Almost everything humans do is bad for the environment, partly because there are so many of us.
The New Forest National Park receives more than 15 million visits a year. If everyone used the great outdoors as their great outhouse, there would be 200 tonnes of poop dumped in the environment – and that weight doesn’t include all the toilet roll that would be used.
Human faeces contain harmful bacteria that can survive for up to a year in the soil.
The best option is to bag it and take it with you, as you would for your dog. The second-best option is to bury it in a hole at least as deep as the length of your hand, and at least 70 paces away from any water source.
This article is an answer to the question (asked by Jacob Bennett, Manchester) 'Is pooping outdoors bad for the environment?'
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