Our Narrowed Issue

[cbar...@masonlive.gmu.edu]

Hello Global Task Force,

 

After many re-reviews of the deliverables that have been completed thus far combined with the information and ideas we were able to share during today's WebEx meeting, we have created a proposal for a more narrowed issue.  Please reply to your team's leader or on basecamp with your input on any streamlined revisions and if you agree that this narrowed issue is agreeable.

 

Summary of a narrowed topic

 

Utilize the Dandura landfill location to implement a sorting and separation program that will in turn sell these sorted items for recycling and reusing purposes, and dispose of the hazardous waste in a proper way. Utilize the existing private sector waste collectors to provide a mobile collection service to the poor communities, which may be done by putting the proper bins (ie solid waste, food waste, recycle waste, toxic waste into proper containers, and then perhaps use the credit to encourage people to do this, and/or social media (as in people in the community serving as "actors" not facebook...lol...) that would be social psyc side. The business side would be to establish a business plan for distribution and servicing of these containers, as well as staffing the dumpsite with the properly trained people.

 

 

The wealthier people in Nairobi have all agreed that they would be willing to pay a substantial amount more for waste disposal if they knew that is was being properly handled when it left their homes. These funds could be collected and utilized to provide collection service to the poorer communities. Very similar to the heating fund when you pay your bill and they ask you to donate to the heating fund to provide heat for the poor. It’s on every bill I get in the mail. Robert’s microcredit system might be utilized to collect these funds and in turn can be utilized

 

After re-reading all of the deliverables - here is a summary of the key words that we felt were important and the most impactful to each individual team.  Many of these key terms are consistent on every teams deliverable.

Psychology Team key words from Deliverable 3

(focus on changing people's behavior in order to inplement change that will have ecoloical impact)

Limited Options

no monitoring of waste after it’s gone from their homes

one official disposal site – Dandura

sorting the waste

implementing social change through behaviors

Ecology Team key words from Deliverable 3

(focus on improving environmental concerns of Nairobi)

citizens considered poor live in unsanitary and unserviceable areas

Imbalance in wealth classes

only a minority of the waste generated is collected by the Nairobi City Council

once collected and sent to Dandura landfill, not properly disposed of or maintained at this dumpsite.

Not separated properly

most of the waste generated in Nairobi is food waste or recyclable and can be turned into profit

a lot of the solid waste ends up in fields and in the rivers, thus polluting the water supply and creating negative health affects

Business Team key words from Deliverable 3

(focus on proposing a business plan that would implement our social & ecological change)

Innovations actually come from users of the products or the service

reduce, reuse, recycle

separation and sorting of waste is necessary

use of existing packaging materials as opposed to producing new ones

improve management of waste collection and disposal

mobilization of community-based efforts.

So maybe we can improve the entrepreneurial behaviour of the "poor people" by giving them a little credit?

They can buy the sorted waste and doing something with it: reselling or manufacture something by themself