An Easy Way to Reduce Plastic in the Bathroom…


How are you tracking with your #plasticfreejuly?!

Last year was a brilliant success and many of you loved the tips found in these blogs here and here.

However one thing many people have struggled with is one of the simplest things that we all need, and use, multiple times a day. No matter where you are in the world, this is something you’ll use… with the exception of a few countries.

Guessed what I’m talking about yet? 

I’ll give you a hint:

We use it down south (and I’m not talking just in Melbourne!).

It’s toilet paper!

When you go to your local supermarket, you can see a wall of TP as far as the eye can see. And most of it is wrapped in plastic.

We know the issue with plastic.

But this is something that’s an easy switch, and has an even further reaching effect on the world!

My journey with sustainability and waste minimisation is an ongoing one – but it’s not difficult now that we’ve got so many options. Long gone are the days when certain brands held monopolies on products; they could charge what they wanted, and the consumer had no choice but to buy that product. Thankfully, choice is what we are now rewarded with. We can make educated decisions, which will not only help the environment but will also impact future generations for the better!

So, WHO GIVES A CRAP?

Funny name. Serious business*.

Who Gives A Crap was founded in Melbourne in 2012 by Simon Griffiths, Danny Alexander and Jehan Ratnatunga, after they learnt 2.5 billion people in the world don’t have access to a toilet (it’s 2.3 billion now!)

It was initially launched with a crowdfunding campaign in July 2012, with one of the founders Simon, sitting on a toilet in their draughty warehouse, refusing to get up until they had raised enough preorders to start production.

50 hours later, they’d raised over $50,000 (see the video here). They delivered their first product in March 2013 and they’ve been on a roll (pardon the pun!) ever since.

Toilet paper, eh?

They make make forest friendly toilet paper, tissues and paper towels. As a business, they donate 50% of profits to their charity partners so they can continue doing the amazing and vital work of building toilets and improving sanitation in developing countries.

Pretty amazing so far right?!

I’ve got some stats that will blow your mind (and make you seriously think about toilets in a different way).

  • 2.3 billion people don’t have access to a toilet. That’s 1 in 3 people, and is a very humbling statistic on it’s own.
  • Not having a toilet means more than you might first think. Poor sanitation causes serious illness – and if anyone has been overseas and suffered food poisoning, you know how utterly devastating it can be in the short term. Imagine living in areas without access to a toilet!
  • Almost 900 children under five die everyday due to lack of adequate toilets and diseases associated with poor sanitation
  • Since 1990, nearly a third of the current global population has gained access to an improved sanitation facility (that’s 2.1 billion people which is amazing)
  • For every $1 invested in sanitation, there was an economic return of $5.50 in lower health costs, more productivity and fewer premature death according to the WHO.

The amazing thing about what they do is the selflessness of the cause. As someone blessed enough to have been born in the western world where toilets and clean water are in abundance, it’s very easy to forget that not everyone is that lucky. But by making this small switch to Who Gives a Crap, it’s actually making a big impact on lives across the globe – and that’s something to feel great about!

Donations, baby.

To date, Who Gives A Crap has donated $478,500 to their charity partners WaterAid and Sanergy . A huge amount that has gone to helping those less fortunate, and to help alleviate the health issues that run rampant in Third World countries.

This is the best part

The products are not just good for people, but they’re good for the environment too!!.

There are no inks, dyes or scents in their products and they’re tree free. I don’t know about you, but scented TP grosses me out, and the fact that no trees were cut down in the making of their product is a huge plus for us.

98% of toilet rolls sold in Australia (and closer to 99% in the US) are made from virgin fibres (non recycled and typically from trees) meaning that our forests are being destroyed for space to plant plantations.

By making their toilet paper the way they do, they’ve currently saved:

  • 47,968 trees
  • 101,170,933 litres of water (that’s the equivalent of more than 40 Olympic sized swimming pools)
  • 8,060 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions avoided

Quick facts about Who Gives A Crap

  • 100% forest friendly toilet paper
  • 50% of profits are donated to help build toilets in developing countries
  • To date, they’ve donated $478,500 to their charity partners (WaterAidand Sanergy)
  • Free delivery on most orders – right to your doorstep
  • Their loo roll is double length so it’s great value

 

As a Vegie Head reader, Who Gives a Crap are offering $10 off your first order, simply by subscribing here!

Enjoy the brilliant service and know that you’re helping the environment and third world countries…all by wiping.

Keep spreading the Vegie Head love!

Adele xxx


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