Full toilet/gray water drums and propane tanks. They can only be 90 percent filled to account for expansion as the liquid freezes. Note the barrier to protect against spills.
Spare wastewater drums, strapped together because of the wind.
Boxes contain solid garbage from our day-to-day lives.
Not seen behind the hut: Large crate containing the survival cache with sleeping bags (2), rubber insulation mats (2), stove, dehydrated food, fuel, radio, shovel, and snow saw.
Mountain tent. We have worked inside the hut and lived in the tents for months!
Solar panel: The rotating base allows us to move the panel to face the Sun as it makes the trip around the sky during the 24 hours of Antarctic daylight.
Scientists’ gear: No critters and dry conditions mean that gear can be left outside. The downside: 24 hours of daylight will really fade your pack.
Simple outhouse consists of a bucket and a Styrofoam seat. To keep this pristine environment clean, waste will be capped and shipped to Antarctica’s McMurdo station.
Ian Schwartz, Casey Middle School Teacher-in-residence at McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica, as part of a CIRES outreach program.
