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Comment by paulcole | Hacker News Reader

I’ve long had the idea for a waterless toilet — think a cat’s litter box but for people — that would be required for use in desert cities.

Think it could really be a game changer.

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There’s a few: incinerating and composting.

And other very low water designs, like in jetliners.

Toilets aren’t too problematic: you can use treated sewage for irrigation or golf courses.

It’s the losses to evaporation (farming) that really consumes water from an area.

I was thinking that it is partly punitive. If you want to live in one of those places (and contribute to the rest of the waste of water there) you’re going to have to use a litter box to prove you really want it.

I would phase this in over time — i.e. no new construction or remodeled structures can include a toilet.

You're squabbling over drops while oceans go to industrial farming. The people who make money off the megafarms aren't going to be punished by your measures.

Now that’s an idea. If you own a business in an un-eco-friendly field you have to use a litter box.

Maybe fixing the structural root of the problem is more effective than coming up with fun punitive solutions that don't really work.

It does work, I assure you. I tried it in my cat’s litter box when he was asleep.

Why would you bother to hold such an absurd little idea for so long without caring to look into the actual water usage in desert regions?

Is it a lack of concern for the idea, or the people?

That’s the same thing they said to Einstein and look at him.

Edit: To clarify, I meant the bagel chain founder, not the physician.

physicist rather than physician ?

Apologies for the confusion, I meant Bob Einstein my pediatrician growing up.

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