COZY LAMPSHADE

Speak: what’s your message?

Initial proposal 

What
I would like to convey the fact that almost half of the world’s population does not have access to proper sanitation. People do not like to talk about the fact that in an average day a person pees about seven times and poops every one to three days. Sanitation is a basic need, and instead of truly talking about this world health need, we tack it on to the end of access to clean water. We talk about “water and sanitation services” or “water and sanitation programs,” and while having proper sanitation directly effects having clean water access, water is not always a necessary component of adequate sanitation structures, especially in regions that have scarce access to water. I want to do a little bit to give sanitation a voice, because it is something that every person needs and we take in American take for granted. Many cases of childhood diarrhea, typhoid, cholera, etc, which kill more people every year than AIDS/HIV related problems would be prevented if those people had access to somewhere to go to the bathroom safely. Proper bathrooms raise school attendance. Proper bathrooms raise life expectancies. 

In order to convey this message, I want to create a parallel between the number of bathrooms we have access to everyday and the lack of bathrooms for half of the world. It’s simple, but I think it is a good first step because people do not talk about bathrooms, and I think my first hurdle is to make people aware of how we have somewhere to pee everyday, and not everyone else does. 

Who
I have not clearly defined an audience. I need help scoping this.

Where
I am thinking of two possible contexts for this. One would be in bathrooms, guerilla lite, so to speak. A poster campaign in bathroom stalls would reach people at a moment where going to the bathroom is on their minds. Alternatively, a video piece online might have the possibility of reach many more people, in a light-hearted video that people find both entertaining and informative.

1. jonathanota said: way to be a poop-star! ‘bought time poop gets some cred
2. cozylampshade posted this