If your life is headed in such a direction that you need to know the reasons why you shouldn’t be shitting in the sea or ocean, then you’re probably beyond my help!
But if you’re simply curious about why such an article even exists and maybe that curiosity extends to wondering whether there are any scientific reasons apart from ‘don’t shit in the sea’? Well, my friend, you’re in the right place.
Pooing Privilege
Before I start. I’m writing this in a lovely house with built-in plumbing and sewers. Despite my distaste for the word, I recognize my privilege here of having easy access to somewhere (4 places alone in this house!) to shit whenever I need to. And although there is a serious element to this piece — the impact of raw sewage in natural waters — I am aware that my life is easy. But you — a Medium reader — are likely to be in the same position. So, it’s aimed at you.
My interest in this subject began .. well, who knows when it started.. that’s a challenge for a psychotherapist. But my awareness of sea-shitting began when I read The Big Necessity: The Unmentionable World of Human Waste and Why It Matters” by Rose George. I heartily recommend reading it. I can’t even suggest that this article is a tldr of the book as it’s far more wide-ranging than my scope. But let’s start with some facts.
Are You Shitting Me?
According to the World Health Organization, half the world’s population currently has no access to ‘safely managed sanitation.’ This means two things. First, we have a long way to go if we think the world is egalitarian. Second, even more reason for the other 3.5 billion of us to carefully consider our shitting locations.
3.5 billion people do not have a toilet to shit in
What are the problems that opening your orifices in the oceans causes?
1. There’s the immediate water contamination. Shit contains bacteria, viruses, and other nasty buggers. And your shit is more harmful to everyone else than it is to you. Keep it to yourself. When you look at what diseases it can cause, it’s an unpleasant list: cholera, typhoid, and hepatitis. On top of this, you could cause gastrointestinal issues or skin infections for anyone else too close.
2. Not only humans but all local marine life is potentially endangered by your do-do. And in a slightly strange way. Too much shit means too many nutrients. Marine Life’s dining is not Michelin-starred. Too many nutrients lead to something called algal blooms. These basically suck the oxygen out of the water, ruining it for other life. Your shit creates dead zones.
3. Dealing with the issues in 1 and 2 costs money. And believe me, they have to be dealt with. Additionally, there could be consequences for tourism and fishing industries. No marketing literature ever wants to advertise a beach as ‘Now Shit Free!’
There are, of course, others — putting aside common decency when you have other options. But those three are pretty strong arguments! If you have access to a toilet, use it. And don’t even get me started on pissing!
