Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has launched a search for a new toilet better suited to developing countries to help prevent disease and death.
A charitable foundation founded by Gates and his wife kicked off a "Reinvent the Toilet Fair" in Seattle and awarded prizes for promising innovations.
"Toilets are extremely important for public health and, when you think of it, even human dignity," Gates said.
"The flush toilets we use in the wealthy world are irrelevant, impractical and impossible for 40 per cent of the global population, because they often don't have access to water, and sewers, electricity, and sewage treatment systems."
The Toilet Fair was described as a swirl of about 200 inventors, designers, investors, partners and others passionate about creating safe, effective, and inexpensive waste management systems.
Universities from Britain, Canada, and the United States were awarded prizes in a competition launched a year ago challenging inventors to come up with a better toilet.
First place went to the California Institute of Technology for designing a solar-powered toilet that generates hydrogen gas and electricity.
Loughborough University came in second for a toilet that transforms waste into biological charcoal, minerals, and clean water.
Third place went to the University of Toronto for a toilet that sanitises human waste and recovers minerals and water.
Gates said approximately 2.5 billion people worldwide do not have access to safe sanitation systems and this contributes to severe health problems.
"Beyond a question of human dignity, this lack of access also endangers people's lives, creates an economic and a health burden for poor communities, and hurts the environment," Gates said.
Food or water tainted with faecal matter causes intestinal diseases that kill 1.5 million children annually - a figure higher than deaths from AIDS and malaria combined, according to Gates.
"Inventing new toilets is one of the most important things we can do to reduce child deaths and disease and improve people's lives," Gates said.
"It is also something that can help wealthier countries conserve fresh water for other important purposes besides flushing."
My toilet invention turns waste into delicious american fries, hamburgers and cola drinks but is being sabotaged by fast food companies.
ReplyDeleteIraq had good toilets, sewerage systems, and electric utility systems until the US destroyed it all in 2003. Thousands of innocent Iraq men women and children have since died from drinking and bathing in water tainted with fecal matter. The same is true for Somalia, Libya, Yemen, and large areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan as well. If Bill Gates and his wife want to do something to help their fellowman they should forget about building better toilets and start using their wealth and influence to fund a world-wide anti-war effort.
ReplyDeleteDoes a bear sht in the woods?
ReplyDeleteQuestion is: When someone uses this newfangled Bill Gates' toilet, will it automatically inject your A** with a toxic vaccine?
ReplyDeleteSo, is he going to steal the idea for it from somebody else, the way he stole most of the stuff that he used to launch Microsoft?
ReplyDeleteI'll bet Bill promised each village free toilets if they vaccinate the locals
ReplyDeleteHey Bill, After you invent it, flush yourself you POS.
ReplyDeleteIt will be hard to improve the "crapper" as it requires no energy but gravity and water. The new devices sound expensive and costly maintenance may be required.
ReplyDeleteBill is interested in human dignity? What he wants is to flush the human race down the bog. Whoever invents that crapper will win, hands down!
ReplyDeleteThe difference between a modern industrial country and a third world nation isn't toilets Bill; it's electricity! Especially if you want to run any product with Microsoft on it. C'mon Bill help the people of the world with access to electricity. With electricity people have clean water, more food, sanitation, modern medicine, mobility, and yes of course access to computers with Microsoft on them. C'mon Bill, get your head out of the toilet and let's get the world's population access to electricity, especailly cheap electricity.
ReplyDeleteproblem-reaction-solution: all designed by one and the same punk ass elite, get it?
ReplyDelete"First place went to the California Institute of Technology for designing a solar-powered toilet that generates hydrogen gas and electricity.
ReplyDeleteLoughborough University came in second for a toilet that transforms waste into biological charcoal, minerals, and clean water.
Third place went to the University of Toronto for a toilet that sanitises human waste and recovers minerals and water."
Hahaha! Are you thinking what I'm thinking? First place is for a bomb that'll blow the crap out of you literally. 2nd and 3rd places are for transformation of waste and its recovery to clean water etc. The clincher? "Food or water tainted with faecal matter causes intestinal diseases that kill 1.5 million children annually - a figure higher than deaths from AIDS and malaria combined, according to Gates." Now you know where this eugenics freak is headed. He arrogantly states it to our face.