Project Plan (In development) Stimuleringsfonds FOR internationalization, Feb ‘08
Netherlands Superuse Studios
India Chintan
Jan Jongert Founder, Research lead jan@superuse-studios.com
Bharati Chaturvedi Director
Lizanne Dirkx Collaborator lizanne.superuse@gmail.com
Chitra Mukherjee Manager, Outreach and Advocacy chitra@chintan-india.org.
Ankit Bhargava Collaborator ankit493@gmail.com
Noble Varghese Assistant Manager, Resource Mobilization noble@chintan-india.org
www.superuse-studios.com
Formerly known as 2012Architecten is based in Rotterdam and has 15 years of experience in interiors, architectural and urban projects, building for a sustainable society. Our office views re-use as an integrated design strategy called ‘superuse’. The reuse concept applies to building materials as well as to energy supplies, human resources, water, traffic and food cycles. We develop strategies for cities to connect different loops, while integrating these processes into the existing urban environment. The projects are about ‘identifying and connecting available flows in the urban ecosystem.’ Production is seen as an organic cycle of streams, which are too often separated. By bringing together mutual inefficiencies – aligning surplus with demand, waste with need – the work looks to develop a more integrated world of products and services. Platforms: www.Oogstkaart.nl (Harvest map) www.Cyclifier.org www.superuse.org www.INSIDEflows.org
http://www.chintan-india.org/
CONTEXT Chintan’s Project Proposal to Google Summary of project: This project will create an online space where waste generators and waste recyclers come together to provide socially and environmentally sustainable waste management solutions to prevent pollution and create livelihoods in waste handling. First, we will create an online marketplace that will enable bulk waste generators to find trained and formalized waste recyclers for waste management services. Partnering with Safai Sena, an association of waste pickers, will allow us to identify and train 100 waste recyclers. Upon completion of training, the recyclers will be registered in our database. Waste generators will then be able to use this online service to find a trained recycler in their neighbourhood, across 9 municipalities, and will recycle via a customized waste management solution. To implement and monitor this solution, we will use three mobile applications. Data from these three applications will be used for creating game dynamics between recyclers, to incentivize them to reach out to more clients and enable recycling. The best recycler will be featured on the website quarterly. Trained waste recyclers will be provided smartphones and 2 sets of uniforms. Waste generators will be able to provide feedback on the level of service they receive from their recycler through one of these applications. Recyclers will be able to enter and track information on waste collected and provide a receipt to the waste generator as well as upload this information into a
How big is the problem that you are trying to address? The national capital region (NCR) produces almost 30,000 metric tons of solid waste per day. Much of it lies uncollected, burned or rotting, emitting greenhouse gases and dioxins, and polluting groundwater. As populations grow and land becomes scarce and expensive, landfilling is a bleak option. Luckily, the informal wastepicking and recycling sector is the backbone of the recycling economy in India, and recycles more than 20% of the region’s waste. But most continue to be treated like the trash they pick, despite providing a crucial environmental and public health service. Untrained, several thousand of these poor persons are unable to convert their willingness to recycle into an opportunity for formalized service provision. Further, municipalities (or ULBs) often lack technical knowledge and capacity on implementing relevant policies and rules, have no mechanisms to learn or peer learn (except to Google specific data!) and have limited insight into ground level problems. They use archaic systems for identifying and addressing problems in waste management services. This project will build a bridge between waste generators, government, and the informal sector providers by filling in key information gaps through the use of online and mobile technologies and result in a cleaner India.
