The call for a World Sanitation Day

Monday, March 23, 2009

Stream m3u

It's the day after World Water Day, a day highlighting the issues facing countries with scarce water resources. The issue of clean water is clearly important, but Rose George, author of The Big Necessity, The Unmentionable World of Human Waste and Why It Matters, suggests we also need a World Sanitation Day.

For more on the importance of clean water and sanitation, watch the video from the International Federation Global Water and Sanitation Initiative (GWSI) in action at the Zambia Red Cross Society:

Guests:

Rose George

Contributors:

Mary Harris and Sitara Nieves

Comments [2]

Chhabi from Nepal

I would lik eto receive the updated information and also share the experience of Nepal.

Jul. 27 2010 12:36 AM
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Bill G.

I haven't read the book and certainly am not up on all the facts, but could the composting toilet be a simple(r) solution?

I often hike through the White Mountains in NH and am amazed at how the composting toilets you find at the huts are able to both take care of your business and not negatively impact the surrounding environment.

Granted, getting composting toilets out to 2.6B people is a difficult task, but it must be cheaper and quicker to implement than waiting for western-style waste-water treatment plants and plubming to come on line.

The end product of the process (compost) could then be used to improve soil conditions as a step towards improving local food production.

Maybe a redesigned low-cost composting toilet could be the basis for a new social entrepreneurial venture too?

Mar. 23 2009 08:56 PM
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