Toilet revolution

In Cina, la campagna “Advance the Toilet Revolution Steadily” iniziata nel 2015 riguarda le località turistiche, scrive il Guardian, 

The stench and filth of many Chinese toilets horrifies foreigners

sopratutto quelli giapponesi abituati ai modelli inodori o profumati della Toto. Ma il presidente Xi l’ha rilanciata sul fronte interno:

“The toilet issue is no small thing, it’s an important aspect of building civilised cities and countryside,” Xi said in a front-page article in the People’s Daily, the Communist party mouthpiece. “This work must be a concrete part of advancing our country’s revitalisation strategy and we must make great efforts to fill these shortcomings that affect the quality of life of the masses.”

During Xi’s visits to the countryside he has often checked on the loos in rural homes to see if residents use pit toilets. Earlier this month at an important Communist party meeting he said meeting the public’s expectations for a better quality of life was the party’s main challenge.

Al momento però, i dirigenti del partito sembrano meno interessati alla qualità della vita in campagna di quanto lasci pensare l’articolo del Guardian. Scrive il People’s Daily – trad. a cura della China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) –

In an attempt to carry forward the spirit of the 19th CPC National Congress and the instructions made by Chinese President Xi Jinping on the Toilet Revolution, Beijing celebrated the World Toilet Day & China Toilet Revolution Awareness Day on November 19, drawing speakers such as CNTA Chairman Li Jinzao, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of People’s Daily Lyu Yansong and Deputy Director of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation China Kathleen Walsh. At the event site, CNTA Vice Chairman Li Shihong announced the Three-Year Action Plan for the Construction and Management of Tourist Toilets in China (2018-2020).

L’ammodernamento va a rilento, soltanto 69 mila gabinetti sono stati ammodernati, serve più slancio rivoluzionario. Il vice-presidente della CNTA ha annunciato un nuovo piano triennale:

We shall apply the instructions of the 19th CPC National Congress to the latest round of Toilet Revolution, follow the guidance of the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era proposed by President Xi Jinping, and focus on addressing the contradiction between the unbalanced, inadequate tourism development and the ever-growing needs for a better travel environment. Centering on the development of holistic tourism, we shall adhere to the principles of ‘promoting holistic development, improving quality, deepening reform, and seeking innovation and breakthrough’, consolidate the fruits of the last round of Toilet Revolution, promote useful experience, deepen reform, and comprehensively improve the quality of toilet management and service, so as to open up a new chapter of the Toilet Revolution.

In India, dove la rivoluzione si chiama “Swachh Bharat” (Missione India pulita) e viene sostenuta con vigore dal presidente Modi, le apparenze ingannano. I dati del governo rappresentano il boom edilizio, dicono le Ong:

But even if the official construction numbers were accurate, both Indian Express and Accountability Initiative found that many people are just not using the constructed toilets. Villagers complained to Indian Express reporters that pit latrines were so shallow they would overflow after a month. Others found their toilets so useless they used the stalls for storing crops instead.

Bill Gates non è dello stesso parere, ma da quello che so è proprio così.

***

Su Nature Communications, esce l’ennesima ricerca che mostra un impatto negativo del riscaldamento globale sulle piante: il caldo favorisce l’attività dei patogeni…
Su Evolutionary Ecology, ricercatori del Québec dicono che in due specie di topi, che si sono spostate più a nord, negli ultimi cinquant’anni è cambiata la forma del cranio

Our study thus reports the changes in morphology of two co-occurring mammal species that were accompanied by changes in distribution and local abundance, potentially in response to rapid climate change.

Davvero?