Chintan database through another application. Chintan staff will use a mobile application conduct periodic monitoring through spot checks of recyclers providing services to ensure they are reporting correctly and providing service according to standards. Second, enabling waste generators to understand the issue is a challenge. We will develop a mobile game application that allows waste generators to build their knowledge and capacity about waste while enjoying themselves. In addition, a website will help them connect with ideas, organizations and practices to “green” their consumption and reduce and recycle waste. Based on our experience, many waste generators want to learn more to make change. Online clinics, the topics for which will be determined through crowd-sourcing, will contain videos, “Ask an expert”, and relevant reference materials. Third, we will develop an online accountability, transparency and knowledge hub targeting municipalities (or ULBs). This will provide information on relevant rules and policies, legal contracts, technical innovations and guidance on implementing them as well as best practices in waste management from across India and the rest of the world. Another mobile application that we propose is for citizens to report waste management problems across the region. Citizens will be able to use this application to report lack of service provision at sites across the region using images and geo-tagging the location. Such crowd-sourced information will be updated on the website for municipalities to see where the hotspots of poor waste management in the region are and therefore guide them to take appropriate action. In addition, this information will be used to rate municipalities on service levels in their jurisdiction.
How does your project use technology in a unique and innovative way? This project harnesses the power of web-based technologies to clean urban India by providing an online platform for waste generators and recyclers to access markets for waste, building citizens’ capacity in cleaning up cities, and allowing municipalities to be accountable and transparent through citizen monitoring. The main technologies that will be used here are mobile applications, interactive and real-time websites, crowd-sourcing, and gaming. The urban landscape is rapidly changing and the traditional ways in which recyclers used to be able access clients are quickly vanishing. This project provides a way for them to continue to access clients and provide waste collection and recycling services using mobile technologies. In addition, although municipalities have been attempting to use social media tools such as Facebook as a waste-related complaint redressal system, this use has been patchy. This project will provide an easier to use complaint system for citizens and a more comprehensive view of waste management problems to the government and the public. Finally, by created an online forum where knowledge and information can be shared, discussed and debated by the government and the public, will allow for more innovative
solutions to emerge to India’s growing urban waste management challenges. Quantify the total expected impact of this project if executed and explain how you calculated this number, including any assumptions made arriving at this projection. This project will directly train and register 100 waste recyclers as geographically distributed service providers. In turn, we expect that each waste recycler should be able to manage 5 tons of waste per day, that is, a total of 500 tons of waste will be recycled and diverted from landfills and burning which causes land, water, and air pollution.. This diversion amounts to approximately 5% of the waste generated in the National Capital Territory of Delhi and 60% of all recyclables. Further, to manage this waste, the recyclers will create livelihoods for 15 other waste pickers in their operations, thus providing employment to approximately 1500 persons. Finally, through this project we expect to reach out and facilitate waste management services for approximately 200,000 waste generators in the region. Apart from these direct beneficiaries, the indirect beneficiaries will be over 20 million, who will enjoy a cleaner environment. Additionally, the games etc will be shared with any other interested persons for further impact. What are the 1-3 key indicators you will use to track impact and how will you measure these indicators? The following indicators will be measured and used to track impact of this project: • Number of waste recyclers enrolled in the program who are able to make a livelihood as a direct result of this project and amount of waste handled as a direct result of this project: We will maintain a database of participating individuals and will develop a system for tracking when they are able to link up with and provide services to waste generators. Those using the smartphone mobile application will automatically be tracked and others who are unable to afford this will use an SMS system to inform Chintan. • Number of waste generators who sought and were able to successfully find service providers through the online marketplace: Users will be required to register for this service and will be surveyed via email on a semi-annual basis to understand (a) whether they were able to locate a service provider; (b) whether they engaged a service provider; and (c) whether they are satisfied with the service. This information will be cross-checked with information from informal sector actors on their clients. • Usage of technologies: This will be tracked by number of application subscribers, website hits, downloads of available
