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Plastic Bag Free Camp Idea Over 1 million plastic bags are consumed every minute. Plastic bags are more than an eyesore. Plastic bags end up in the ocean, in rivers, in trees, and ultimately in living creatures. For example, every square mile of the ocean has about 46,000 pieces of floating plastic in it. Turtles, birds and other animals often mistake pieces of plastic bags for food become sick or even die from plastic bags. Source: Reuseit.com (see www.reuseit.com/learn-more/top-facts/plastic-bag-facts). The good news You can make a difference that is sustainable and transforms trash into life-changing acts of kindness. Just consider, a single reusable fabric bag has the potential to eliminate the need to use over 1,000 plastic bags. A picture is worth a thousand words. Valuable resources need to be valued and not abused. Schools and communities around the world are making the move to ending their use of plastic bags. Initial student service learning brainstorming
Stop using plastic bags and make the Rumbai camp a plastic bag free camp.
Why Environmentally conscious Reduce our carbon footprint Raise awareness and understanding for caring for the environment Be a role model for other schools Improve communication skills
Possible activities Meet with Commissary manager Find people who could make bags Raise awareness by visiting local schools Promote the use of cloth bags with family and friends Meet with Chevron to have camp signs Research recycling options Involve other schools Stopping something is best achieved when a better alternative is presented and that alternative is linked to helping everyone live with dignity. Why be good when you can be great To make a sustainable difference, the International Schools Riau has decided to be a good global steward by ending the unnecessary use of plastic bags. To be a great global steward, the unique value proposition eliminates plastic bags in a way that helps orphans live with dignity via a hand-up that includes their gifts in the value chain. The benefits of good global stewardship are numerous. The below explains this unique win-win value proposition. 1. Instead of stopping a harmful behavior without offering a superior alternative, we maximize the incentive for the behavior change (i.e., the reusable bags are more attractive, carry more, and provide a reinforcing reminder that orphans are being helped by making the transition to reusable bags. 2. We reach out to orphans in the community that are not living with the dignity intended for all of us. We do this because it is the right thing to do and true richness in life comes from love and service to the poor. 3. Instead of receiving a hand-out, everyone in the value chain retains their dignity as an equal partner. This promotes sustainability and long-term growth. 4. Each part of the value chain is reward for their individual effort which also promotes growth. 5. Students have an opportunity to learn about leadership, business creation, and how they can use their creativity to bring a complex idea to life. 6. The project, by involving people who have an expertise in the area of caring for children, will help the orphanage improve and in the process serve as a model program for other orphanages (e.g., have funds for capital project, increasingly self-sufficient, better hygiene practices, improved child protection, a sponsorship management program, etc.). 7. Sources of income include selling bags at the Commissary, selling bags in the US, and selling bags to the local community, from donations, and from sponsorship of children as the program raises awareness for their needs. While without a cleanup effort plastic bags can pollute for many years it is possible that in the lifetime of the students involved in this project that one day seeing plastic bags littering nature will unusual. Imagine how nice it will be to rarely see a plastic bag in a river or tree.
How do we get started? Turn the initial goal into a vision statement with supporting missions and guiding principles. Visions are BHAG (i.e., big, hairy, and audacious goals). A true BHAG is clear and compelling, serves as a unifying focal point of effort, and acts as a clear catalyst for team spirit. It has a clear finish line, so the organization can know when it has achieved the goal; people like to shoot for finish lines. -- Collins and Porras, 1996 For example, President John F. Kennedy's vision to put a person on the moon by the end of the decade. Harness the power of being for something vs. being against something. Program name: ___________________________________ Brainstorm possible ideas that will help communicate this innovative program. Prompting words should result in a one or two word name that is easy to remember and peaks interest in learning about the product. Examples of single words are below: - Green - School mascot - Hope - Freedom - Create - Entrepreneur - Joy - Smart For example, a school just moving to eliminate plastic bag use might call an alternative fabric bag a "Green Bag" or a "Tiger Bag" because they do not have the linkage to help orphans live with hope. An innovative product name needs to spark people to remember the alternative bags give orphans the gift of hope and three meals a day, education for their mind, and opportunities to reach their full potential. As appropriate, businesses need: - A legal entity established (e.g., creating a corporation) - Compliance with government requirements (e.g., financial records, tax filing, etc.) - Confirm the name of products are available and do not violate trademarks - The Internet domain names needed are available For our micro-business, the above steps are not required. Just as any successful endeavor, we do need: 1. Vision statement 2. Missions 3. Guiding principles
Your mission is what you do best every day. Your vision is what the future looks like because you do that mission so exceedingly well. Mission equals the action; vision is the ultimate result of the action. Mission answers the question “What change is achieved because we exist?" Vision answers the question: “What are the results, the ends, the consequences of our action?” Vision looks forward; mission looks at today. Guiding principles are the value statements or fundamental beliefs that guide decision making. After completing steps 1 to 3, return to the program name to see if it still fits or if a name change is necessary. Consider market testing the product name.
