The Waste Water Cycle at Mezzacello

The Waste Water Cycle at Mezzacello

The Waste Water Cycle at Mezzacello
Hand washing station

Grey Water Collection
Gray Water Collection

Water Evaporation and Purification System

Reclaimed Water Fertilizer or Hand washing

If you are a fan of Mezzacello Urban Farm, then you probably already know that very little goes to waste. That is especially true of the most versatile substance at Mezzacello: Water. This is the Waste Water Cycle at Mezzacello.

As the Disney/Star Wars character, the Mandalorian is fond of saying, “This is the way.” This is the way, friends, the future is sustainable.

Jim Bruner

Hand Washing Stations

Mezzacello Advisory Board

There are three hand washing stations at Mezzacello (see the map). Each station is strategically placed to be used when needed. All of the water for the 18.5 L (5 gallon) stations are filled with solar purified water. We use a series of solar evaporators for this and supplement with city water when needed.

Gray Water Collection

Grey Water Collection

Each of the three hand washing stations at Mezzacello have a dedicated 37.8 L (10 Gallon) gray water waste collection tank attached to it. It is the gray water in this tank that we purify for fresh water during the camp seasons. The rest of the time the atmosphere here in Columbus, Ohio is too cool to either store liquid water outdoors or evaporate it.

Water Conservation Systems

We also collect rain water in 1000L (370 Gallon) rain barrels. This water is heated using solar powered heaters and pumps so we have access to liquid water on demand for the pond and fish. one has to plan ahead.

Solar Evaporators

This process is surprisingly straightforward, as it is exactly how mother nature recycles all the water on this planet for the past 4.7 Billion Years. The issue here is one of pressure and precise engineering. The atmosphere of the planet Earth is a sealed enclosed system with an atmosphere to hold in both air and pressure as well as heat from the central star, Sol.

In order for a small scale solar evaporator to work efficiently, it has to be tightly sealed, have a dedicated evaporation unit that is level, AND a sealed glass-topped cover that is at an angle. This angle is what allows the pure water to run down the glass and drop into the collection tray and run out the side.

What is left in the tray is bacteria and soap. I recycle that too. But that is another blog post. Suffice to know that there has to be a back door in the evaporator to change out the waste water and remove the waste solids.

PS I use a series of four solar evaporators at Mezzacello. In the winter I even keep one or two running in the Biodome. The Biodome is almoist (see what I did there?) always at a balmy 39C (102F). Therefore the evaporators will still work, but I also need some moisture in the dome for the plants to thrive on.

Repurposed Water

So, you already know what I can use fresh purified water for, right? I can put it back in the hand washing stations, or use it for the animals, or I could make more fertilizer products for the farm or to sell. The opportunities are endless and the costs are simple some thrown together bits and parts and patience.

The Rules of Sustainability

It is not sustainable if you have to struggle to get access to resources. The resources I use here at Mezzacello are an amalgamation of 80% recycled or homegrown content and 20% purchased resources. This is not true of food – as food is a precious commodity and I do not have enough land or the rural footprint to grow all my own food.

But what I can do is take every opportunity I have to make the most out of what I do have. As the Mandalorian is fond of saying, “This is the way.” This is the way, friends, the future is sustainable.


This is a part of the City of Columbus Parks and Recreation Summer Grant Grant #1521-2023



BioEngineering Summer Camp 2023 Guest Blogs

BioEngineering Summer Camp 2023 Guest Blogs

I love teaching Applied STEM summer camps. It never ceases to amaze me what kids will dream up if you give them a problem, some tools and then get out of their way. These are two BioEngineering Summer Camp 2023 Guest Blogs that were shared with me today.

Children Own The Future By Embracing Today Their Way

It is remarkable to see your impact through the eyes of a kid. It’s very important for me that you understand I presented a problem and these two created solutions that were manageable, doable, and sustainable. Creativity and problem-solving is an innate superpower of youth.

Liam’s Outdoor Data Station

This was Liam’s design for the outdoor data station. The requirements were:

  • The work surface had to be mounted and retractable
  • The station had to be covered and shaded
  • The monitors had to be free from the table surface
  • The entire array had to run on Solar, Wind, or Battery Power

Liam worked with his team and a high school intern who was also attending the camp. They had to provide me with detailed list of outside materials that would be needed and a drawing of their design. Liam is a great engineer in training, but he isn’t fond of mapping things out.