documentation, uploads of citizen monitoring information, and number of online clinics and participants in them. What makes your core project team awesome, and why are you poised for success? Chintan has a highly motivated core team that knows about waste, hands-on. Our team combines experience, which we value more than degrees, with a sound understanding of laws. It includes wastepickers and waste dealers, who know the business well. Each day, the media reports about un-recycled waste and dirty cities. People want to act and make a change. This initiative will provide that much-needed bridge between Chintan, who recycles, and waste generators, who want to recycle and protect the planet. Given India has 165 million internet subscribers and 900 million cellphone users, online technologies and apps are the way forward. What organisations are also tackling this problem and what approaches have they taken? Many organizations are singularly focused on the informal sector and are unable to engage municipalities and waste generators in developing solutions that work for everyone. However, they are restricted to working only with wastepickers, not the entire chain that enables recycling. Typically, they train wastepickers in doorstep waste collection, which is a powerful way to create employment. However, none are using innovative technology solutions to assist the informal sector in providing this crucial urban service, which is critical in a country with 900 million cell phone users and 65 percent of the population being under 35 years of age. What are the risks associated with your proposed project, and how will you deal with them? Chintan is a risk taking organization. Here, key risks are that the public will absorb the information, but act less rapidly, or recycle less, than we expect. To counter this, we have included several schools in the plan, because children value recycling more, and they influence their families and communities. Chintan also expects that some trained wastepickers may be less efficient than the others. This could result in specific complaints. We will leverage our relationship with Safai Sena to help them improve efficiencies through training and peer mentoring. Using game dynamics for service providers will also reduce this risk.
1
Online market place
Function: To enable bulk waste generators to find trained and formalized waste recyclers for waste management services.
3
Platform to build their knowledge and capacity
Function: Facilitating waste generators to build their knowledge and capacity about waste while enjoying themselves. To make them better understand issue of waste management.
Type: Online platform Target: Waste generators and recyclers
Type: Mobile game Target: Waste generators
Connecting waste generators & waste recyclers
( - Analysing system flows and their impact with new interventions, recognising role of singular actions within larger waste story? )
+
4
To implement and monitor this solution, we will use three mobile applications. Data from these three applications will be used for creating game dynamics between recyclers, to incentivize them to reach out to more clients and enable recycling. ( Three apps ?)
+
2 System for Monitoring and checks
Networking and consultations
Function: Connect with ideas, organizations and practices to “green” their consumption and reduce and recycle waste. Will include Online clinics, the topics for which will be determined through crowd-sourcing, will contain videos, “Ask an expert”, and relevant reference. Type: Website Target: Waste generators - Help waste generators to learn to make changes.
Function: Monitoring services of recyclers and ensuring correct reporting as per standards. Type: Mobile game Target: Waste generators
Summary of project: This project will create an online space where waste generators and waste recyclers come together to provide socially and environmentally sustainable waste management solutions to prevent pollution and create livelihoods in waste handling. (1) First, we will create an online marketplace that will enable bulk waste generators to find trained and formalized waste recyclers for waste management services. Partnering with Safai Sena, an association of waste pickers, will allow us to identify and train 100 waste recyclers. Upon completion of training, the recyclers will be registered in our database. Waste generators will then be able to use this online service to find a trained recycler in their neighbourhood, across 9 municipalities, and will recycle via a customized waste management solution.
To implement and monitor this solution, we will use three mobile applications. Data from these three applications will be used for creating game dynamics between recyclers, to incentivize them to reach out to more clients and enable recycling. The best recycler will be featured on the website quarterly. Trained waste recyclers will be provided smartphone and 2 sets of uniforms. Waste generators will be able to provide feedback on the level of service they receive from their recycler through one of these applications. Recyclers will be able to enter and track information on waste collected and provide a receipt to the waste generator as well as upload this information into a Chintan database through another application. (2) Chintan staff will use a mobile application conduct periodic monitoring through spot checks of recyclers providing services to
5
Policy guidance and archiving world-wide practices
6
Facilitating local participation and accountability
Functions: Accountability, transparency and knowledge hub Type: Online Website Target: Municipalities
Functions: Report waste management problems across the region + rate (& compare) municipalities on service.
This will provide information on relevant rules and policies, legal, contracts, technical innovations and guidance on implementing them as well as best practices in waste management from across India and the rest of the world.
