BY CHRISTOPHER NYERGES
First, let’s look at some of the reasons there are fewer communicable diseases and longer life spans in first world countries and then compare these to underdeveloped, third world countries. In general, sanitation conditions-which everyone in developed countries takes for granted-contribute to the lack of widespread disease. This refers to piped water, the ready availability of hot water, toilets, soaps, laundry facilities and showers, as well as the ready availability of medical supplies and hospitals.
There are, of course, many ways to meet the needs for creating optimal hygiene via both low- and high-tech methods. Statistics from major world disasters show that more people typically die from the lack of sanitation that follows a disaster than from the disaster itself. If you go through your daily life never thinking about how we get all these wonderful technologies of modern life, you’re probably not thinking much about what to do if a disaster destroys the infrastructure that gives you water, electricity, etc.