Perhaps you didn’t notice it on your calendar, but it was recently World Toilet Day.

But don’t snicker.

On a global scale, a lack of toilets is a very serious problem.

According to the United Nations, 360,000 children under the age of five die each year because of a lack of proper sanitation—or toilets.

About 2.3 billion people do not have basic sanitation services at home.

An estimated 600 million people share a toilet with other households.

The implications here for disease—and disease control—are daunting.

World Toilet Day was established to call attention to this serious and sadly growing problem.

So the next time you travel, consider the real linkages between better health, successful tourism, and the basics—the availability of toilets.

Ask your hotel or local tourism organizations what they are doing in their own communities to help purchase and install these much-needed toilets.

It’s a win-win for everyone.

For more information about conscious travel and helping others, check out:

• Practicing Eco-Friendly Habits When You’re Traveling
• How You Can Help People Affected by Hurricanes, Fires & Mass Shootings
• The Importance of America’s National Parks and Open Spaces
• How Balloons Can Become an Environmental Threat

Keep reading for more travel tips.