November 19th is World Toilet Day – a day to think about the million euphemisms for toilets and our body waste.

Most of us take our toilets for granted. We rarely think about them unless we are building a house. We just assume that when we flush, our waste will magically go away; but 2.6 billion people across our planet do not have access to adequate sanitation and 1.2 billion have no toilets at all.

Why are toilets important? Why do you need to wash your hands after using the toilet? I have lived in areas with few toilets and with trepidation have used toilets that were dangerous, fly ridden, or full. I have faced the problem of having no way to wash my hands afterwards. And I have suffered through days of diarrhea caused by water-borne parasites. Believe me – you do not want to have to undergo a night of being afraid to go to bed because you fear you will not have the strength or time to make it back to the bathroom. Most of the world’s illnesses are caused by fecal matter. I am lucky, I have access to decent healthcare but a child somewhere in the world dies every twenty seconds from a water-related disease.

The solution is so simple – Build toilets, Put hand washing stations near toilets, Make potable water available for everyone.

This is why Blue Mountain Project is pushing for a clean water pipeline in Hagley Gap.

Back to toilets. They come in many forms. They can be flushable but in many areas of the world flush toilets use too much water and are very expensive. Toilets just have to be clean, safe, and contain a safe way to isolate and treat fecal matter. Pit latrines work and are cheap and easy to build. Composting toilets work, they are more expensive but are better for the environment.

Just something to think about when you next head for the “facilities.”

Cathy