Target: Municipalities +citizens
Advocacy and archival platform. Rules and policies, legal, contracts
Products and services. Technical innovations. Consultation services. Guidance on implementing them.
Type: Mobile Application
Impact: Community involvement/citizen participation/ Making administration transparent, accessible and assessable, guide them to take appropriate action. Citizens will be able to use this application to report lack of service provision at sites across the region using images and geo-tagging the location. Such crowd-sourced information will be updated on the website for municipalities to see where the hotspots of poor waste management in the region are and therefore guide them to take appropriate action. In addition, this information will be used to rate municipalities on service levels in their jurisdiction.
Geo Map
Library Best practices in waste management from across India and the rest of the world.
Cr so owdRe urce po d rtin g
Waste generators
ensure they are reporting correctly and providing service according to standards. (3) Second, enabling waste generators to understand the issue is a challenge. We will develop a mobile game application that allows waste generators to build their knowledge and capacity about waste while enjoying themselves. (4) In addition, a website will help them connect with ideas, organizations and practices to “green” their consumption and reduce and recycle waste. Based on our experience, many waste generators want to learn more to make change. Online clinics, the topics for which will be determined through crowd-sourcing, will contain videos, “Ask an expert”, and relevant reference materials. (5) Third, we will develop an online accountability, transparency and knowledge hub targeting municipalities (or ULBs). This will provide
Discover hotspots of poor waste management in the region. Create knowledge of place for municipalities, accountability.
for ty uts ali Inp nicip mu
Report lack of service provision at sites across the region using images and geo-tagging the location
Note: Map will also indicating jurisdiction, contact of authorities in charge, timing of service
Information will be used to rate municipalities on service levels in their jurisdiction.
Municipality
information on relevant rules and policies, legal contracts, technical innovations and guidance on implementing them as well as best practices in waste management from across India and the rest of the world. (6) Another mobile application that we propose is for citizens to report waste management problems across the region. Citizens will be able to use this application to report lack of service provision at sites across the region using images and geo-tagging the location. Such crowd-sourced information will be updated on the website for municipalities to see where the hotspots of poor waste management in the region are and therefore guide them to take appropriate action. In addition, this information will be used to rate municipalities on service levels in their jurisdiction.
Information will be used to rate municipalities on service levels in their jurisdiction.
Municipality
- Discover hotspots of poor waste management in the region. - Create knowledge of place for municipalities, accountability. - Report lack of service provision at sites across the region using images and geo-tagging the location
Waste Generators
6
Online Market Place
1
- To enable bulk waste generators to find trained and formalized waste recyclers for waste. Note: Map will also indicating jurisdiction, contact of authorities in charge, timing of service
2
- Build their knowledge and capacity about waste - Connect with ideas, organizations and practices to “green” their consumption and reduce and recycle waste. Will include Online clinics, the topics for which will be determined through crowd-sourcing, will contain videos, “Ask an expert”, and relevant reference.
3
4
Waste RE-cycler
Monitoring and Spot Checking
Chintan
- Consultation, counselling and reward strategies. - Build their knowledge and capacity about waste
Consultancy “Ask an expert”
3 Library
Of Practices in waste management
Other Organizations World wide
5
4
- Guidance to implementing policies etc.
Project Parts
PRODUCTS (Imagined)
(As in Brief)
The online market place desired by Chintan can be imagined as a combination of the following:
Online market place
Enable bulk waste generators to find trained and formalized waste recyclers for waste management services. Type: Online platform | Target: Waste generators and recyclers
a
~ Geo-location Map ~ Website plugged into google map to create a logistical tool to connect waste generators and recyclers. Status: Similar to Harvest map
b
~ Link to supply & demand flows ~ Feeding information into this map by rag pickers from ground is a much required agency. A mobile application built through a phone will prove to be more convenient (& handy) than a computer based one. It will provide a geo-acurate location of users with supply or demands. Making this visible will enable the potential buyer/seller in the vicinity to then interact/network. This can increase business opportunities for waste flows mutifold bringing waste(ed) back into the consumption cycle. Status: Basic development of such a tool is already underway.
