Any time we come across a company or product tied in with a worthy cause, we can’t help but share. Because even if you’re not interested, you might know someone who is. And for any sort of charitable program, word of mouth is gold. So that’s why we’re excited about The Tumbler, by MiiR.
MiiR has an interesting business model, in that each product they sell is tied in with a program for improving other people’s lives. And we’re not talking about buying the CEO a new yacht. For instance, they offer some sweet commuter bikes. If you purchase one of these bikes, they’ll donate another bicycle to someone in need of the kind of reliable transportation that only a bicycle can provide. And they split those donations domestically (they are a US company) as well as internationally. So you could be helping a student here in the United States, or a single mom in Africa. And although we may take our own bicycles for granted, owning one can be life-changing for many. Low cost transportation that allows you to cover a much greater distance than walking can mean so much. A one hour walk to school is a ten minute ride. Education, a market place to sell goods, medical care – they are all suddenly much closer with two wheels. MiiR bikes are priced from $699 to $899, but that covers the cost of the donated one as well.
Of course, not everyone can offer that kind of generous support. So they have another program that works on a much smaller and more affordable scale. Purchasing The Tumber by MiiR provides clean water for one person for a year. MiiR donates a portion of their profits to fund clean water projects around the world. Consider these facts: Nearly one billion people on the planet do not have access to safe water. Developed countries throw away about 24 billion single use cups. With a single purchase, you’re helping to reduce both of those numbers. I did some Googling, and found out that over 2/3 of Africa’s population does not have drinkable water at their homes. There are actually research papers written on how the walk time to fetch water in Africa affects children’s health. Decreasing the one way time by 15 minutes was responsible for an 11% reduction in mortality for children under the age of five. So the gift of a bicycle used to fetch water is huge, but putting in a well for a village can also have a great impact. In that context, coughing up $20 to be part of MiiR’s crowd-finding venture on indiegogo doesn’t seem like much effort, compared to what it can provide.
About The Tumbler: It’s six inches tall, holds twelve ounces, and tapers at the base to fit your cup holders. Construction is 18/8 double walled medical grade stainless steel. That will keep your hot drinks hot, and your cold drinks cold, and it’s pretty dang durable too. There’s a BPA-free lid to minimize spilling. There are six color options available for single purchases, plus some other colors and options as the contribution amount increases. If you’ve got $400 to contribute, you can get 30 Tumblers customized with your company’s logo. That would certainly be something for your employees to use with pride. For all the details, click the link above, or go to the MiiR website to see what else they’re up to. Now do me a favor, and pass this one along.
– Brian