Gold Toilet Paper

Toilet Paper goes BLING! Gold toilet paper by Jean-Louis von Dardel.

Aww the concept of gold toilet paper, has a certain WOW factor, the notion is just so decadent at first thought. But on second thought, what's the point of wiping with such a precious metal and then throwing it out. 

Call me an old fashioned sentimentalist but I believe that gold holds its value over time - especially in financial terms. Thus, under the conventional value system of gold it seems to me like you would be literally flushing money down the toilet if you use gold toilet paper on a regular basis.

Bill Gates @ the Reinvent The Toilet Fair

I am so glad I follow the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation on Twitter because otherwise I would have not have found out that there is a "Reinvent the Toilet Fair." Seriously who would have known, I feel a bit ashamed to admit that there was such a fair, but I guess it makes sense there is a conference for everything imaginable (and not imaginable).

The 2012 fair is in Seattle and brought together about 200 inventors, designers, investors, and others interested in better toilets. The purpose of the fair is actually quite noble, the Gates are looking for a new toilet better suited for developing countries. Bill says that: "Inventing new toilets is one of the most important things we can do to reduce child deaths and disease and improve people's lives," and I completely agree and support his cause.

Source: Gates Foundation

The Gates Foundation launched a competition for a better toilet.

1st place: The California Institute of Technology's solar-powered toilet that generates hydrogen gas and electricity.

2nd place: Loughborough University's toilet transforms waste into biological charcoal, minerals, and clean water.

3rd place: University of Toronto's toilet sanitizes human waste and at the same time recovers minerals and water.

LIMITED Bathroom Options

Sometimes in the face of adversity we need to make quick decisions based on the best available options.

I really needed to go and these were my options...it was a hard choice to make so quickly under so much "stress" and limited choices:

Option 1

Option 2

Option 3

Option 4

After assessing the level of cleanliness I picked option 4.