Toilet Paper Impact

Last night LP and I watched our County Fair Parade and after the Fire Engines, Fair Queen Candidates and local businesses, the Greater Franklin County Chamber had an entry that reminded everyone to Shop Local, Dine Local and Bank Local.  The main focus of their campaign is to Buy One Product Locally - Toilet Paper.

I have to admit, before our local chamber started this campaign I didn't buy my toilet paper locally.  I went out of the county to buy it at a large discount store.  Why not buy something so simple as toilet paper to support businesses in my county!  Here are the numbers:

How much toilet paper is used in Franklin County?

• Number of people in Greater Franklin County = 14, 987
• Average number of rolls used per person each year = 105
• Total number of rolls used by the people of Franklin County = 1,573,635
• Average cost per roll = $1.25
• Total dollars spent on toilet paper per year = $1,967,043.75

How much toilet paper is bought in Franklin County?

• Estimate total rolls purchased locally per year = 268,640
• Average cost per roll = $1.25
• Total dollars spent in Greater Franklin County on toilet paper = $335,800

How much is Franklin County loosing in local sales just because people are buying their toilet paper out of county?  $1,631,244

I'm not one that usually shouts to the hill tops about "Buying Local" but really, what could you do with $1.6 million dollars for your community?