On World Toilet Day, an ode to the revolutionary device (Photos)
Two festival-goers pass a roll of toilet paper between toilet cubicles, during the 2004 Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, Pilton, Somerset, England. June 25, 2004.
Celebrated in over 19 countries, Saturday, World Toilet Day was created to raise global awareness over the lack of access to proper sanitation by nearly 40 percent of the world. And if you take your toilet for granted, remember: toilets matter. 1.8 million children under the age of five die each year because of waterborne diseases — all preventable — that are caused by contact with feces.
Related: Bill Gates reinvents the toilet
However, some see the issue with the toilet itself. Bill Gates argues that the water closet most people use in developed countries today is far too wasteful. Earlier this year, the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation began offering $42 million in funds to research a new type of toilet: One that could stand alone, allowing people to answer nature's call — cleanly — in areas without water and electricity.
This little video sums it up:
So for today's PlanetPic, take a look at how — and where — people around the world do their business.
Related: The toilet revolution
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