c
~ Participation of Municipality & Citizens ~ Citizen reporting of service quality and waste sites specific to administrative jurisdiction are seen as added layers of information on the same platform. Further personal profiles can be enabled to input decentralised data. This localised information combined with statistical data of input and output will provide for municipalities or any decision maker a more realistic and decisive at ground info. This includes the mentioned ‘hot spots for waste in the region’ etc.
d
~ Library ~ The knowledge hub must be seen as being more aggregative in nature, where local & world wide practices/stories in waste management will be archived to contribute to a library of practices , even templates for practice. The same must be seen as a space to then contain section on relevant policies and other such documents for reference. Also applications for the various materials, providing cues for upcycling. Creating knowledge bank of waste management practices from other places. An important function of this knowledge hub must be of an archive of data collected through online market place over time to provide material for research and analysis.
e
~ Link of Library to data collection from recyclers/upcyclers~ How the business models, system designs, stories of on-going programs/ initiatives are archived as part of library is critical. It will determine whether this information will merely become passive references or will they aggregate over time to form comprehensive and scientifically comparative databases facilitating peer to peer learning and enquiry. Thus, demonstrating compatibility/differences between models from different areas/ contexts. This R & D may be made open source in cases or put for sale (patents) to entrepreneurs as DIY or through the consultancy arm. Status: Similarity to Cyclifier
f
~ Consultancy | Ask an Expert ~ The consultancy arm must be seen as fully tapped into and embedded in the knowledge hub making clear connection between data collection, research and practise. This forms as a key space where other designers, experts can engage to address a current demand or influence policies/ practices.
System for Monitoring and checks
Monitoring services of recylers and ensuring correct reporting as per standards. Type: Mobile game | Target: Waste generators
Platform to build their knowledge and capacity
Facilitating waste generators to build their knowledge and capacity about waste while enjoying themselves. To make them better understand issue of waste management. Type: Mobile game | Target: Waste generators
Networking and consultations
Connect with ideas, organizations and practices to “green” their consumption and reduce and recycle waste. Will include Online clinics, the topics for which will be determined through crowdsourcing, will contain videos, “Ask an expert”, and relevant reference. Type: Website | Target: Waste generators
Policy guidance and archiving world-wide practices
Making of knowledge hub of case studies and provision of guidance to municipalities. Type: Online Website |Target: Municipalities
Facilitating local participation and accountability
Report waste management problems across the region + rate (& compare) municipalities on service privisions. This subsequently helping municipalities to see the hotspots of poor waste management in the region are and therefore guide them to take appropriate action Type: Mobile Application | Target: Municipalities +citizens
Development InShort / long term Collaboration Superuse Studios: Formerly known as 2012Architecten is based in Rotterdam and has 15 years of experience in interi-
ors, architectural and urban projects, building for a sustainable society. Our office views re-use as an integrated design strategy called ‘superuse’. The reuse concept applies to building materials as well as to energy supplies, human resources, water, traffic and food cycles. We develop strategies for cities to connect different loops, while integrating these processes into the existing urban environment. The projects are about ‘identifying and connecting available flows in the urban ecosystem.’ Production is seen as an organic cycle of streams, which are too often separated. By bringing together mutual inefficiencies – aligning surplus with demand, waste with need – the work looks to develop a more integrated world of products and services.