We need a prototype product, market testing, product design, product pricing, a marketing program, and processes for product creation to product fulfillment.
We do need leaders and function specific experts. Project leader Design Testing Manufacturing Advertising Marketing Fulfillment Financial management E-business (ordering plus donations for program support) SMART deliverables for the first year and a 5 year plan. Specific Measureable Agreed Realistic Timebound A draft five year plan to make a big difference. 2010 Plastic bag free school and micro-business reusable bag startup to help orphans
2011 Plastic bag free camps and expansion of the a reusable bag business to include produce bags.
2012 Recycling on camps with linkage to creating collection and delivery micro-businesses with profits helping the community.
2013 Plastic bottle free campus with new micro-business alternatives.
2014 A range of good global stewardship programs ranging from using energy efficient technology (e.g., light bulbs, air cooling devices, auto shut-off equipment, etc.) resulting in a student and community living smart education program and lifestyle.
Product manufacturing Initial manufacturing location is an orphanage in Pekanbaru with 13 children at the house, 4 staff (6 counting part-time Jonedy and his wife) and some children going to the university. The name of the orphanage is the Perkumpulau Social Insau Permata. There are five members on the leadership board (i.e., Ibu Yuli, Ibu Ria, Ibu Dari, Ibu Anna and Pak Jonedy). The house is made available without rent by a retired policeman (Pak Gurning). The location has three bedrooms (two for girls and one for boys), a kitchen, a cleaning area, a meeting area, two staff use rooms, and three bathrooms (one toilet does not work). They do not have a sponsorship program but do get aid from one or more local Christian groups that provides for one month of expenses (14 million).
Names Age Sex Deliana* 23 F Eterius 19 M Fifen 19 M Agus 19 M Tena 19 M Cherry* 16 F Remmsy* 18 F Myfrend 12 M Yosep 10 M Musn 10 M Meiny 2 F Haomi 7 F Arianto 16 M
Not living on-site but helped with their education. The cost for one child to attend the university is 30 million. High school averages 2 million and elementary school averages 400K.
Names Age Sex Jovan 9 M Josua 7 F Josvion 2 F Jovista 1 F Joyful 8 M Majesty 7 F Giany 2 F
Financials The sources of income are 800K average per month from a church and the rest from friends in the local community. The orphanage has been in operation for 10 years. Children receive three meals a day. There is financial instability for part of their needed 14 million per month.
This location spends 7 million a month on operational expenses (e.g., food, clothes and education for the children) and another 7 million for staff salaries for a total average monthly expense of 14 million.
A business that can generate 3.5 million to 7 million ($400 to $800) a month would meet 25% to 50% of their overall financial needs.
Staff Names Age Sex Nita 34 F (house mother) Fortiena 52 F Gita 32 F Pita 23 F Fenny 38 F Anna 45 F Jonedy 41 M
To help build a sponsorship program they are sending the background stories for about ten of the children with the pictures of the children.
Interesting facts about this orphanage.
- Children appear well cared for.
- The leadership team has good references from local people connected with the ISR community.
- Three children have been adopted from the site which communicates the leadership team is making an effort to get children placed in good homes. There is no financial incentive for the leadership to place children other than a placed child is one less person they need to feed.
Relevant tailoring business information
- The best tailor at this site is staff member Nita.
- They have one sewing machine they can use.
- They are very interested in a tailoring business and had already obtained the cost for buying a sewing machine in Jakarta.
- A new sewing machine costs about $400 (5 power) or if industrial grade (7 power) $600.
- Nice fabric in this area costs 25,000 per meter.
- The staff has sewing experience and does not need instruction on how to make bags.
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