TOWARD ZERO WASTE

A submission by Group 3:

Abayon, Paolo

Campo, Aldrin Son

Desagon, Stephanie Moraine

Dioneda, Patrick Renb

Llena, Pauline

SCI03 Performance Task Paper

Ms. Aubrey Alagos

1st Term, A.Y. 2018 – 2019

 Toward Zero Waste

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Background Of The Organization

History

Toward Zero Waste (TZW) is a pro-sustainable living advocate organization which was

founded on 2016 by three individuals based in North Carolina, United States of America. Greg

Couch, Dee Gilmore, and Leigh Williams, the pioneers of the organization, started the

movement to build a thriving sustainable community that will create leading edge strategies and

a growing, clean environment wherein individuals can help contribute to the minimization of

worldwide waste production. Zero waste is an evolving concept which aims to send little to no

waste at all to the landfills of a country, this is to redefine the system that people are currently

living in (Cole, 2013, p. 18).

The organization’s objective is to generate a circular economy which restores,

regenerates, and replenishes natural resources consumed by human-beings. Furthermore, it exists

on the principle that people should progressively shift towards the utilization of reusable

necessities, renewable energy, and mainly, the elimination of waste (Upadhyaya, 2013). In 2016,

the organization conducted its first project named, “The Green Building and Smart Growth”

program, which aimed to recognize and practice correct consumption and recycling of food and

other biodegradable waste produced by a community.

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To this day, the excessive production of waste has produced detrimental ecological

impact which does not only harm humans but all living creatures and most especially, the

environment. Moreover, the current global waste generation level is approximately 1.3 billion

tons per year and is expected to increase to approximately 2.3 billion tons per year by the time

we reach 2025 (World Bank Group, n.d.). Therefore, the organization wishes to decrease the

impact through the sharing and teaching of their sustainable efforts to live a waste-free life.

Vision

The organization’s vision is to create a safe and sustainable world, wherein communities

strive to produce lasting results for the sake of the current and future generation of individuals

who shall live to see and experience the wonders of Earth.

Mission

Toward Zero Waste aims to provide a way of life which is more than the structured

system people are living in today. It reaches beyond mere survival, implies growth and positive

development, and lastly, creates camaraderie among communities to live sustainably.

The Organization’s Advocacy

The core motto of the organization is to refuse what is not needed; reduce what one does

need; reuse what is already consumed; recycle what cannot be refused, reduced, or reused; and

lastly, compost the rest. It strongly advocates raising the level of awareness and commitment

toward sustainable living for the benefit of us, humans – and the environment we live in.

However, the campaign of the organization is not only limited to the nurturing and protection of

land resources; it also includes every other resource which is subjected to waste disposal.

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Hence, the proponent of Toward Zero Waste is to think of sustainable living as a goal to

always being “Waste Conscious”. Becoming aware of the waste we create, combined with the

conscious effort to reduce it, is an empowering step to the reduction of overall waste generation.

It also implements its vision and mission though projects or programs addressing: plastic

pollution, water pollution, and the destruction of ecosystem due to overproduction of waste.

Recent Projects Of The Organization

Since the organization is still a small, growing community worldwide, it has few

partnerships or sponsorships which limit the funding for projects and/or program

implementation. However, ever since the foundation of the organization, there has been quite a

few projects and programs conducted with a successful rate and positive feedback from

communities in which they were administered in. The projects they have executed from the

establishment of the organization are as follows:

1. In 2016, they launched “The Green Building and Smart Growth” program in Cary, North

Carolina which successfully promoted the organization’s goal to influence people into

living a waste-conscious life. The project has overseen a mark of 52% success rate, as

individuals learned how to incorporate the movement into their daily lives. In effect, up

to this day, the community in which the project was conducted on began creating

ordinances among its residents which supported the movement.

2. Later that year, the organization commenced the “Earth Day Litter Sweep” project which

aimed to free neighborhoods in Cary, North Carolina from the accumulated waste in their

areas. In partnership with Nolia Wellness Education, they helped the residents move

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toward minimizing waste of all kinds to decrease landfill space and maintain a safe,

healthy environment for the animals.

