It’s like they wake up and go “what can we link to climate doom today?”
Climate change is encouraging unsanitary toilet practices among vulnerable communities
Everyone knows that climate change has consequences, such as a higher likelihood of severe floods, hurricanes and droughts. But here’s a lesser-known problem: Climate change makes toilets more likely to break, which leaves people more likely to “go” outside.
That’s what colleagues and I found when we studied households across six rural Cambodian provinces, focusing on their access to proper toilets and when people decide to abandon sanitary systems in favor of open defecation, or “going” outside.
We analyzed sanitation behavior surveys that were given to about 200,000 households every two years from 2013 to 2020. These questionnaires looked into how households maintained access to sanitary toilet systems, when these facilities were abandoned, and why. It also inquired about the poverty status of the households.
A second survey of 1,472 households that owned a pour-flush latrine purchased through local sanitation businesses supported by the nonprofit organization iDE looked at how well these toilets functioned, as well as attitudes toward waste management. In this case, waste management refers to how often and when latrine pits are emptied and whether the waste is contained in a safe and hygienic way.
Seriously, they looked at one nation, and decided that Bad Weather, which has always happened, is the fault of Other People driving fossil fueled vehicles and living a modern lifestyle. And, seriously, not only did they look at Cambodia, which is considered a high 3rd world nation to a low 2nd world nation, they looked at people in the rural areas
Our goal was to establish how living in regions vulnerable to the effects of climate change affects how well sanitary toilets function, and the impact that has on households’ sanitation practices and perceptions.
Sigh. What’s Cambodia like?
Cambodia’s troubled history exacerbated poverty and perpetuated economic inequities. Decades of destructive conflict, civil war, and economic, political, and social instability have contributed to the widespread poverty that currently exists in the country, especially among rural dwellers. The conflict resulted in the destruction of infrastructure, human capital, and institutions, as well as a large proportion of Cambodians being displaced, maimed, orphaned, or widowed. Not surprisingly, these conditions created deep poverty, and the aftermath has been accompanied by widespread economic and social inequities.
So, not exactly the place one looks for having lots of toilets that always work, right?
Going to the toilet is a basic human necessity, yet more than half the world’s population uses toilets that do not treat human waste before it reenters the environment, typically into rivers.
In other words, they’re using outhouses and hand dug pits. But, them having problems is on you. Hey, maybe if we’d stop wasting so much money on ‘climate change’ garbage there would be money to help them out.
Read: Your Fault: People Having Unsanitary Toilet Practices Linked To Hotcoldwetdry »
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