This is what Liam and his team designed. It works very well and uses the dedicated 5G wireless router signal that the Bioreactor uses at Mezzacello. The system is stable and easily mountable and dismountable. Below is the text from Liam’s description.

What I Did

I built a deck, mounted a monitor stand, managed setting up two Windows 11 workstations, created a database in Airtable, setup the wifi relay, and managed the entire Computer array storage system, used a solar-powered power station to power the entire system, hung chairs, and made an old compressor work from. Reused 12V 30Ah battery and spare wire. (more on this later)

Things I Did Wrong And Fixed

We put the desk in, but not on the (wall) studs. So we had to (take it down and) move it over.

Sketch Something I Did

Editor’s Note: Frankly I am blown away that he drew this from MEMORY! That lesson resonated with him. The plan view is a stroke of genius!

Fun I Had

Holding Alice Cooper was fun because he’s really cute.


Max’s Automated and Distributed Watering System

This was Max’s design for the distributed and automated watering system. The requirements were:

  • The watering source had to be circles large enough to cover the entire area of the potager gardens
  • The system had to make use of the existing steel trellis
  • No hoses could be exposed
  • The water had to come on and off automatically
  • The system could not use more than 3 gallons of water total on any one day

This is what Max designed. It works very well and uses city water for now but there are plans to integrate a solar-powered pump from the Bioreactor water tower at Mezzacello. The system is stable and easily programmed and run. Below is the text from Max’s description.

Mezzacello is a cool urban farm place that grows lots of stuff. I buried hoses in holes to make a sprinkler system for the garden. But I made the hole to big and deep. So I had to dig it again, smaller and closer. Then I had to fix some stuff.

Editor’s note: BioLab 4 is the shed on which Liam’s outdoor station station is mounted to.

Here is a plan view of the design.

There’s a lot of compost and animals and wind turbines, and solar panels and plants growing. And everyone is always working on something. I learned a lot there and I had a lot of fun too.

A Delight, A Privilege, and a Surprise

I pride myself on building and running programming that really captures the imagination and excitement of learning for kids. They need the opportunity to do things and fail and do them again. I am proud of these young people – all of them! – and I am delighted that they shared their journey with me in such a fun and unique way.

Applied STEM at Mezzacello is more than just science, technology, engineering and math. It is a true multi-sensory and disciplinary experience. I always strive to interweave lessons in leadership, cooperation, art, writing, and public speaking.

Those are the human skills that these young future leaders are going to need. They are tasked with changing the world in the face of Climate Reality. The very least we should be doing is allowing them to solve the problems on their terms and in their voices.


A Shout Out To My Sponsors

I wanted to give a shout to Richard Riley for always supporting me, and Olivia Hickey for entrusting me with her sons and getting them to write these guest blogs. That was a delight! I love that I get to be part of the change I want to see in the world!

I also want to thank The PAST Foundation, Franklin Park Conservatory, Scotts Miracle Grow, The Columbus Foundation, Battelle, The Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation, Bronzeville Grower’s Market, and The City of Columbus Parks and Recreation for underwriting this particular grant.

I am grateful to all of them for getting the opportunity to help make a positive change in the world. I welcome all collaboration and partnership. Nature hates a vacuum and I am certain I can’t be the best or only force for positive change, so let’s work together!

A special shout out to Walker Evans at Columbus Underground for putting the idea of expanding collaboration at his inaugural #CivicSpeakeasy and the Columbus Metropolitan Club and the amazing Sophia Fifner for reminding us that ALL of us are better TOGETHER! Brava and thank you all.


This is a part of the City of Columbus Parks and Recreation Summer Grant Grant #1521-2023


Heat, Water, and Built In Systems at Mezzacello

Heat, Water, and Built In Systems at Mezzacello

Water is a critical issue everywhere. Here at Mezzacello we make water and the value of water a core principal to all of our after school, virtual, and summer programs. We cannot stress enough the importance of heat, water, and built In systems at Mezzacello.

The gallery above is a small sample of the multiple ways that we incorporate lessons in water recycling and conservation. Thanks to a grant from Battelle, The PAST Foundation, Kroger, and City of Columbus Parks and Recreation we were able to extend and explore this further. I will be creating more content around this topic!

