Support First Things by turning your adblocker off or by making a  donation. Thanks!

I have said—only partially tongue in cheek—that GWHs want to destroy modern civilization and return us to the era of hunter/gatheresr—or better yet, just gatherers.  But now, one green columnist is targeting the flush toilet!  From the Guardian column, “The Arrogance of Cancun” by Gustavo Esteva:

We must look down and to the left, as the Zapatistas of Mexico say: to the people, and what we can do ourselves. For example, stop producing waste, rather than recycling it. This requires a lot of things, from rejecting plastic bags and packaging to radically abandoning the flush toilet – one of the world’s most destructive habits, absorbing 40% of water available for domestic consumption and contaminating everything in its way.

Do these people compete with each other to be the most loony? Modern plumbing has contributed tremendously to the health and well being of society.  It has stopped waste-born diseases, cleaned up rivers, and made life infinitely more sanitary—not to mention the aesthetic improvements of not having a septic pit in back of every home and business.

But now, we are told we should go back to outhouses.  (And don’t give me the nonsense about exchanging billions of toilets for $2000 composting commodes.)  Well, I had better sign off now.  I have to go dig a hole in my back yard to save the planet.


Comments are visible to subscribers only. Log in or subscribe to join the conversation.

Tags

Loading...

Filter First Thoughts Posts

Related Articles