An upcoming public event at the Telus World of Science will focus on taking the squirm factor out of talking about feces.

On March 6, the latest talk in a speaker series jointly presented by Science World and Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) will tackle the issue of solid human waste and how it can be utilized as a resource instead of possibly polluting our environment.

Paul Richard, an instructor and chair of the environmental-protection-technology program at KPU, said in a February 22 release that people should "get comfortable talking about poo."

It seems that TV's animated comedy series South Park didn't quite get that job done when it introduced "Mr. Hankey, the Christmas Poo" as a character two decades ago.

Richard, who will be presenting the talk, said he noticed students in a class about wastewater were uncomfortable when the subject turned to feces: "Stool is a great source of energy and fertilizers, but we neglect it in part because we don't want to talk about it or aren't aware of the issue. It is changing, but too slowly."

He noted in the release that some European housing complexes derive half their power and heat from biogas generated from its residents' poo. "We shouldn't waste it," he added.

Topics to be explored in the talk include: how fecal coliforms affect B.C.’s beaches, plastics dumped in our oceans, drinking-water parasites, the significance of excess nutrients in water, and how so-called disposables clog our sewers.

The talk, scheduled for 7 p.m. on March 6 at Science World (1455 Quebec Street), is free but requires registration at kpu.ca/scienceworld.

Doors open at 6 p.m. for science demonstrations and "hands-on activities".

Another talk in the series, scheduled for July 25, is about the threatened biodiversity and cultural wisdom of the Amazon.