Disgusting? Thought-provoking? Both?

Call us dirty hippies, but we did not anticipate the heated reaction last issue’s cover would engender. The shot showed a hiker, shorts around ankles, sitting on one of the Appalachian Trail’s new composting privies.



I grew up in an age when things were alluded to, movies faded to black, etc. I miss that. I know people go to the bathroom every day, have sex, pick their noses. Doesn’t mean I want to see it. You’ve got a great publication with excellent writers, interesting and well presented content. You don’t need to go for crude shock value to get attention.”

Vicki LaRosa Botta



It was disgusting. There are places that cameras don’t belong. In the bathroom is one of them, and in a funeral home is the other. Like I want to look at someone on the john? I think you could have gotten your point across in a classier way. The article’s fine, I am green, I understand the principles, I understand fertilizer. But to have it on the cover, and then you open the magazine and have to look at another guy… Anyone I talked to was disgusted by it. Anonymous



I found the cover offensive and crude, but read the articles with interest nonetheless. With over 20 states experiencing drought conditions, we need to get serious about our use/waste of drinking water.” Emma Gonzalez-Laders



There have been waterless composting toilets for decades, probably centuries. Sugar Loaf had one in the seventies. We need to be made uncomfortable occasionally. Go for it! Susan Elliott Logothetis



A controversial shot is good photojournalism... especially on a cover. This is a great article and photo as well. Keep up the great work and don’t be pressured by people’s need to keep everything so “clean!” Keep it dirty! Becky Moskin



People need to lighten up. Emily Zaferiou



I think it’s high time that we stop wasting perfectly good drinking water getting rid of our “waste”, and instead start using it as the incredible untapped resource it is. I find absolutely nothing offensive about the cover, and I commend you for taking on such an important topic. It’s your willingness to look at things from ‘outside the box’ that keeps me reading your magazine. Christopher Harrison



Keep doing what you are doing, Dirt! People are too worried about being PC rather than the real issues. KUDOS for what you are doing and how you are doing it. Denise Dorizas Tzouganatos



I don’t like the cover because I feel the message could have been conveyed in a funny and appropriate way without turning people off. Time mag might know a bit about what you’re dealing with. Lol ;-) Melanie Hooban





I think the article is extremely interesting, and I would certainly not cancel over the cover, but I could do without that exact photo.. it did however grab my attention & get me to read the article right away. Tigra Black