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Can blockchain tech help solve the plastic waste problemsource – mail maeder / pexels
There was a time when watching David Attenborough wildlife documentary was an unalloyed pleasure. Today it's a little different. The stunning images continue to delight, but the context has changed. Climate change, population growth and pollution are all taking their toll on wildlife. It is not the same as it is in the water, but it is not the same as it is in the water.
Much of the plastic that ends up in the rivers, oceans and landfill sites can be recycled but to some extent that requires to be part of consumers around the globe. Do not know how to do it?
This is a policy issue. For example, governments can discourage the use of plastic products, such as carrier bags, by imposing taxes. But what about the positive side of the equation. How do you actively incentivize citizens to do their bit for the planet?
Enter Norwegian startup, Empower. By using a blockchain-enabled system, the company believes it can successfully nudge consumers – and those in particular emerging markets – towards taking the kind of action that will ultimately reduce plastic pollution.
In Search Of A Use Case
Empower founder Wilhelm Myrer acknowledges the development of a blockchain based on the entrepreneurial progress. Previously, he had been working on the side of the bank accounts but had not succeeded in convincing backers or users. "We did not really like up with a use case," he say.
But following a chance meeting, he was asked by Nordic Ocean Watch & nbsp; if there was any way that blockchain technology could be deployed in service of the organization's mission to clean up beaches. Myrer sent founder Simen Knudsen at presentation and after subsequent conversations, the idea for Empower was born.
A Token Gesture
Myrer's plan was deceptively simple. Around the world there are a range of organizations – NGOs, corporate businesses and even governments – that are prepared to pay for projects to reduce waste. Disclaimer – those who might otherwise simply discard products – on board with their recycling initiatives.
Myrer's answer was to use blockchain solution as a means to record the waste. "He says, adding that the participants will receive the equivalent of $ 1 for every kilo of waste. And in addition, the information can be fed into supply chains, if and when the waste is sold on.
The Capacity Challenge
As Myrer sees it, but it has a particular application in emerging markets, where he says the tokenized rewards can be a catalyst in terms of getting people involved. He cites the example of a trial in Laos. "We a pilot. When word got round, everyone from the town came with their plastic, & nbsp; and then from the other towns in the area. We had to close it down because we did not have the capacity. "
And that is, arguably, the biggest challenge. It has to be done to scale. & nbsp; As Myrer sees it, the way forward is to establish partnerships that will provide the facilities to process large quantities of plastic.
"This year, we have collected 10 tons of waste," says Myrer. "Next year, we are targeting 10,000 tons. I know the challenge is to get the partners we need. "Ultimately the goal is to claw in 1 million tons a year.
A Good Deed In A Wicked World?
But is this a business, or simply a good deed in a wicked world? "We are established as a for profit business," says Myrer. "We have revenue streams. We charge 15% commission on the waste collection and we are also developing digital solutions for retail companies. "
To date, the company has been funded by bootstrapping, augmented by a 50,000 euro "impact maker" Xynteo& nbsp; Exchange summit in Oslo last month. But with just six people on the payroll, it is seeking further funding to scale up.
Rewards-driven recycling is not a new idea. In Norway, 97% of plastic bottles are recycled through collection points that return to tax charge that is initially levied on each unit. But Myrer believes that the system is capable of being rolled out – via NGOs and corporations – to otherwise hard-to-reach consumers in emerging markets.
It may provide another example of how blockchain has the potential to change the world in surprisingly non financial ways.
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Can blockchain tech help solve the plastic waste problemsource – mail maeder / pexels
There was a time when watching David Attenborough wildlife documentary was an unalloyed pleasure. Today it's a little different. The stunning images continue to delight, but the context has changed. Climate change, population growth and pollution are all taking their toll on wildlife. It is not the same as it is in the water, but it is not the same as it is in the water.
Much of the plastic that ends up in the rivers, oceans and landfill sites can be recycled but to some extent that requires to be part of consumers around the globe. Do not know how to do it?
This is a policy issue. For example, governments can discourage the use of plastic products, such as carrier bags, by imposing taxes. But what about the positive side of the equation. How do you actively incentivize citizens to do their bit for the planet?
Enter Norwegian startup, Empower. By using a blockchain-enabled system, the company believes it can successfully nudge consumers – and those in particular emerging markets – towards taking the kind of action that will ultimately reduce plastic pollution.
In Search Of A Use Case
Empower founder Wilhelm Myrer acknowledges the development of a blockchain based on the entrepreneurial progress. Previously, he had been working on the side of the bank accounts but had not succeeded in convincing backers or users. "We did not really like up with a use case," he say.
If it was any way that blockchain technology could be deployed in service of the organization. Myrer sent founder Simen Knudsen at presentation and after subsequent conversations, the idea for Empower was born.
A Token Gesture
Myrer's plan was deceptively simple. Around the world there are a range of organizations – NGOs, corporate businesses and even governments – that are prepared to pay for projects to reduce waste. Disclaimer – those who might otherwise simply discard products – on board with their recycling initiatives.
Myrer's answer was to use blockchain solution as a means to record the waste. "He says, adding that the participants will receive the equivalent of $ 1 for every kilo of waste. And in addition, the information can be fed into supply chains, if and when the waste is sold on.
The Capacity Challenge
As Myrer sees it, but it has a particular application in emerging markets, where he says the tokenized rewards can be a catalyst in terms of getting people involved. He cites the example of a trial in Laos. "We a pilot. Towns in the area. We had to close it down because we did not have the capacity. "
And that is, arguably, the biggest challenge. It has to be done to scale. As Myrer sees it, the way forward is to establish partnerships that will provide the facilities to process large quantities of plastic.
"This year, we have collected 10 tons of waste," says Myrer. "Next year, we are targeting 10,000 tons. I know the challenge is to get the partners we need. "Ultimately the goal is to claw in 1 million tons a year.
A Good Deed In A Wicked World?
But is this a business, or simply a good deed in a wicked world? "We are established as a for profit business," says Myrer. "We have revenue streams. We charge 15% commission on the waste collection and we are also developing digital solutions for retail companies. "
To date, the company has been funded by bootstrapping, augmented by a € 50,000 "impact maker" award received at the sustainability-focused Xynteo Exchange summit in Oslo last month. But with just six people on the payroll, it is seeking further funding to scale up.
Rewards-driven recycling is not a new idea. In Norway, 97% of plastic bottles are recycled through collection points that return to tax charge that is initially levied on each unit. But Myrer believes that the system is capable of being rolled out – via NGOs and corporations – to otherwise hard-to-reach consumers in emerging markets.
It may provide another example of how blockchain has the potential to change the world in surprisingly non financial ways.
