Why El Inodoro Más Avanzado?

 

 

Who We Are

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My name is Daniel Radin. I am an engineer, inventor, teacher, and Fulbright Japan-U.S. Teacher Exchange Program for ESD (Education for Sustainable Development) participant, passionate about sustainable technology’s potential for improving environmental health. I teach physical science, mathematics, and engineering at a unique school on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala, Panajachel Colegio Internacional (PCI). Initially a school for expats, it has evolved into a US-modeled college-preparatory school focused on the basic human right of local indigenous students to excellent education. I live here with my fiancée, Eliza Strode, a social worker who partners with indigenous artisan cooperatives. She and I have taken on a community organizing leadership role in addressing local environmental issues. The environmental health problems that trouble me most are the horrific chronic diarrhea and other digestive diseases (from fecal water contamination) that are part of life for many of the local people living in poverty. As a trained engineer with extensive experience in sustainable technology, I am drawn to address this problem.

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My older engineering students (all born here) are working with me on the project. In addition, we are working with several outside consultants including:

 

• Native Guatemalans:

  • Luisa Cifuentes de Gramajo: Director of AMSCLAE (Autoridad para el Manejo Sustenable de la Cuenca del Lago de Atitlán y su Entorno) (Authority for the Sustainable Management of the Lake Atitlán Basin and its Environment) (amsclae.gob.gt)

  • Juan Skinner: founder of AMSCLAE, environmental scientist, organizer, professor (readingvillage.org/about-us/team)

  • Erick Toc: Director of Agua del Pueblo (Water of the Village) (aguadelpueblo.org)

  • Candelaria and Gregorio de Garcia: social projects activists (www.formaguatemala.org)

  • Lily Cordova: social media consultant

  • Alex Eschenbach: microbiologist, MBA student

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• US Citizens Living Here:

  • Molly Molander: architect (atitlanarchitecture.com)

  • Connie Newton: human rights activist, co-author of Doing Good… Says Who? (doinggoodsayswho.com)

  • Eliza Strode: social worker, co-op consultant, Fair Trade businesswoman (athreadofhope.coop)

  • Joseph Wakely: water projects volunteer

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• Other

  • Nik Mills: furniture designer, interior designer, sculptor​, photographer, artist (nikmills.com)

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The Problem

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—Untreated sewage entering Lake Atitlán from flush toilets exposes local residents, as well as tourists, to pathogens and parasites. Due to a lack of alternatives, local residents living in poverty, who depend on lake water, suffer from widespread waterborne diseases, sometimes fatally. Diarrhea leads to malnutrition, which can effect cognitive, psychological, and physical development. The current trend of population growth and an increasing number of flush toilets continues to increase the lake’s level of pollution and the associated health problems. Due to a multitude of factors, there is little hope for a properly functioning wastewater treatment infrastructure.

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Past Failed Solutions

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——People have tried building dry latrines that slowly compost human waste. However, most residents are not willing to give up the nice clean flush toilets in their houses for an outhouse full of flies.

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What We Are Doing

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We are working on a beautiful high-tech sustainable-technology waterless toilet that is so cool and cutting-edge that everybody will want one. We will eventually form a self-sustaining indigenous-owned and -run business that builds, installs, promotes, and sells the new toilets. A fundraising plan will assure that the toilets are available to those who cannot afford to buy them.

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To learn more, please proceed to the