Presently, over 40 percent of the world’s population does not have access to a toilet. All over the world, open defecation is a way of life. This excretion runs into water, which is used for cooking, cleaning and washing.

Dirty water is a leading cause of diarrhea-related illnesses, which results in over 2,000 deaths per day across the globe for children under the age of 5. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention notes that 6.3 percent of all deaths worldwide would be preventable if access to proper sanitation were available to the 2.6 billion people who currently lack it.

Who Gives a Crap is an Australian toilet paper company that claims to be “The World’s Most Impactful Toilet Paper.” This innovative company donates 50 percent of its profits to WaterAid, a nonprofit that aims to improve access to clean water in the developing world by building toilets and improving sanitation.

In July 2012, the co-founder of Who Gives a Crap, Simon Griffiths, conducted a literal sit-in, bare-bottomed on a toilet, until enough pre-orders were made to begin production. And 50 hours and $50,000 later, Who Gives a Crap was launched.

Using 100 percent recycled post-consumer waste fibers in their product saves trees, water and landfills, meaning consumers help keep our planet great while promoting a great cause.

The toilet paper industry in the United States is a 7.6 billion industry each year. Capturing just 1 percent of the market in the U.S. means that Who Gives a Crap would help to provide toilets to about 2 million people living in developing countries each year. Griffiths believes that to remain competitive, companies must incorporate “goodness” into their products — that is, the way consumers value products is more than just quality and price, but what the companies do to make a difference.

Who Gives a Crap is an inventive company using a product that everybody needs to help those in need, and in that way, Griffiths says, he is “sitting down for what I believe in.”

— Ellie Malfaro

Sources: Vimeo, Who Gives a Crap, Huffington Post
Photo: Oilers’ Addict