“A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to The Economy” 2

I have a theory. If we don’t seriously think about the tiniest of headlines seen recently (likely ‘not seen’) in the London Free Press then it won’t be too long before we are faced with serious consequences.

I mean, think of the inconvenience of having to switch to composting toilets in order to save millions of liters of water per hour across North America so that business can continue ‘business as usual’.

Whine! Composting toilets will cost us money to install and are tonnes more work than simply flushing our waste into rivers and streams by way of costly treatment plants. In some models of composting toilets we would actually be expected to deposit peat moss inside the unit and then turn a small handle. I don’t have time for this! And touch peat moss with my hands? Good grief. What will I be expected to do next? The inconvenience of it all. The inhumanity of it all.

However, I fear North Americans are so disconnected from the consequences of their actions they will continue to push fresh water supplies to the limit, at a time when lake levels are plummeting. And because many are not used to facing limits of many sorts, rationing, conserving, ‘making do’ with less, etc., and because governments and big businesses promote the philosophy of driving The Economy (aka Mr. Economy to you) relentlessly - even at the expense of the environment - warnings in small type and one or two predictions of dire consequences will not do much good. 

Would placing a higher fee per liter work? Switching to composting toilets? Larger headlines? Less focus on The Economy “at all costs”? Promoting a smaller lifestyle? More focus on The Environment? Redesigning the North American dream with nature's health in mind? Sustainability?

I think as water levels plummet the answer will become clearer.

Photos by GH (of London Free Press, Oct. 12 and Nov. 1, 2012)

***

Do you already use a composting toilet? How do you like it?

Please click here to read A Funny Thing Happened PT 1