Toilets are Serious Business

40 percent of the globe (2.6 billion people) have no access to hygienic toilets, according to an article in today's New York Times.

"The World Toilet Summit, which just took place in New Delhi, is an attempt to improve that situation by drawing attention to the problem and pushing for better sanitation technologies."

I want to be the first to say that I think it's great that a World Toilet Summit exists. Indeed, this sanitation crisis is no joke and deserves attention.

"Toilets get too little respect, Mr. Sim argues, openly wishing that someone with more celebrity than he has would take up the cause, because lack of adequate toilets threatens more children than, for example, global warming does."

I also want to point out that no one takes toilets more seriously than I do. I find them efficient, useful, and even exotic. In fact, two years ago I published a series of three articles on the history of toilets which detailed their origins, contribution to society, different models of toilet, and even toilet use in classic literature. Once I locate those articles, I will post them.

Take-away of this post: The World Health Organization is doing something very right with this summit.