It’s Just Water, Right?

If you read my blogs you know I spend a lot of time on SUSTAINABILITY. Search my posts, and you’ll find that reference EVERYWHERE. But water holds a special place in my heart, as it is so endlessly recyclable and we take so little time thinking about it.

The water we use is not only just a small fraction of the liquid and frozen water on this planet. It is also the ORIGINAL water from the formation of the Earth, 4.5 Billion Years Ago! That should really make you respect water!

If you value something, show it some respect. Wasting water is reckless and frankly irresponsible. We get so much, and yes, it is absolutely recyclable, it is also hard to get back when it returns to natural systems. It take energy to recycle water, and energy is not free or necessarily easy to produce.

Teaching Kids is Insuring a Safer Future

If you want to insure a better world, start with empowering and teaching kids to look for those changes and opportunities. If they do not understand the ease and simple steps that can be taken to treat water as a precious resource, we are just kicking a can further down the road. They need to feel how precious and important water is.

That gallery above doesn’t even touch on the work I do around the UN 17 Sustainable Development GoalsTHREE of Which deal directly with water conservation. Be sure to also read my post on water reclamation and water evaporation technologies.


This is a part of the City of Columbus Parks and Recreation Summer Grant Grant #1521-2023


Design Challenge: Build a Covalent Atom

Design Challenge: Build a Covalent Atom

The world’s most FAMOUS covalent molecule!

In this Design Challenge: Build a covalent atom we will be exploring the architecture and geometry of water and how its atoms align, bond and are essential to life. Using the kit you have been provided you must solve a problem.

PROBLEM STATEMENT: How can we explain visually what atoms are doing in a water molecule and demonstrate a phase of matter for water for each team?

Materials:

What you will need.

  • Magnets
  • Parchment paper
  • Metal cookie sheet
  • White glue
  • Two circles of small and larger dimensions
  • Toothpicks
  • Styrofoam or foam balls (two sizes medium and small)
  • Gumdrops

Instructions:

Depending on what phase of matter you have construct two water molecules and create the effect that phase will have on the covalent bonded atoms of water.

  1. Gas
  2. Liquid
  3. Solid

Remember to use the design cycle!


Earth and Her Water

Earth and Her Water

Earth and Her Water
A visualization of Planet Earth’s crusts with water pulled aside

This is Earth and Her Water. I know it seems crazy, but it is accurate. The Earth’s water is a precious resource not only because it is rare in our universe, but rare here too.

This picture can be misleading. The shadows cast by the edge of the Pacific plates around North and South America is greatly exaggerated. Look at how SHALLOW the Atlantic basin is!

The Earth is fairly large terrestrial planet. The diameter of the Earth is 12,756 Km (7,917 miles) but at it’s DEEPEST point, the Marianas trench the Earth’s ocean is only 11 Km (7 Miles). That is a ratio of depth to diameter of 1/100,000.

The atmosphere is not much thicker – our breathable atmosphere is at best, 9 Km deep. That is also 1/100,000. The Earth really is mostly rock, despite what it looks like from space!

Earth and Her Water
These are puddles of water between continents. We call them oceans.

Water Water Everywhere…

Water Water Everywhere But Not a Drop to Drink.

Samuel Taylor Coleridge

This is a favorite quote about water. Everyone envisions the Earth’s oceans as nearly endless pools of water. They are not, they are shallow puddles beneath a paper thin atmosphere of air and water.

The water on earth is a closed fountain. All the water in the oceans, sees, lakes, rivers and ice caps of the world – this world – are contained in that top marble. All of it. The second marble is water in the ice caps, the smaller is the fresh water.

The Pixel You Can’t See

There is a pixel about the size of metropolitan Los Angeles that is the drinkable water on this planet. That water is being constantly used, evaporated and replaced. That is the water that has been on this planet for about 3.8 Billion years.

Recycle, Reuse, Repurpose

You read that right. This planet does not make more water. It uses the water it has over and over again endlessly. This is the water cycle.

When scientists say that Earth is an enclosed ecosystem, this is what they mean. We have finite resources. We need to respect and understand those resources.

The Water Cycle

This is why at Mezzacello, I am very committed to water purification, collection, and conservation. When water evaporates, it does come back to Earth, but it may never come back to where it left.

