organic. Compost video
Also, not that this bus is clearly owner operated, as it has
been tricked out with tassels and a flat screen TV. Not the sign “damas” above
the “hot seat” – only “hot” ladies are allowed to sit up with the driver. And
they rarely pay a fare.
This was my "office" this morning for a meeting with my buddy and most excellent co-worker Cecilio. I brought the cookies and Leo had the coffee ready.I LOVE my "job".
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