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India Is Winning Its War on Human Waste

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Re: India Is Winning Its War on Human Waste

#21

Post by 6d6b73 »

avar wrote: post #16

> Unfortunately, in many places, it’s not > feasible to lay down sewer pipes or build > treatment facilities. [...] But giving > people access to toilets isn’t enough. You > also have to persuade them to use the > toilets. I can't find it now, but there was a news video making the rounds a year or two ago that showed that this problem is much more fundamental than that. It showed a Indians in a tiny village who were…

You're right - in this case technology is not the solution. Building a simple outhouse is not that complicated and people in other parts of the world have been doing this for millennia.

Re: India Is Winning Its War on Human Waste

#23

Post by Tharkun »

avar wrote: post #16

> Unfortunately, in many places, it’s not > feasible to lay down sewer pipes or build > treatment facilities. [...] But giving > people access to toilets isn’t enough. You > also have to persuade them to use the > toilets. I can't find it now, but there was a news video making the rounds a year or two ago that showed that this problem is much more fundamental than that. It showed a Indians in a tiny village who were…

I wonder how long it took for westerners to stop throwing their "night soil" out the window and start installing and using toilets.

What always struck me as strange is that the Romans had and used public toilets, but afterwards Europe went back to shitting in a bucket and throwing it out the window. Puzzling.

Re: India Is Winning Its War on Human Waste

#25

Post by nemacol »

blhack wrote: post #17

It's outlined in the article, but I think it's worth saying again: the most difficult part of what they're doing seems to be getting people to change their habits. It's the same psychology involved in pollution and climate change. Because people don't see an immediate reaction to for instance plastic-pollution, it's harder to get them to understand the serious effects that it is having.

I get what you are saying, but a turd on the ground is pretty immediate. :P

Re: India Is Winning Its War on Human Waste

#26

Post by blhack »

nemacol wrote: post #25
blhack wrote: post #17

It's outlined in the article, but I think it's worth saying again: the most difficult part of what they're doing seems to be getting people to change their habits. It's the same psychology involved in pollution and climate change. Because people don't see an immediate reaction to for instance plastic-pollution, it's harder to get them to understand the serious effects that it is having.

I get what you are saying, but a turd on the ground is pretty immediate. :P

Well that is true, but the effects that turd has on drinking water and overall health isn't quite as obvious.

Re: India Is Winning Its War on Human Waste

#27

Post by cmdrfred »

Tharkun wrote: post #23
avar wrote: post #16

> Unfortunately, in many places, it’s not > feasible to lay down sewer pipes or build > treatment facilities. [...] But giving > people access to toilets isn’t enough. You > also have to persuade them to use the > toilets. I can't find it now, but there was a news video making the rounds a year or two ago that showed that this problem is much more fundamental than that. It showed a Indians in a tiny village who were…

I wonder how long it took for westerners to stop throwing their "night soil" out the window and start installing and using toilets. What always struck me as strange is that the Romans had and used public toilets, but afterwards Europe went back to shitting in a bucket and throwing it out the window. Puzzling.

It has been said the knowledge was lost in the dark ages.

Re: India Is Winning Its War on Human Waste

#30

Post by chiph »

Tharkun wrote: post #23
avar wrote: post #16

> Unfortunately, in many places, it’s not > feasible to lay down sewer pipes or build > treatment facilities. [...] But giving > people access to toilets isn’t enough. You > also have to persuade them to use the > toilets. I can't find it now, but there was a news video making the rounds a year or two ago that showed that this problem is much more fundamental than that. It showed a Indians in a tiny village who were…

I wonder how long it took for westerners to stop throwing their "night soil" out the window and start installing and using toilets. What always struck me as strange is that the Romans had and used public toilets, but afterwards Europe went back to shitting in a bucket and throwing it out the window. Puzzling.

Around 1854.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1854_Broad_Street_cholera_outb...

Which about ten years later resulted in the Victorians building over 100 miles of sewers.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_sewerage_system

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