3. In the 12th of July, 2018, Toward Zero Waste, Greenish Neighbor, and the Cary Theater

have collaborated together to introduce the free screening of the award winning

documentary entitled, “STRAWS”. The film empowers individuals to be part of the

solution in reducing and stopping the ecological and health problems caused by plastic

pollution (Brooker, 2015). As stated by Brooker (2015), Ocean Conservancy ranks straws

and other single-use plastics as the 5th most found litter item all over the world. Thus, the

organization launched the free showing of the film to be an eye-opener to a problem that

cannot be easily fixed if it is not done altogether.

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 Toward Zero Waste

CHAPTER II

PLAN OF ACTION

The generation of waste all over the world, specifically in the Philippines has accelerated

at an alarmingly fast rate over the last few years due to urbanization, industrialization, and

population growth (Castillo & Suehito, 2016). According to the National Solid Waste

Commission or NSWMC (n.d.), in 2017 alone, it is recorded that the total accumulation of waste

in the Philippines spiked up to 40, 087 tons per day and is expected to go up by 40% - 60% in

2025 as a consequence of extreme population growth and possibly, improper waste management

(p.3). Since then, there have been continuous efforts by the government, non-profit

organizations, and advocacy groups to combat the over-accumulation of waste but is not

sufficient enough to overcome the growing dilemma.

For this reason, TZW in cooperation with other organizations and its sub-units all over

the world, can further its advocacy and purpose in addressing the waste generation problem

through a plan involving the youth, specifically the Filipino youth. Hence, in this plan, their

awareness, literacy, and understanding of the waste accumulation are improved as well as

educating them about the incorporation of zero-waste living in their lifestyle.

Earth Movement: Zero Waste Solidarity

To this day, the generation of waste and its improper management continues to be a

problem of most countries in the world. Hence, the group in partnership with the Toward Zero

Waste organization will address them through incorporation and implementation of various

programs in which it will shape the overall perspective and outlook of the youth today regarding

the issue. The objectives and goals of this project will be achieved through the utilization of the

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plan of action formulated by the group along with the organization. To execute the advocacy

successfully, the planning, managing, as well as other miscellaneous activities shall be conducted

within a 12-month period in an educational institution as the principal venue.

Under the “Zero Waste Solidarity” program, it consists of the activities explicated below:

Interactive Seminars

As part of the program, the group shall incorporate seminars that aim to cultivate and

raise the awareness and understanding of the youth by incorporating a series of activities. These

activities are not limited to educating them but also to heighten their interest on the issue so as to

spread the purpose of the advocacy to their fellow youth. In line with the advocacy, the activities

included in the program are as follows: (a) a forum that shall enlighten the audience of the

current dilemma facing due to the over production of waste, (b) formation of focus group

discussions among individuals participating in the program, and (c) educational games that will

enrich their interest and grit to change the system obstructing the nature.

Zero Waste Month Film Showing

The advocacy proprietors will utilize the virtual platform to integrate eye-opening

documentary films that showcase the inevitable problem faced by the environment and the

possible consequences if such detrimental acts continue to persist. The number of films, venue,

and time allotment for the program will depend on the availability of the school involved in the

advocacy program.

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Culminating Workshops

The culminating workshops shall educate the interested participants on how to live a

waste-free lifestyle, fully managing one’s resources. The aim of these workshops is to fully

enhance an individual’s interest, will, and capability to live without producing much waste or

even none at all. To compensate for the materials used and instructor’s efforts, an enrolment fee

of Php 100.00 shall be collected and a donation for every session is highly encouraged but is not

mandatory. These donations shall proceed to the TZW beneficiaries. Lastly, the duration of the

workshops dedicated to zero waste lifestyle shall span for about 10 sessions or longer depending

on the participation of the individuals who enrolled in the program.

