In 1981, Dr. John and Nancy Jack Todd, as a continuation of their work with New Alchemy Institute, founded Ocean Arks International (OAI). OAI is on a mission to foster the revival of international water quality and create an ecological design science and practice that is adaptable to any geographic, social or economic condition in the world. They are convinced that this mission can be accomplished from within the current economic paradigm and result in a reduction of humankind's negative footprint on the earth by ninety percent.

The Todd's write in their book, From Eco-Cities to Living Machines, that it is possible "to create a post - or meta-industrial society without violating fundamental ecological integrity". And they are not only talking and writing but are doing. Their Living Machines™ are examples of living solutions proven as multi-functional, non-chemical waste treatment technologies.



The Living Machine™ at Ethel M

Living Machines™ are "whole systems" approaches to treating wastewater. They are solar-powered, accelerated versions of the water treatment facilities found in mature natural systems. Incorporating helpful microbes, plants, snails and fish into diverse, self-organizing and responsive communities, Living Machines™ are site-specific, biological solutions that re-route waste streams into resources.

These tech-nologies have been customized for numerous communities and businesses throughout
the world. Applications range from an 80,000 gallon per day wastewater treat-ment system for the town of South Burlington, Vermont to a 200,000 gallon per day system installed for Master Foods in Wyong, Australia.

Another Living Machine™ can be found at Ethel M Chocolates in Las Vegas, Nevada. At the Ethel M facility, up to 32,000 gallons of highly concentrated wastewater are diverted each day from conventional waste treatment channels into a Living Machine™ where it is filtered, cleaned and re-used to irrigate their world-famous cactus garden.

The process begins when the water is routed from a grease trap into an aerobic digestor. There the water is aerated and introduced to active bacteria. The aeration provides an oxygen-rich environment for the bacteria to live and prosper in. Any objectionable odors are driven off using a bio-filter.

From there, wastewater is processed through four aerobic reactors that contain aerators and are planted with a variety of aquatic plant species that float on racks. The air and plants create an environment that hosts microbial communities that digest waste and minimize sludge production.

Aided by gravity, a clarifier then separates microbial life and any remaining solids from the treated water. Plants like duck weed and/or frog bit grow on the surface to shade out the sun and keep algae from growing. All solids that settle out are pumped to an on-site reed bed where they are composted and later added to the garden.

Two Ecological Fluidized Beds™ (EFBs) polish remaining organic materials and suspended solids. EFBs are patented re-circulating fixed-film reactors with one open water compartment and another one filled with a growth medium, like crushed rock, plastic shapes, or lava rock. Water from the open compartment is lifted to the top of the medium filled compartment and then cycles through a constructed wetland. After additional ultraviolet disinfection, it is used to irrigate their cactus garden.

On Ethel M's web site they note that, "by treating our wastewater, we can contribute to saving up to 20,000 gallons of precious water each day. This is a reliable technology that is simple to operate. It is more cost effective to build and run than conventional treatment plants and is kind to our environment."



Living Machine in South Burlington, Vermont

In fact, in its five and a half years of operation, the facility has saved money by cutting water costs and municipal discharge fees. Since the site was designed as an attraction to complement the factory tour and cactus garden, hundreds of people experience this living technology every day.

Living Machines™ offer numerous additional benefits. They are capable of achieving tertiary treatment standards that meet and often surpass municipal discharge requirements; sludge treatment on-site reduces costs and risks associated with off-site disposal; fully matured systems can adapt to dramatic changes in the waste stream; and the energy that powers a Living Machine™ comes from as far off the grid as possible - the Sun. Finally and perhaps most importantly, Living Machines™ are but one of many options for industries and communities to decrease their ecological footprint and give themselves real visibility and participation in a restorative ecology of commerce.

See also:
Ocean Arks
Ethelm
Conservation Economy
From Eco-Cities to Living Machines - Principles of Ecological Design by Nancy Jack Todd and John Todd. North Atlantic Books. Berkeley, California, 1994. $16.95

Nicolas Papadopoulos is an information cartographer and co-founder of ViewCraft, LLC, provider of Visual Context© services.