AN ENVIRONMENT CONCEPT
GREEN CHAMPIONS INITIATIVE
1.1GREEN PEOPLE
‘Green champions’ is a citizen centered environmental initiative that promotes the
culture of voluntary separation of plastic and non plastic waste at the household level
for the purpose of recycling, reuse and improved waste management.
The essence of green champions is that it’s the next step after the green belt movement.
It honors icons like Wangari Maathai and it’s simply a citizen saying I DO “I do care for
my environment.’’
1.2 WHY PLASTICS
Plastics are very long-lived products that could potentially have service over decades,
and yet our main use are as single-use items that will go to the garbage dump within a
year, where they’ll persist for centuries.
Plastics piling up together en masse in open dumps, "wild" landfills or are in the
immediate vicinity of the towns simply stored along the streets contribute to
environmental degradation.
Plastics pollute, poison over time wild animals and ground-water, endangering people's
health.
Exposure to severe health risk for the many poor people especially minors who have to
get up in landfills as waste collectors to make low incomes to survive.
1.3 INTRODUCING A NEW SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC ADVERTISING DUSTBIN
This initiative will introduce a ‘green champion’ special made dustbin that GLOWS at
night carrying advertisement signs and massages. These dust bins will be of high
quality, attractive and will carry environment massages. The dust bins will also have a
big space for companies to advertise their products and services and take advantage of
‘green champions’ existing network to reach target markets through branding.
Companies that partner with ‘green champions’ will not only benefit from a quick,
reliable and cheap advertising option but also positive public image of supporting
environmental sustainability. These dust bins will be available on the streets, estates
and, business parks basically anywhere needed.
1.4 INTRODUCING STANDARDIZED BUY- BACK CENTRES
In densely populated areas such as urban slums, Green Champions will introduce standardized
branded plastic buy back centers. Green champions will do community and waste collector
capacity building to make communities understand the role they will be playing through
separating plastic and non –plastic waste. Persons can be able to sell their plastics at the
buyback centers and the centers will be run by rehabilitated and trained current land fill plastic
collectors who are presently exposed on a daily basis to toxic and hazardous materials as they
screen through open landfills with no prior training or protective gear collecting plastics for its
resale value.
1.5 EVERYONE SHOULD DO IT CAMPAIGN STRATEGIES
To sustain separation practices and support separate collection protocols, our campaign
systems should focus upon a combination of civic commitment, environmental
consciousness, and convenience of deposit, public education, mandation and enforcement
I believe a successful campaign strategy should include partnering with Persons
with Disability as an integral part of the sensitization campaign
Persons with disability have always been sidelined, marginalized and stigmatized
by society. Partnering with them would give heart to the campaign.
In an effort to encourage civic commitment and environmental consciousness
Persons with disabilities will for once take the lead. The idea behind it being;
‘I am a committed to saving the environment despite my challenges, it’s the simple
things, everyone should do it!’’
1.5 LOGISTICS
 Proposed garbage trucks exclusively for green champion dust bins
 Creation of Buy–back centers
 Private bodies who are interested in recycling programmes should be
encouraged by the government, by providing enabling ground for them to
operate.
1.6 GREEN CHAMPIONS STAKEHOLDERS
1.6.1 Green Champions & Waste Collection Companies
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Green champions will piggy back on existing functional waste collector’s
distribution networks through a win- win partnership contracts.
1.6.2 Green Champions and Citizens/ Families
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Opportunity to take part in Environment Sustainability and the fight against
child labor in their own homes
Become aware of products, services, promotions through the green champion
dust bins
Beautiful scenery created by dustbins that glow in the night and the extra
benefit of night vision.
1.6.3 Green Champions and Government,Ministry of
Environment/Environment NGOS
 Reduced waste ending up in landfills therefore reducing waste managements
costs
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Benefit from increased citizen environmental knowledge through green
champion campaigns and printed massages on the glowing dust bins.
Environmental sensitization will lead environmental conscience culture
beyond improved waste management and recycling
Decreased child labor
1.6.4 Green Champions and Casual Waste Collectors
 Waste collectors reduced exposure to risk
 Reduced child labor through children referrals to schools
 Employment opportunity as priority work force for green champions
1.6.5 Green Champions and Private / Public Sector
 Branding and advertising
 Corporate and social responsibility to fight against issues such as child labor
and environmental degradation
1.7 STEPS TO SUCCESS
1. Setting up green champions office, qualified human resource and administrative
support
2. Government support
3. Private sector support
4. Citizen support
5. Environmental education
6. Partnerships with child rights programs and youth initiatives
Created and Prepared by:
Susan Njuguna
sunjuguna@gmail.com
0722-884018