Youth Mobilization for Plastics Pollution

To address any problem you first have to get to the root of it. That is best done by analyzing concrete data and devising a solution based on available information. Jumping head first into a solution without assessing the situation can lead to financial drain and a failed solution. This application proposes utilizing a mobile app, thewatertracker, to track water and plastic usage data from university students across Mexico over a semester and pinpointing water and plastic related problem areas to address. Then working with makesense, a global organization that designs social and environmental impact programs focused on addressing the SDGs, to tap into their network and implement a workable solution. To date makesense has engaged over 100,000 citizens within the past 10 years and has a Mexico office, second largest after the Paris headquarters.

The proposed solution seeks to solve the problem of plastic waste pollution and resulting water contamination in Mexico through data visualization and citizen mobilization. 

As of September 2019, the main concern regarding plastic waste pollution among Mexicans centered on water contamination. Up to 62 percent of respondents in a survey said that was the main issue with plastic waste. In addition, 55 percent of the people interviewed were concerned with air pollution resulting from plastic waste incineration. 

According to the UN, the global population will reach 8.5 billion people by 2030, 60% of which

will live in urban areas. Furthermore, 70% of carbon emissions come from four urban sectors: energy, waste, mobility and buildings.

The “magic number” of people needed to create a systemic social change is 25% or a given population. makesense wants to mobilize 10% of the generation by 2030, or 1,800,000 people, who will inspire the 25% needed, by informing them, inspiring them, training them, connecting them and giving them time and resources to build their positive social/environmental actions.

The focus of the application is primarily Mexico for the pilot and the Country Department of Central America (CID) region as defined by the IDB. 

Recently, makesense designed and implemented the IDB’s internal innovation platform. With more than 50 innovation tools, makesense trained 50 IDB consultants from the CID region. Similarly, makesense has operated more than 200 programs globally aimed at training and mobilizing citizens on how citizens can develop solutions that contribute to achieving the SDGs. 

In addition, makesense has five dedicated consultants focused on designing innovation methodologies in Mexico and based on the university data resulting from thewatertracker pilot, the consultants could build a community around waste and water. As an example, Makesense worked with the BMW foundation in 10 different countries, including Mexico, to create happy hour events aimed at creating friendly discussions between concerned citizens and developing concrete commitments and collaborations. For this solution a tool could be designed to educate people on a more proactive vision for solutions related to plastics and water. The solution would help the entrepreneurs in the makesense community implement their ideas by piloting them in the water and plastics industries.

The solution consists of three parts: 

1. Thewatertracker data gathering - Work with up to five universities in Mexico to track and analyze student water and plastics use throughout the course of a semester. At the end of the semester create a visualization tool to map out the results and highlight the findings. The data will also help determine problem areas related to water and plastic pollution that could be addressed. 

2. makesense collaboration - Based on thewatertracker data, highlight the top plastic and water related problem areas that could be addressed and work with makesense to find relevant local entrepreneurs and local projects. Work to create a citizens activation tool to promote the development of local solutions and work to advance local entrepreneurial talent. Examples of some local entrepreneurs in the makesense community are: Biofase - company that makes bioplastic from avocado seed!; Grupo Optico ICH - company that makes eyeglasses from recycled plastics; Sustenta Estrategia - turn organic waste into biogas, in order to get energy for their campus or houses; Ecolana - how to recycle different types of wastes; Biobox - put recycling boxes in the streets, where citizens can throw their plastic bottles or cans and get points on a payback card, that they can spend in partner shops. 

3. Citizen mobilization - To build more momentum around the solution and the work, pilot the same steps above in the IDB CID countries. Based on gathered data, update the visualization tool to feature more countries and create a MOOC that highlights existing problems in various countries, as well as existing local talent that can address those problems. In addition, create a documentary to educate people on peoples’ water/plastic footprint in Latin America, with the main focus on CID, and encourage people to track their own footprint and get involved in local activities.

With the proposed solution, the "new dimension of performance" is utilizing the existing community and existing tools to focus in on plastics and water and bring about positive change through citizen mobilization. makesense, with over 400 innovation projects and over 100,000 citizens mobilized, has shown strength in community. With the given track record, the solution will be narrowing in on plastics and water and utilizing the given community to bring about specific topical change in Latin America.

Activities: focus on Mexico and work with five universities over the course of a semester using thewatertracker app. After the data is collected, create a visualization tool to visualize the data and highlight areas of concern related to plastics and water that need to be addressed. 

Outputs: Highlighting the top challenges, engage the local youth through the makesense youth community and local entrepreneurs in order to bring about lasting solutions on a local scale.

Short Term Outcomes: work with local entrepreneurs in Mexico and the makesense Mexico chapter to select the best solutions based on the highest needs determined by thewatertracker app. 

Long Term Outcomes: create online webinars and classes (MOOC) to further educate people on their global water/plastic footprint and expand this solution to other countries in Latin America.

Thewatertracker mobile app is a for-profit and makesense is a non-profit.