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Abstract
This study contributes to solving the challenges of sustainable toilet adoption by developing an effective educational pathway that promotes the conceptual changes needed to understand how human waste can be utilized as a natural resource. Scientific observations and environmental ethics establish that human urine and feces are a natural part of life and have value when appropriately processed and integrated into the ecosystem. The novel approaches presented in this dissertation outline the social, environmental, and infrastructural aspects of water, wastewater, and resource reclamation systems. The educational tools created for the research are the first of their kind. They include a 3D model and system diagrams that connect households with the natural environment, energy grids, and agriculture. Mixed methods investigated student responses. Quantitative instruments measured learning gains. Inductive qualitative analysis outlined the values influencing educated young adults' preferences for a future toilet system. Results demonstrated a significant increase in water literacy. Students’ responses indicate they highly valued wastewater education, partly because they recognized its relevance and anticipated pro-environmental behavior. Findings reveal that students prefer toilet systems that use resources wisely (water, nutrients, and money) and are practical. They felt they must avoid causing harm and should contribute to something good. The most striking outcome is that students identified toilet systems as a way to give back. These aspects are more important than maintaining the social taboo. Students’ conversations with friends and family suggest a lower threshold of disgust than previously assumed. The barrier was overcome by explaining the evolutionary and cultural reasons for adversity to human excrement and the potential benefits of using it as a natural resource. The educational module facilitated the reimagining of household infrastructure from a way to remove waste to a system that processes water and nutrients. Recommendations apply to environmental and engineering education, watershed outreach, sustainability efforts, and implementation of ecological toilets. This study supports the literature on social change toward the widespread adoption of regenerative sanitation systems. It offers a pathway to shift from having a mentality of “flush and forget” to a “capture and cultivate” approach to sanitation systems.