Gvzr think beyond plastic deck

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Facebook [Green Village Zero Rubbish Project]

Primary Contact: David Priest, M.D., Founder

The Green Village Zero Rubbish Project is a public health project and social enterprise that

incentivizes garbage pick-up at the individual level in the village, by commoditizing it, treating

garbage as if it were a cash-crop, much like bringing a harvest to market, incorporating

intensive recycling and re-use components by which we transform waste material of negative

value into useable, marketable products of positive value.

Green Village Zero Rubbish Project Pilot Currently Underway: Oriup Village, Bihar, India

The Specific Problem

Management of plastic waste is a major problem in the developing world

In India, for instance urban and rural plastic waste is so abundant that for many children, it is the only world they know

Often there is no or ineffective municipal trash collection, and low awareness/education regarding proper handling of waste

High unemployment and poverty

We are tackling the huge problem of plastic waste material, by incentivizing its pick-up at the individual level, using market forces to achieve social good.

Our model is a “pure carrot” approach to incentivize participation and action, and it has proven to be very effective, in an short time, removing huge quantities of garbage material from our tiny cluster of pilot villages.

We are tackling education. To prevent against re-accumulation, we incorporate education in the village school and village community centers, in the form of lectures and demonstrations, directed mainly towards women and children.

To reinforce these efforts, we sponsor periodic essay competitions at the village school, in which students submit essays on an ecological topic. The winners receive small prizes and are invited to read their winning entry to the gathers student assembly. To date: 3 essay competitions.

Typical Street Scene

Patna, Bihar, India

Solving the Problem: 30 Tons in 32 Days

Our approach works. The villagers have responded enthusiastically to our “Cash-for-Trash Market Day” concept

On “Market Day” the villagers bring us garbage they have collected. We pay them for it by weight, in cash, on-the-spot at a rate scaled to match the average daily wage for non-skilled labor. We reward our repeat participants with cash bonus programs and certificates to foster ever greater participation.

Since June, 2012, we have visited the village 32 times and in total the villagers have brought us more than 60,000 lbs (30 tons) of garbage, much of which had formerly lain about town.

Of the material received, we have sold nearly 16 tons to local recyclers, folding those earnings back into the project (plastic bottles, glass bottles, cardboard, aluminum, newsprint).

But unfortunately the recyclers eschew plastic bags or wrappers

Our novel solution is to weave rope out of discarded plastic bags and wrappers, and then from the rope make useful, beautiful items that we sell in local markets and online in the US, transforming an abundant waste material of negative value into beautiful, marketable handicrafts of positive value.

Impact is measured by detailed records of garbage received from villagers, quantity sold to recyclers, sales of our handicrafts, and with ongoing use of the Project Out of Poverty Index (PPI), a tool designed to measure our economic impact.

Cash-for-Trash Market Day: Weighing

Selling the Recyclable Materials

Made from Plastic Bags and Candy Wrappers

Making Money

Recyclable materials (glass bottles plastic bottles, cardboard, aluminum,

etc.): We sell to local buyers

Non-Reyclable Materials (plastic bags and wrappers): We Re-purpose

into our rope, and then into beautiful, marketable items of varied and

wonderful design and color, markedly compressing the physical

footprint of the plastic, all while providing much need employment.

A typical basket sequesters 40-60 plastic bags and wrappers

We sell our items in local markets in the village and at our online store: https://www.etsy.com/listing/124086100/our-very-first-indian-village-basket

Typical Customers: Environmentally conscious consumers who value the

good work that we do, and who wish to make an immediate impact with

their purchase, directly supporting an individual in the village.

Plan: Grow a large import operation, selling items in developed world

We believe that as the production of our handicrafts scales up, the

project will become highly profitable. This is because:

The raw material is abundant and free (discarded plastic bags and wrappers)

The labor is inexpensive

It’s a compelling story, with many layers of benefit to all throughout the chain

Made from Plastic Bags and Candy Wrappers

Made from Plastic Bags and Candy Wrappers

Our Rope: Made of Plastic Bags &Wrappers

Our Technology

Rope Woven from Plastic Bags

Very Low Tech: No Special Equipment or Training

Marketing and Sales Strategy

Social Media

News Media: Featured on KGO ABC-7 News http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/video?id=9005327&pid=9005332&syndicate=syn

dicate&section

Selling in India: sales at local markets and big retailers seeking green products

Selling in US and Developed countries: sales at small shops and big retailers that value the ecological, public health, developmental, and fair-trade aspects of our project

Develop line of fresh, exciting products:

iPad covers, computer cases, artwork, etc.

Each handicraft item bears a tag listing:

Name of individual who made the item

Date of construction, Village name

No. of plastic bags sequestered in its making

Personal Message from the villager to buyer

Online Sales already occurring, with direct shipping from the village to the customer: https://www.etsy.com/listing/124086100/our-very-first-indian-village-basket

Purses made of Plastic Bags and Candy Wrappers

Basket made of Plastic Bags and Candy Wrappers

Competitors

We believe that our novel techniques for repurposing the non-recyclable plastic bags and wrappers set us apart

From the rope we fashion useable, marketable items that we are selling in India and online in the US.

Team

Patna, Bihar, India

Shalini Singh

Pankaj Kumar

Co-Founders, Pankh Diksha Foundation, Patna, Bihar, India

Execute the project’s on the ground operations

San Francisco, CA, USA

David Priest, M.D.,

Founder, Green Village Zero Rubbish Project

Neuroradiologist

Senior Member, American Society of Neuroradiology

St. Mary’s Medical Center and St. Francis Memorial Hospital, San Francisco CA

Board of Directors

Harendra Joshi, Secretary

Nuclear Medicine Technologist St. Francis Memorial Hospital, San Francisco

Longstanding Charity Work in India

David Webb, Treasurer

Real Estate Investor, Philanthropist, Served on many Non-profit boards

Lynn McLaughlin, Member

Real Estate Investor, Philanthropist, Served on many Non-profit boards

Shalini Singh Pankaj Kumar

David Priest, M.D.

Founder

Sustainability Our project at its core removes large quantities of waste material from the environment with substantial

public health, environmental, and economic development benefits

Financials Money so far raised through friends, family, interested individuals

2012 Donations: $13,640 2016 Donations Expected: $165,000 2018 Donations Expected: $275,000

2012 Prog. Exp: $11,645 2016 Prog Exps Expected: $130,000 2018 Prog Exps Expected: $150,000

2012 Earnings $557 2016 Earnings Expected: $120,000 2018 Earnings Expected: $250,000

Current Status

. We are currently in operation in a cluster of 3 tiny villages on the Ganges River, Bihar, India

We are incorporated in the State of California

We have received Tax-Exempt designation from the State of California

Federal 501(c)(3) Tax-Exempt designation is pending, Application submitted October, 2012

On Our Timeline: Scaling up. We feel that our concept is highly scalable owing to its simplicity and low tech nature.

Near Term: Regional Expansion within Bihar State. Planning for the city Bodh Gaya is currently in the works

Long Term: International Expansion. We believe that our experience in India could be applied throughout the

developing world

If we win the $50,000 First Prize we will accelerate our local expansion plans within Bihar bringing the benefits of

our project to many more individuals. We will also bolster the development of our India-US import business.