More People Have Cell Phones Than Toilets

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I'm not sure where the UN gets these statistics but, if they are accurate, this is just sad.

Of the world’s seven billion people, six billion have mobile phones. However, only 4.5 billion have access to toilets or latrines – meaning that 2.5 billion people, mostly in rural areas, do not have proper sanitation. In addition, 1.1 billion people still defecate in the open.
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Six billion of the world's people do not have cell phones, but the fact is that they need constant access to Facebook and Twitter more than they need a stupid bowl to do their business into in order to scrape out a minimalistic survival.
 
LOLWUT???

I think we need to find a better use for our money than sending it to the UN to do "studies" like this.
 
Based on what I see on Facebook, I'd say people tend to use cell phones and toilets interchangeably.
 
In addition, 1.1 billion people still defecate in the open.
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First world countries compensate that shortcoming by leaving excrement of their dogs in parks etc :D.
 
Maybe in those 27th world countries their phones are wrapped in plastic or ziplock bags and pull double doo-ty. It's a new plan called Talk n' wipe. Ya know, talk to your loved ones, drop a large deuce on main street (which is probably a dirt path), kick some sand or trash over it, wipe with the iphone and keep walking and talking.
 
It's probably counting the 20 cellphones every American owns.
 
Interesting that this is coming from the UN
 
I would certainly believe a large number like 4 billion, I don't believe 6 billion have cellphones.
 
I have to wonder....do outhouses count as a toilet? I mean, how hard is it to dig a deep hole and have people poop in it? (I mean, besides Facebook ;) )
 
Another day, another useless thing done by the UN.
Next we know they'll want the 1st world countries (read: the US) to install toilets in places they've never even heard of toilets, and shanty towns and out in the wilderness for nomad tribes and such. Once they're finished with that they'll take another study and find the numbers have reversed, and want them to fund the newly found world wide cell phone shortage. :rolleyes:

I'd say that research should be done on all the "important" things the UN has done, but we all have a pretty good idea how short that list would be. Though a study of all the money wasted on idiotic crap by the UN would probably clog up a good portion of those toilets. :mad:
 
I got to give thanks to the UN. They've been a great audience...For me to poop on!!!
 
The number of cell phones may not be exact but in Countries like Ghana, West Africa, most homes do not have running water or toilets. Even in the cities there are not enough toilets and no public facilities. People are dying because of this and ir is still reported that less than 7% of the entire population of Ghana has access to clean drinking water. As Americans or any developed country we take our resources for granted, and only assume that it is people are ignorant or stupid, same said for countries that are so corrupt...it is a fact that there are many diseases in other countries that have been all but eradicated here that are still very common in other countries...
It is Great that this discussion is even on here to wake us all up to knowledge we just otherwise would not believe to be true in this day and age.
Well done!
 
Well, that means 1.5billion less phones falling into the crapper.
 
More proof electronics are now a commodity and not that big of a deal anymore. As for the toilet, i grew up in rural kentucky in the early 80s with an outhouse and a rainwater. Its whatever. Not a big deal. Don't feel bad.
 
Anyone who has dealt with major international non-profits won't find this very surprising. Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere, but cell phones are everywhere. China has many people in the west that struggle with access to clean water, let alone plumbing, but most of them still have access to cell phones. It's sad, but it's true - it's easier to construct a cell phone infrastructure than to provide sewage/plumbing infrastructure.
 
ccmfreak2 said:
Anyone who has dealt with major international non-profits won't find this very surprising. Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere, but cell phones are everywhere. China has many people in the west that struggle with access to clean water, let alone plumbing, but most of them still have access to cell phones. It's sad, but it's true - it's easier to construct a cell phone infrastructure than to provide sewage/plumbing infrastructure.
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So why is Verizon still charging me an arm and a leg every month if it's so damn easy?!
I'm running out of 6th world street urchins to dismember (VZW never said they had to be my arms and legs)...
 
Well, welcome to physical realities ... people want to communicate and wireless phones can do so with less infrastructure requirements and a basic cell phone is cheap ... people want clean water but plumbing and infrastructure are incredibly complex and expensive ;)

What we need is some creative inventor (like Ray Kurzweil or someone) to invent some way to manage waste in a cheap and portable way ... he already created a portable water purification machine (if I remember correctly) :cool:
 
I bet they are looking at raw sales and not taking into account abandoned cell phones. Like I still have my cell phone from 6 years ago, 4 years ago, my 2 year old iphone is now my ipod. Then I have a work and home cell phone.

I only have one toilet.
 
Well, I think people, including the UN are getting lost in the statistics ... land lines outside the US were always problematic ... in Thailand (about 12 years back or so) there was a 2 year waiting list for land lines but you could buy a mobile phone immediately ... most of the developing world is that way ... I suspect you have cell phone coverage in some pretty exotic and remote places these days

There is no easy way to get water and sewage infrastructure to where there is none (even in developed countries, let alone developing ones) ... water pressure issues alone create many problems, even without issues of cost and maintenance ... until there is an easy and cost effective way to do this there will always be disparities like this one ;)
 
What a dumb stat, really.

We don't need a throne for every person.
 
lol sad that they'd be wasting money for such a research. Makes sense though, there are places like India who still have access to technology, but they just don't really believe in toilets and can't be bothered with installing them, or any sanitation systems for that matter.
 
Quote: “21 March 2013 – United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson today launched a call for urgent action to end the crisis of 2.5 billion people without basic sanitation, and to change a situation in which more people worldwide have mobile phones than toilets.”

I think that the article was more about “the crisis of 2.5 billion people without basic sanitation”. The mobile phone reference was more of a joke.

When you think about it, there are a lot of (old basic) cell phones about, and almost anything can be used as a toilet. Plus, you have got two ear holes.
 
Red Squirrel said:
lol sad that they'd be wasting money for such a research. Makes sense though, there are places like India who still have access to technology, but they just don't really believe in toilets and can't be bothered with installing them, or any sanitation systems for that matter.
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They could always take away their phones. Then there would be meow toilets. I mean: more toilets.:eek:
 
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