Every day of my life, I thank my lucky stars when I get up, go into my clean bathroom, and take care of business.
Some days of my life, I’m less thankful when I am somewhere where the only “facilities” have no running water. No handle to push. No way to wash my hands.
Of course, with my potty problems, I guess I’m more in tune to toilet issues than most people.
Why am I telling you this? You see, Sunday, November 19, is World Toilet Day. And of course, I’m (1) telling you about it; and (2) celebrating it.
A toilet stands outside the Llamocca family home at Villa Lourdes in Villa Maria del Triunfo on the outskirts of Lima, Peru, October 7, 2015. REUTERS/Mariana Bazo
The point of World Toilet Day is actually pretty important. People without access to hygienic facilities risk illness, many women are preyed upon and attacked as they seek out a place to go. Diseases are transmitted, including infections, cholera, well, here’s a picture.
The “F-diagram” (feces, fingers, flies, fields, fluids, food), showing pathways of fecal-oral disease transmission. The vertical blue lines show barriers: toilets, safe water, hygiene and handwashing.
Source Wikipedia
Hope you’re not eating.
World Toilet Day is to help the fortunate ones of us around the world realize that:
2.4 billion people around the world don’t have access to decent sanitation and more than a billion are forced to defecate in the open, risking disease and other dangers, according to the United Nations
We in the West are rather spoiled. And the reality of what some folks, many folks must deal with can be eye-opening.
About 25 years ago, my brother Fred got a grant and went to Africa to study something or other. It was his first experience visiting the Third World. When he came back, he talked only about poop.
It seemed that the city he had visited ran with raw sewage. Poop was in the gutters. Children played in those gutters. The sewage ran into the river that was used to irrigate crops.
Piles of poop were everywhere. In the street. Under trees. In the corners of buildings; everywhere, he said. Even inside. Fred described a memorable elevator in the middle of a hotel lobby, that he had seen. The decorative ironwork around the elevator shaft was delicate and beautiful. But the elevator didn’t run — in fact, the elevator itself had been removed. But people would stand with their backs to the elevator shaft, pull down their pants/up their skirts, hang their butts over the open elevator shaft. And they’d poop.
“I realized something incredibly important, “ said my horrified brother:
“Civilization all comes down to what you do with your poo.”
So when you’re thinking about the craziness in today’s world, maybe we all need to realize that part of our problem is that so very many people just don’t have a pot to piss in.
***
Yup, it’s a rerun. But you didn’t really think I’d miss World Toilet Day, did you?
FiftyFourandAHalf 
So the last storm we had here a few weeks ago, we lost power for 5 days. We have a well. So we certainly appreciated being able to poop at home without having to lug 2 gallons of water in for ONE flush. We have it soooo easy here!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s the worst! We have a well too. We fill up a bathtub — with water to use for flushing. Let me tell you it’s great fun with me in the family.
Glad you’re back on! ❤️❤️
LikeLike
Holy crap…nice one, E. And I never take indoor plumbing for granted. Was born into a house without it, family moved to a 3 story with 1 bathroom for 8 people. Still..I’m certain it was a luxury.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We had 7 and one bathroom so I can relate — plus that’s when I developed IBD! I had dibs!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Happy Toilet Day to the self-proclaimed Queen of Poop.
LikeLiked by 1 person
👸🚽
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yep, looks like you flushed this one down last year, and it came back up. Darn floaters anyway.
But I can relate to your brother, Fred. I lived in Turkey for a year, in a little village. I too saw raw sewage in the streets. Once I went to the beach and had to change into a swimsuit in the public restroom. This was a square room with a rubber water hose hanging down from the ceiling, and a drain hole in the middle of the floor. I had to watch where I put my feet as I stepped out of my clothes and into the swimsuit, because not all of the piles had been washed down the drain.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ewww. Still Turkey must have been fascinating. We were planning a trip there when there was a high profile bad guy arrested and rioting broke out ~1999 I think). So we didn’t go.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It had its fascinations. But I was glad to get the hell out and return to the good ol’ USA.
LikeLiked by 1 person
There’s no place like home …
LikeLiked by 1 person
The things we take for granted are someone else’s luxury, and sadly that includes proper toilets and waste collection. It’s good there’s a World Toilet Day. Makes us appreciate what we have!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Some of us more than others 😏
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m going to have to go and buy a cake. Just trying to decide what I should have the bakery write on it. Anyone here flush with ideas?
LikeLiked by 1 person
How bout: “I’m flush with pride” 🚽
LikeLiked by 1 person
Or Wipe out unsanitary conditions
LikeLiked by 1 person
🤣😂
LikeLiked by 1 person
You sure talk a lot of shit. 😉
LikeLiked by 2 people
💩yeah.
LikeLiked by 1 person
World Toilet Day? Well, if it improves awareness and helps third world nations get sanitary facilities so people can stop pooping in elevator shafts, I’m all for it. To think, we get torqued off here when our stall is out of TP and our neighbor “hasn’t a square to spare.” Eye-opening as always, Elyse. 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
Joan, I have never heard the phase “square to spare” — I love it!
But it really is the cause of a huge amount of disease in the 3rd world. Toilet are treasures!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I guess you were not a fan of the sitcom Seinfeld, where the “square to spare” phrase was made famous. Here’s the link on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gysu0kgFwT0. You’ll love it. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I missed the whole Seinfeld thing. I should watch on Netflicks so I can see the beginning.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good post for today. We just looked at a house. Perfectly lovely. First thing I said was that the bathroom needs to be redone. It’s functioning and not obnoxious but very early 90s. Someone somewhere would kill for that bathroom.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Sounds like you were looking at my house! I need a window and a functioning toilet Otherwise I can manage ok! We looked at one house where you had to pass through the bathroom was to get to the closet. My husband would have to go naked!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Plumbing (both community, like water availability and sewage treatment, and private, like household or business) is one of two greatest inventions to advance public health. The other is birth control. YAY for plumbing. My appreciation for it grows, as my ability to get grossed out by icky public spaces declines.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes! Th mark of civilization!
LikeLike
Well I had 3 paragraph’s written and then…. I have no idea where it went to. I reckon that what I wrote was not worth a crap. Anyway we take it for granted that we have hygienic bathroom facilities Most people don’t give a sh–. But I do, because when in public I love a clean toilet that has toilet seat covers, toilet paper, soap, hot and cold water and paper or, air to dry to my hands.
This is an interesting post. Good idea.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh! I hate it when that happens! And I agree with you about cleanliness. I actually chose to shop at a grocery store that is a touch more expensive because of their bathroom!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I would do the same thing. Cleanliness means a lot these days.
LikeLike
Must say, till I’d read this post I’d never heard of World Toilet Day !!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Stick with me, kid, you’ll “go” places 😏🚽
LikeLike
I can remember as a kid being desperate to go until I was told where the toilet was. It was a tin hut at the bottom of the garden and I could smell it yards before I could see it. I never used it. Suddenly the urge just ‘went’, and for years I was unable to go anywhere unless it flushed. It was a bit of a game when camping in fields with no facilities!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes! I had nightmares about having to go in the outhouse (full moon cutout and all) at a cabin my grandparents had in the country. Shudder. We are all lucky to be where we are!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Indeed we are!
LikeLike
We really are spoiled. Some houses have a bathroom in every bedroom, plus one on each floor, while others have nothing. Thanks for sharing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We really are spoiled! Hope you’re doing well Jaded!
LikeLike