It was his fourth day of fasting. In 2010, Ezequiel Vedana was determined to start eating again only when he had a bright idea for a new business. Who would have thought that the toilet would provide his inspiration?
Mr. Vedana, a Brazilian who formerly owned a graphic design business, had a technological and environmentally-friendly epiphany that would help save millions of liters of water that literally go down the drain.
He and his co-workers came up with a solution they call Piipee (pronounced peepeh). When it comes in contact with urine, Piipee neutralises its smell and color, eliminating the need to flush it away.
The entrepreneurs ran tests until they came up with an essentially natural formula involving plant extracts and baking soda. They also created a dispenser so that the solution is activated every time someone goes to the bathroom.
Mr. Vedana has demonstrated that a company with 1,000 employees can economize up to 132,000 liters per month thanks to the system. Such potential impact has earned the company 12 international awards, including recognition by the World Intellectual Property Organization as a global climate innovation.
(This article was originally published in Folha de São Paulo, Brazil.)