The earth is dynamic! The atmosphere, that tissue thin layer of pressurized gases and water that shields us from the vacuum of space and solar radiation literally moves that water where it needs it. Those clouds are frequent travelers.

The History of Water

Think about the next time you are wasting water. you are wasting the gift of billions of years and billions of comets that brought the Earth water billions of years ago. Trilobites, Dinosaurs, Mammoths, and your great great great great great grandparents all used that same water.

Please don’t waste it.


Let’s Start a Farm On Mars

Let’s Start a Farm On Mars

Power, Water, Nutrients, and Food

Everything I do Mezzacello is geared towards learning, exploring, and growing food as efficiently as possible. A young friend calls my 21st Century Urban Farm the “Let’s Start a Farm On Mars” farm. I like that title.

Power

I start with power because it is essential. So many things for building a farm ANYWHERE need power to run tools, cook food or run pumps. Power is a critical component.

There are multiple ways to gain power. Wind turbines, solar panels, batteries, gravity batteries that use falling water, methane generators, and solar powered electrolysis systems that create hydrogen to fuel a system. Just to name a few.

I use all of these – methane and hydrogen electrolysis systems will come online this summer. They will both be integrated into the Biodome project. The project will create fresh water from waste water as well as collect dew from the atmosphere on its plastic sheathed dome.

The biodome 2.0 will also house a new methane generation system that will transform manure and kitchen scraps into methane gas. It will then store that gas under minimal pressure for use in a generator. The heat that was a disaster last year will be a benefit in version 2.0.

Water

Mezzacello recycles as much water is practical. Rainwater, and recycling waste water is done in new and novel ways. The biodome 2.0 will contain three water evaporation stills that will purify water. The outer dome will feature a dew collection system that uses vibrating actuators of the steel dome frame to shake dew off the outside skin of the biodome for collection.

All this water will be used in multiple ways. Some of it will be used to water animals, add to hydroponic growing systems, or mixed with minerals to make it drinkable. Water is a valuable resource anywhere, but especially at Mezzacello.

The ability to easily recycle and purify water makes the pond an even more useful feature. I always maintain that the addition of the pond into the ecosystems at Mezzacello makes us draught proof. I always have fresh liquid water even in the winter.

The pond at Mezzacello is 1.7m (5’8″) deep. This depth insures that fish and aquatic life can dive and avoid prey birds. This depth also insures that there is liquid water in the pond at all times.

The liner for the pond at Mezzacello

This reservoir of water is also a useful feature of sustainability. Knowing there is a THIRD backup of water is a good idea. The more diversity, the better.

Nutrients

Nutrients at Mezzacello come from a variety of sources. The top three are from compost, manure, and the soil structures themselves. I need the nutrients to support the life I am trying to grow in terms of food.

Compost is a primary nutrient resource. I create it from collecting greens and browns from all around Mezzacello. I accelerate the compost with a combination of water, beer, soda, and ammonia.

This accelerant not only makes compost in a speedy 45 days, it also produces a pre-biotic fluid. This fluid is an excellent fertilizer! I can also use this fertilizer in combination with algae from my pond and make an even healthier fertilizer.

One of the summer camp kids testing the fertility of the accelerated compost in the bioreactor.

I can then use the compost anywhere I am growing food or even plants. It improves the soil and the water drainage. It encourages micro biotic life to come up to the surface.

I also collect manure and waste materials from five species of animals and insects at Mezzacello. All of these sources of nutrient materials arrive in different ways and require differing treatment. For example chicken and duck manures are acidic and dangerous to plants fresh, whereas rabbit and algae are fine fresh.

Regardless, all manures get recycled here at Mezzacello. Either directly in the soil structures, in the compost, or as a base for liquid fertilizer, nothing goes to waste. No pun intended.

In the livestock coops and warrens, a system of underground pipes channel chicken and duck wastes to a holding tank where they naturally lose their acidity over time. The fish wastes are collected in the biofilter for drying and reuse. The rabbit, worm, and cricket wastes are immediately recycled.

Food

All of these resources are leading us to food. Food production at Mezzacello is the primary focus of all of the above resources. From power to water, to nutrients, all of it can be traced back to food in some way.

There are six primary avenues of food production on site. These include:

  1. fruits and vegetables
  2. herbs and flowers
  3. meat production
  4. egg production
  5. food-grade insects
  6. imported grains, and dairy
No cows or grains at Mezzacello!

