I don’t know about you, but I’ve always been okay with peeing in the ocean. Mostly because it’s annoying to pee when you’re wearing a one-piece bathing suit, which I wore when I was a kid, so I just got into the habit of letting it flow in the ocean. I think most people feel that it’s harmless and even enjoy peeing in the ocean, although some people seem to believe it’s wrong and/or weird. Inevitably, these non-ocean urinators are met with a slew of justifications from the pro-ocean urinators: That’s where the fish pee! The salt water makes the already sterile urine even more sterile! Or something! Everyone does it! The natural world is our toilet!

Next time someone tells you it’s not cool to piss in the ocean, hit them up with some scientific proof that it is. Reporter Lauren Wolf decided to do a scientific investigation of the effects of human urine on the ocean. “No question, pee in the ocean. Urine is harmless stuff in the first place and is diluted to the point of insignificance within minutes. There are far more harmful things in the ocean to worry about!” biochemist Stuart Jones told Wolf.

So, yeah. No biggie if you want to take a leak in the surf. But now, onto the matter of pooping in the ocean, which Winona says she recently found out was a thing. While I have not consulted with a biochemist about the effects of human poop on the sea, I’m gonna have to say HELL NO because you can’t wipe. And also, I don’t want to swim with feces. That shit literally floats. [Betabeat]

 

Original by Ami Angelowicz