There are 2 kind of outputs from this project, the first is - finished products as a set of web/mobile tools while the other will be aggregative in nature - knowledge creation for consultancy and guidance for waste generators, recyclers, municipalities. For the first kind of output, tool creation All the web/mobile tools intended here seem to have four basic skill sets required, varying in quantum of work and expertise as per each product 1) Gathering local data/demands 2) Interface design - how people use the web-based/mobile tools, what it does etc. 3) Software development - Scripting 4) Training and testing at ground - Interacting with users to find assess the product It was mentioned in the first meeting on 6th January, that while gathering local data and training of candidates at ground level is Chintan’s forte, it is making of app where other partners are needed. We think a collaboration with Chintan offers a broad opportunity where we can contribute to expanding the effectiveness of the knowledge created at Superuse by implementing and testing knowledge in an environment with much more severe challenges in the field of waste. Our role can be manifest in developing the systemic design, (contributing to) developing an executional brief, designing a project outline, evaluation of design phases and most important to connect and exchange data with existing knowledge and applications. Further we can contribute to worldwide promotion and finding future partners to multiply the use. Superuse has a decade long experience in research and implementation of open source platforms in the field of exchange and promotion of reuse of materials. These platforms include www.Oogstkaart.nl (Harvest map) This is a new online marketplace for redundant and second hand materials. Harvest-map/Oogstkaart allows companies or individuals to inventorise their supply of materials, components or even buildings to superusers. All materials, ranging from small quantities to continuous flows of (industrial) leftovers are represented. The main focus has been on building waste but there is an intention to expand it to include other nutrients. www.Cyclifier.org A cyclifier is a building or a spatial entity that enables or facilitates a new connection between excess and source flows. The platform contains around 100 cases from around the world with systems on scales of building to entire regions. The cases are organised around 15 different flow-types. Others include: www.superuse.org, www.INSIDEflows.org Greater potential looking in long term view however lies in engaging in the field of knowledge creation for reference and consultancy. On one hand, the Netherlands and EU context also offers a parallel case study for practices and policies of waste management which is a global issue. This includes new (emergent) knowledge frameworks such as Blue economy thinking that is gaining much momentum in Netherlands. While on the other cross-cultural learning of cultural practices, technological knowhow and methods of working and dealing with waste flows can be greatly valuable to not only address waste as a problematic but open up new business opportunities using waste as resource. A ready partner here for example is IYCN which has shown interest in systems thinking, developing MIS (modelling Information systems) than can help industry to better manage resources/energy over time, as well as in somecases increase cash flows. The consultancy arm offers a unique new space for designers and experts to step in where it is to provide guidance to waste generator, recycler, upcycler or municipality. This may consist of opportunity mapping in existing system (business models) or finding applications for a waste flow or analysing the local data about waste management to make it assessable and usable to
Tasks & Role of Partners: (Imagined) 3 year project for Chintan
Months 1- 6
6- 12
13 - 18
18 - 24
24 - 36
30 - 36
Preliminary Project Development: • Executional brief • Designing a project outline • Evaluation of design phases • Connect and exchange data with existing knowledge and applications. Online/web Tool Development: • Gathering local data/demands • Interface design - how people use the web-based/mobile tools, what it does etc. • Software development - Scripting • Training and testing at ground - Interacting with users to find assess the product Promotion: • Worldwide promotion; Finding future partners to multiply the use.
Grant Period
Post-grant (?) ------>
Superuse Studios Google Chintan
various users including municipalities, Ngos etc. A case in point can be a collaboration with www.atlas.d-waste.com, that aim at locating all waste recycling facilities over the world. They aim at giving information about the environmental impact of waste management and pollution where proper recycling facilities are not in place. It would be an interesting addition if the impact of reuse (in carbon footprint, for example) versus recycling/ landfilling or incineration can be also somehow visible for the user, providing reliable information for investment in a place. Other areas include upcycling or superuse applications - identify production and design partners that can tap into the harvested resources and add a second -hopefully - higher - cash-flow for the organisation, producing what Chintan terms at green jobs. Perhaps turning waste pickers not just to managers but to entrepreneurs. It is this question/query that also needs to be discussed - whether there is an ‘intention is to establish a structural collaboration’ if so then how can this be achieved. A collaboration from Superuse’s end is ideally desired to a balance of short term end project and laying foundations for exploring a long term partnership.