E-waste Collector: your tech friend

My application aims reducing E-waste by recycling it and offering money that would generally be used for transportation to pick up the waste by having people deliver it.

My application intended for recycling E-waste, as only 20% of the E-waste that is produced is formally recycled and the rest is not recycled or informally recycle which can lead to adverse human health effect So, my idea is to design an app in which you can upload your E- waste and get the location to the nearest E-waste recycling center where you can drop off your waste as soon as the waste get delivered to the center some part of delivery charge (which not be taken) will be given to you,

 in this solution there is a three way gain 

1st: the app designers are in a profit as there is no transport needed 

2nd: when people read that there is money given they will actively participate and will take the initiative to deliver the waste for recycling

 3rd: there will be increase in formal recycling of these hazardous wastes and our environment as well as us human beings will be protected. 

he specific problem that I am trying to solve:

The problem that I am aiming at is the recycling of E-waste, these day technology is taking over specially with the pandemic most of the activities these days are computer or electronic based with this huge change the amount of E-waste has also relatively increased and is not being managed well in terms of global reports only 20% of this Hazardous E-waste is being formally recycled while the other 80% is being ignored or informally recycled which are both very harmful for human health and our environment so a solution was much needed.

How many people are affected?

well the answer would be all of us as this is a global and ongoing problem.

What factors are contributing to the problem in your community? 

The land where I come from is the beautiful land of India and it is a developing country and with the 2nd largest population the waste production is relatively high, in India only five percentage of the e- waste volume are handled in formal unit and the rest informally and the affecting factors are: 

* The large population

* Still developing

* Not having a good land to population ratio

What consequences result from the problem? 

E-waste consist of flammable, Hazardous products which must be handled with care and by professionals and if not recycled or informally recycled it causes huge environmental damage and damages Human health.

Who does my solution serve? 

Well my solution serves to the entire man kind and our precious environment but in terms of the target population that is focused primarily business owners and middle class people as in business many electrical items are used and if not recycled formally can lead to huge environmental damage and as for middle-class people managing E-waste is one major problem as generally they end up informally selling these which in turn either gets informally recycled or just left at any random land which is very dangerous.

 In what ways will the solution impact their lives?

the ways in which their lives will be effected are:

1st of all their whole process of getting a device and then replacing it would be easier.

 2nd the random objects which sometimes does not sell will now be happily put at the right place.

 3rd this will increase awareness in them as well as the society.

My solution tends to attack a global problem so as for understanding the needs of population I want to serve I had to think of something that can be applicable for world wide use therefore the steps taken were:

•  understanding the use of electronic devices all around the world.
• understanding the process of E-waste disposal and recycling
• understanding the nature of E-waste
• studying the global stats of E-waste recycling
• understanding the difference between formal and informal recycling
• studying about the major harm caused by these waste and how do they cause it
• studying about the availability of E-waste recycling centers 

 Although My solution is most relatable to (sustainability) but it is not the same, my solution does help the environment but does not combat climate change but it rather prevents the dangerous E-waste to spread around the globe , my idea attacks the E-waste recycling and pollution problem at the same time.

The stage I selected is Concept and that is because it is still an idea, an idea from which wonders can be done, my solution is not in any way been worked on but the whole idea is completely planned that if it have to be developed it wouldn't have any gap as I have thought it through completely.

The core technology for this solution is an already existing technology which is an application this application in terms of what it does dose not already exists but it shall have the same system such as OLX and other applications which are there to help to sell products the difference is that instead of selling you are actually giving your E-waste to be formally recycled and getting money in return of it.

My solution hasn't been launched yet although in future if it is out my plans would be for it to be used by people in my locality because i can go and tell them about it then if they find it useful my hopes for it would be that the information about my application shall spread in my city or more from the words, in summary considering that my solution is still an idea my plans for it in the next year would be for it to be out serving at least my city.

What are my impact goals for the next year?

My impact goals for the next year are that my application will awake a sense of responsibility and curiosity in people, as they understand what the application is about they will understand how much damage E-waste cause to our mother earth and how it is their responsibility to prevent it from spreading , I don't want people to feel like they are forced to recycle but I want them to feel that it is the time to recycle, the impact I am wishing for is not for people to only use the app and recycle but for people to know why they are doing it I want them to realize how there small step is making a change for the world.

 how will I achieve them?

When the application would be launched I plan to start from my community and society, educating them about the harmfulness of E-waste and badly it affects them and the environment then with increase of the application I plan on inviting a crowd and telling them about it, I am well trained for public speaking as I tend to give a lot of speech as a guest or as a competitor so, I would let my words and emotions educate them." Actions speak louder than words" so keeping this in mind i will myself demonstrate the usage of the application and will play my part in the recycling process.

Since my application isn't yet out measuring progress can be quite non uniform therefore in future whenever the program is out or close to be out the measures I will take would be:

• Tracking E-waste recycling in my area, through my app
• Tacking the number of user which participate more than others
• Tacking number of users per month
• Tacking the progress of the E-waste recycling center 

The barriers which might stop me would be:

•  lack of team

being a 13 year old on one actually listens to my ideas or try to include themselves in, with 1 person that is me on my team where to start or how to start is a big question.

•  lack of funds

again taking in my age people tend to ignore my idea and when they are not even listening how can I pitch my idea or have enough funds for the program.

I don't have a team but I am well abled to deliver this idea as I come from a middle class family which I feel is perfect as I have experienced the highs and the lows, but the major question here is 

why should I be the one delivering this idea?

lets answer it with a story I had a laptop which was my fathers, bought only one year before his death 12 years has passed since that laptop came and now was the time to change it so I bought a new laptop but now what should we do of the old one no one would buy it cause it was very old and if some people were interested they were offering very low prices so, it was not sold, one day I was examining that laptop and read about its flammable nature then I started to research it then I realized that how this is a big problem not only for us but for our mother earth, but I wanted to confirm that I was not the only one who lets old stuff to hang around and I did a survey at my school from which I found out that more than 95% people do this and don't even realize how harmful it is I also found out that many people throw very old electrical objects on roads and other landmasses so I decided to recycle my E-waste which I can collect from my home and needless to say it was relief seeing the wastes going to a place where it wouldn't be harmful, that sparked the idea in me of this application and that helped me understand the experiences of those I want to serve and therefore I am well-positioned to deliver this solution.

Explain how you are qualified for this prize.

The HP Girls Save the World Prize is for girls 13-18 years old and I am 13 years old girl and it requires to have a solution for the environmental problems and my solution fits that requirement as it is about recycling E-waste which is extremally harmful of earth.

How will your team use The HP Girls Save the World Prize to advance your solution? 

First of all it would be a big deal to have an award therefore people will listen to it and give there opinions on it which would improve it and also it would make people listen to it and realize how dangerous E-waste really is, an advance solution is a solution which makes an impact therefore if this award is provided to me it would drag attention and thus it would make an impact on their hearts which would make them responsible themselves which solves the problem from the root.

Explain how you are qualified for this prize.

The age qualification is for people 24 or under which I fit as I am 13 years of age and the Pozen Social Innovation Prize wants solutions on The negative impacts of climate change, Economic inequality, the global pandemic etc. and my solution severs for the environment.

How will your team use The Pozen Social Innovation Prize to advance your solution?

Again I would like to put out the same thing that receiving this award is a big deal therefore people would listen to me and my solution now they will pay attention and therefore become more educated about the damages that E-waste causes and most of all as my solution is an application the best way to advance it is by beta testing and by reviews that people leave therefore the prize would help me to draw people's eyes on the problem and the solution and with the views they provide the application will grow in long terms advancing the solution.