All serve some purpose at the farm and are part of the sustainability network. And what is eaten is largely recycled back into systems that provide feedstock to compost, insects, or to the animals directly. Regardless, food is a precious resource here.

The power systems provide energy for grow lights for the hydroponics systems and energy for the bioreactor which creates compost and waters the garden beds. Power also keeps animals safe and warm, and keeps water liquid in winter. Power also automatically pulls water from the rain barrels to the central bioreactor water tank.

The water helps us obviously to grow food and produce nutrients for food. Water also provides us resources for and from the animals, fish, and insects. These in turn provide nutrients which -you guessed it! Help us grow food!

Well now I am hungry. I think I’ll go down and harvest some spinach, open a can of canned tomatoes, grab some fresh herbs and make an egg omelette. Enjoy your day and thanks for reading this!


BioDome 2 Power Systems Integration

BioDome 2 Power Systems Integration

BioDome 2 Power Systems Integration
Sudman in the Biodome 2.0

Progress on the Biodome 2.0 is progressing. I have the superstructure done and the airlock/vestibule prepared. Now we need to start developing the BioDome 2 Power Systems Integration.

This semester I have a high school intern named Sudman who is helping me to assemble the modular power structures for the biodome 2.0. We are 3D printing the new VAWT (Vertical Axis Wind Turbine) based on a design we found from Christopher’s Factory.

Next Steps

Once we gat the dome painted and covered, we will begin integrating the wind turbine, homemade solar array and battery and inverter kit. Then we will begin creating the water evaporators and water recovery systems. We are shooting for a late April deadline for this.

Sudman is only available a few hours a week because of High School. I am trying to integrate him as much as possible on this build as it is part of his capstone research. So taking our time on this.


Lesson: Pressure and Water

Lesson: Pressure and Water

Water Under Pressure

In this lesson: pressure and water we explore the relationship water, pressure, and sanitation. We know pressure has a big role in temperature, electricity, and fear, it plays a role in water too. The more pressure we apply the better in terms of water.

Water is Heavy

Dihydrogen Monoxide weighs 1kg per liter (7lbs per gallon). That mass comes in handy when you add pressure to the equation. The tight constriction makes the weight of the water focus even tighter.

We can use this constriction to a great many things. We can clear mud and waste products from any surface. It destroys the cell walls of bacteria.

Water is a Universal Solvent

Water is also magnetic. It has a magnetic charge that allows it to stick together and to pull things apart. That is why water is referred to as the Universal Solvent.

When we add KINETIC energy to water we increase its ability to dissolve things. Think of running really fast into someone. You know instinctively that that is going to hurt.

This is what happens we when we pressurize water. Firefighters count on this when they spray water from a firehose. Yes, the water will douse fire, but high pressure water pulls air away from the fire as well.

Enough Water Will Crush You

A Mini Design Challenge

Just for fun let’s imagine the pressure that the fish in the pond are under when they swim in the deep end of the pond. If I give you a simple equation, could you figure out how much water pressure those fish are swimming in? Is it safe for them?

((W x L x D)7.5 x 7) D = Pressure per square inch

The pond at it’s greatest depth is 6′ deep. It will be 4′ wide and 5.5′ long. Once you have the answer, you must convert that number into Metric equivalents. 1 ft = .304m and 7lbs = 3.18kg.


Lesson: Types of Baths on a Farm

Lesson: Types of Baths on a Farm

Lesson: Types of Baths on a Farm

In this lesson: types of baths on a farm is so much more than just water and soap! It can be so much more than that. Can you imagine how many ways there are to bath animals and insects?

Water, Alcohol, Bleach, Sand, and Plankton

You might think the word “bath” means a tub and water. But that is NOT true. All kinds of animals “bathe” themselves in different materials other than water.

As an urban farmer, I use more than just water + soap to get animals clean. We sometimes need to use other chemicals and substances. And not all of them are wet.

Alcohol Bathing

A molecule of alcohol

This is a useful tool for cleaning blood and skin on any animal. But NOT insects. Alcohol is a poison to insects. It disrupts their ion channels and blocks insects from breathing through their skin.

