[UrbanWanderer]

Hello. I'm interested in anyone's experience in using composting to stay warm. I am making wearable composting "clothing" that will generate heat for warming the body as it breaks down compostable materials. I want to know about anyone's experience using any type of system for composting that can be worn on the body. Obviously, materials are a concern, as I want to avoid generating moisture from sweat that will chill the body.
Much appreciate any experience, or information anyone can share.

 

[danger]

I'd be worried about breathing the gasses from the decomposition. Or the bacteria migrating from the clothing to your skin, or worse, respiratory system. Also, you'll smell terrible, but maybe that is part of the strategy.

 

[kalos72]

I have seen vids of people who run sprinkler lines through a compost pile and use its own generated heat to heat water. Or people using them IN greenhouses to heat those...

 

[CTStorm]

thats a huge risk that outweigh negatively more,especially with open cuts/wounds.Go ahead but I wouldnt dare do it unless I was freezing to death or if I want to look like a smelly swamp monster or "that stinky guy with that cheap disgusting home made ghille suit"
if you must though make sure you wash your self as for materials,maybe something that has cleansing properties or some use

 

[Straight Razor]

I know a WWII vet who told me that while in Europe on cold night he and his buddy slept in a manure pile to stay warm.

 

[boiledfrog]

Cold weather and composting don't mix.

 

[Gullars]

You can always just have one in your garden and let the hedgehogs use it to hibernate!

 

[Daisy]

Thats an interesting concept. I've never heard of this before. I have a feeling this would be difficult as the composting has to do with layers and volume and air balances. If you find out more about this, I'd be really interested to see how this would be done.

What is the problem you are trying to solve? Is it staying warm without a house? Or saving on fuel?

If you' want to have heat during the winter without having to buy fuel, you can check out the rocket mass heater, Ernie and Erica Wisner and permies.com have a lot of information on this. I understand that you can use just cut branches and small wood and only need less then 3 cubic meters a season to heat your space and that this is wood that can be collected from fruit tree trimmings etc.

The other thing that I remember reading about is that during the war people crumpled up newspapers and stuck them as an insulating layer between their clothes.

 

[nicktide]

to compost it would have to stay moist. You would have to wear a rubber lining under the suit.

 

[ShellbackBill]

I have seen vids of people who run sprinkler lines through a compost pile and use its own generated heat to heat water. Or people using them IN greenhouses to heat those...

While I am wondering if the OP is serious......

Mother Earth News ran a couple of articles back in the 70s on a guy heating his house with a compost pile. The only problem I saw with his set-up was that his compost pile was bigger than most houses.

For most of us there would be too much work finding and piling up that much compost yearly.

Why not just bury a nice long pipe underground and use the earth to do the same thing? That would not only provide heat in the winter it would provide cooling in the summer, as the air coming out would be around 70 degrees year round.

This was done by the Romans and many other civilizations.

http://www.i4at.org/surv/aircond.htm

It could be modernized with solar powered fans.

 

[Per Ardua]

While I am wondering if the OP is serious......

.

:thumb:....

 

[larryp]

Hmm considering the number of posts by the OP I'd say it's a troll trying to see how many preppers would take him serious.

 

[UrbanWanderer]

Hmm considering the number of posts by the OP I'd say it's a troll trying to see how many preppers would take him serious.

I suppose this idea sounds nuts to some, but I am serious about the idea. I appreciate all of the feedback and suggestions!

 

[Absolutely!]

I fear you have temporarily misplaced your mind.

Get a down jacket.

 

[cranky1950]

Hello. I'm interested in anyone's experience in using composting to stay warm. I am making wearable composting "clothing" that will generate heat for warming the body as it breaks down compostable materials. I want to know about anyone's experience using any type of system for composting that can be worn on the body. Obviously, materials are a concern, as I want to avoid generating moisture from sweat that will chill the body.
Much appreciate any experience, or information anyone can share.

Aren't you afraid of the compost contaminating your edible undies?

Are you gonna wear like rubber clothes of something so you don't track your composting underoos all over the place? You could do like the nutsy astronaut wear your compost under your sweatsuit. The iceman had stuffed his hide boots with straw, so compost oughtta work. You can squish your toes in it. You'll smell like cow farts though.