Budget Overview
Table 1 Projected Budget Overview
BUDGET OVERVIEW
Expenditures Estimated Amount Needed (
Production Staff and Event Php 30,000
Organizers
Honorarium for (2) Php 1,000 per session
Volunteer Instructors
Traveling Allowance Php 10,000
Production and Marketing Php 40,000 – Php 60,000
Materials
TOTAL: Php 120,000
The total amount need for the advocacy is estimated to be 120,000 pesos, with all the

constituents necessary to conduct the program and its activities. The values aforementioned

above are based on the released sample expenses by the A.L. Signature Events. The funding

provided will solely be used to further the advocacy of the program.

Projected Year-Long Program Timeline

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2019 Gathering 2019 Appointment 2019 Planning

Jan information Feb with school Mar the event as
on possible officials for well as the
schools that the necessary
can be incorporation proponents
involved in of the for the
the program. program. program.

2019 Preparation 2019 Collecting 2019 Scheduling

Apr of all the May and Jun the
required convening proponents
resources to information of the
conduct the about the advocacy
advocacy. range of with school
students officials.
included.

2019 Conducting 2019 Continuation 2019 Start of

Jul the Aug of the Sep workshop
interactive interactive from the 1st
seminars as seminars to 5th
per along with session.
scheduled the
with the organization.
school.

2019 Continuation 2019 Conducting 2019 Assessment

Oct of workshop Nov the film Dec of the
from the 6th showing as outcomes
session to per from all the
the 10th scheduled by proponents
session. the school. of the
program.

CHAPTER III

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INFORMATION DISSEMINATION

Design And Development

To visualize the advocacy of TZW, the group decided to create an infographic video with

a simple message that conveys the theme of the chosen advocacy which is to live a waste-free

life in order to save Mother Earth. Advertising the advocacy through various online platforms is

a convenient way to spread an issue that is relevant and prevalent all over the world. Since, most

people are exposed to social media; it is a good way to showcase the advocacy through this

medium. Moreover, physical form of advertising such as flyers and posters are quite effective as

well but since the group is aiming for “Zero Waste”, distributing them would contradict the

objectives and goals of the advocacy.

Implementation

As aforementioned in the design and development section, the advocacies of the group

along with TZW will be implemented firstly through the powerful and meaningful infographic

video that the group has formulated and created as well as the components of the program which

are the interactive seminars, film showing, and workshops. Through these media, the group aims

to fully accomplish their goal to educate and encourage the youth to live a life without producing

waste.

CHAPTER 1V

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REFERENCES

A.L. Signature Events. (n.d.). Sample Event planning. Retrieved from

http://alsignatureevents.com/

Brooker, L. (2015). STRAWS: Life with Plastics. Retrieved from http://www.strawsfilm.com/

Castillo, M. & Suehito, J. (2016). The problem with waste in the Philippines. Retrieved from

https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jsmcwm/24/0/24_677/_pdf/-char/en

Cole, M. (2013). Getting to Zero Waste in the City. The Case of Oakland, California. United

States of America: Technical Press. Retrieved from https://www.urbanmanagement.tu-

berlin.de/fileadmin/f6_urbanmanagement/Study_Course/student_work/Thesis_Cole_Gett

ing_to_Zero_Waste_in_the_City.pdf

Couch, G., Gilmore, D., & Williams, L. (2016). Toward Zero Waste. A Movement to Living a

Waste-Free Life. Retrieved from https://towardzerowaste.org/

National Solid Waste Commission. (n.d.). The State of Solid Waste Generation. Retrieved from

https://www.senate.gov.ph/publications/SEPO/AAG_Philippine%20Solid%20Wastes_N

ov2017.pdf

Upadhyaya, L. (2013). A Thesis on Zero Waste. Centria University. Retrieved from

https://www.theseus.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/63146/Upadhyaya_Luv.pdf?sequence=1

World Bank Group. (n.d.). Global Waste Generation. Retrieved from

https://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTURBANDEVELOPMENT/Resources/336387-

1334852610766/Chap3.pdf

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