Alcohol is useful on skin too because it breaks through the cell wall of bacteria and viruses as well. Alcohol rips through materials with ions and it sterilizes as it destroys. Alcohol is also effective as a wipe and much easier to administrate.

Another interesting fact about alcohol is it’s ionizing action which makes it evaporate rapidly. That’s why alcohol feels cold – it evaporates really fast. And the higher the percentage of alcohol, the FASTER it evaporates!

Bleach Baths

Chlorine Bleach Molecule

Bleach is more than a whitener. It is an ion disrupter and sterilizer as well. If we add a capful of bleach to a gallon of water, we create a gentle antibiotic. This is not useful on skin, but very useful in a bird bath or water tank.

This diluted amount of bleach is enough to gently sterilize water. It destroys cell walls in bacteria and algae. But it is gentle enough not to hurt the intestines and stomachs.

Sand Baths

Silica Dioxide or Quartz

Have you ever walked on Sand? It is a really rough and holds a lot of heat. This makes it a great tool for cleaning bird legs and keeping insects clean and warm.

Sand is an enemy of bacteria and viruses. It is sharp and smooth. This is also really difficult for bacteria to grow on.

Dirt Baths

Silicate Molecule

Dirt is a very useful compound on an urban farm. We can use it in so very many ways! Animals LOVE bathing in dirt.

One of the main benefits of a soil bath is the abundance of microorganisms, bacteria and beneficial organism. It also has our old friend sand in it. This kind of dirt also has silicates, a more complex mineral.

The animals bathing in that dirt are sharing their microorganisms and beneficial bacteria. The soil is also improved by the moisture and wastes that these animals leave behind. It’s a win-win situation.

Diatomaceous Earth

A molecule of silicon dioxide

A diatom made with silicon dioxide

It’s sand again! But this time the sand is a very small form factor excreted by sea-living animals called diatoms. Diatoms have another name though. It’s also known as plankton.

Where the sand (SiO2) in sand is a big crystal of quartz, the diatom makes molecular silica and mixes that with calcium to make these extraordinary shells. This form of “sand” is very fine and exceedingly sharp. It destroys bacteria and mites, lice and parasites on the skin, fur, and feathers of animals.

Diatomaceous earth can also be used INSIDE an animal’s body to manage pathogens and parasites in the digestive tract. It really is an amazing and useful bathing material.


Life Below Water and Fostering Sustainability

Life Below Water and Fostering Sustainability

Life below water and fostering sustainability is a critical component of the UN 17 SDGs. There is no hope for this planet without the water on this planet. This is true in a microcosm here at Mezzacello.

No other element brings as much to my success as this little oasis of water and life in my yard.

Jim Bruner

This entire endeavor I call Mezzacello would be completely unsustainable if there was no pond here. My pond is artificial – and deep. It is a microcosm of the value our oceans and fresh water systems bring to this planet.

So Much Value In So Little Space

At Mezzacello, much like on planet earth, I use every resource I possibly can from my pond. Unlike planet earth, my system must be maintained and managed if it is to survive. Unlike the people on planet earth, I know this is one of the most important treasures on this planet and I treat it with respect and dignity.

The ocean analogue of Mezzacello brings so much life to this Urban Farm. And it attracts and supports life in ways that I am often completely blind to. But I do see the effects of this integrated ecosystem.

All roads of sustainability come back to the pond and the rain. Everything depends on the water and the byproducts of the rain and pond water. Just like this planet.

Even the life in and on the water matters. Without the integrated network of fish, microorganisms and plants, this farm would become unaffordable and unsustainable in a hurry.

I didn’t know that when I added the pond initially. But it is very obvious today. No other element brings as much to my success as this little oasis of water and life in my yard.

When Things Go Bad, And They Do

Because my “ocean” is an artificial one and so when it goes bad (and it has) I have to reset it. We do not get this luxury with our oceans. If we allow CO2 buildup to acidify our oceans and kill the life within, there is no external biofilter.

We are part of the biofilter of this planet’s water, and right now we need to adjusted or replaced. Of all the global goals, this one is so super critical. From what I experience on my small urban farm, we are in big trouble if we do not manage this goal a lot better than we currently do.

We can do better and we know it. But we MUST start somewhere. The best place I know is to start with ourselves and try to influence outward.

So let’s get started. Spend some time watching a pond. It’s remarkable how much the air under there interacts with and influences the air up here.