Appropriate technology as a business opportunity I
Appropriate technology is appreciated as a business opportunity, in consequence, there would be linkages among the development of appropriate technology, sustainability and business performance.
In 2008, some 1.2 billion people survive on an income of less than one dollar each day. Progress toward reducing this extreme poverty has been uneven and achieving the Millennium Development Goal to halve the proportion of people in extreme poverty by 2015 remains a major global challenge.
The great majority of extremely poor people lives in rural areas and depends, in whole or in part, on agriculture for their income. The rural poor (whether farmers, laborers, or sellers of non-farm commodities) will not prosper without farm income growth.
Yet small farms in the developing world face serious obstacles to improved productivity. Most smallholders do not control the water supply so crucial for enabling the use of productivity-enhancing inputs and they typically have poor access to input supplies, credit, and output markets.
Despite the challenges, there are reasons for hope. A number of global trends create new opportunities for smallholders in developing countries (see Annex 2). For them to take advantage of these opportunities and for their incomes to grow significantly, they must overcome three key constraints: (a) water control, (b) reliable supply of affordable high-productivity inputs, and (c) access to the increasingly concentrated supply chains that now serve the largest and most rapidly growing output markets.
The unique characteristics of poor (low capital availability, small fragmented land holdings, low risk tolerance and low opportunity cost for family labor) require unique solutions:
• Low investment and operating cost
• High rate of return
• Rapid return on investment
• Optimal use of family labor
• Appropriately sized
• Simple maintenance
• Scalability
This exploratory research helps to clarify the nature of the problem showing how the development of appropriate technology could have significant impact on sustainability and, in consequence, in business success.
In our opinion, it is important to highlight that appropriate technology may become a solution for most of problems addressed by the Millennium Development Goals. Moreover, appropriate technology can be a practical example of “how to” reach sustainability in emerging markets. The business perspective helps appropriate technology to be self-sustainable, involve more beneficiaries and create value and job opportunities.
The objective is to conduct an analysis of business cases for low-income markets in emerging economies that would help to generate new ideas on how entrepreneurs, grassroots inventors and business managers successfully develop appropriate technology-based business and to develop constructs that would facilitate future hypothesis testing.
Businesses with appropriate technology can reduce costs by making environmental improvements which deliver an immediate impact on the financial aspect.
Also termed “eco-efficiency”, environmental process improvement involves producing the same level of output with fewer resources, emissions and less waste. Eco-efficiency can be increased by using alternative raw materials, redesigning equipment or techniques, using more efficient technologies, reorganizing the supply chain and/or sitting production processes in a manner that reduces overall environmental impacts.
Reducing the use of energy and raw materials and limiting emissions and waste from production processes are key contributions that appropriate technology can make to tackle the environmental challenges facing the world. Emissions from industrial activity can have serious impacts on human health and the natural environment. They also contribute to climate change, ozone depletion, acid rain and contamination of surface and ground water and soils. Maintaining finite resources is essential for future growth and development.
Most of the cases demonstrated cost savings from environmental improvements. Some savings flow directly from using less energy and materials. Others come from lower pollution costs, in the form of charges for waste handling and disposal, fees, licenses and fines for breaking environmental regulations. The evidence comes from many sectors, all types of company and all regions.
Shivji and Sons, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, has just 45 permanent employees, making laundry soap through a process which uses steam from a diesel-powered boiler. The company replaced leaking steam valves and taps, halved the time required for heating the fat storage tank through efficiency improvements and minimized steam consumption during the cooling stage. These measures cut diesel use by more than 50% and have resulted in annual savings of $188,000 a year from an initial investment of $830. This represents a payback period of just 1.6 days.
Grupo Nueva works in the area of sustainable forest products, water systems and light construction materials. Amanco, a Grupo Nueva subsidiary, specializes in water management systems. Agriculture is the main source of income for 87% of Guatemala’s rural population, yet only 3% of farmers receive the technical assistance that would enable them to improve productivity and raise living standards. In 2004, Amanco started looking for innovative ways to make its products available to lower-income farming communities and decided to provide small drip irrigation systems and latrines for local growers. These irrigation systems help reduce farmers’ costs and ensure highly efficient year-round water availability.
Amanco created a system geared to the specific needs of poor farmers, the .4X4 all terrain Irrigation Model: 4 Seasons, 4 Harvests per year. It also designed a new process to bring this product to a new market. Given that at the outset, Amanco’s potential customers had very little disposable income and a highly unstable income stream, finding innovative mechanisms to help them finance the small investment needed to buy pumps was crucial.
Amanco’s system improves water use through saving up to 50% during irrigation. Soil quality also benefits as these drip irrigation techniques help prevent soil erosion. Farmers are now seeing a 22% rise in production, coupled with a major improvement in produce quality. On the back of this, they have been awarded an international certification of environmentally and socially-responsible crop cultivation. Farmers are achieving 33% savings in labor costs and have significantly improved their standard of living, with incomes doubling to around $1,950 a year. This is enabling farmers to integrate into the formal economy and to pay for their children’s schooling. These new technologies and technical assistance boost rural competitiveness; improve produce quality and supply stability and help secure long-term contracts with overseas purchasers in the United States and Europe.
Procter & Gamble markets almost 300 household products to over five billion people in 140 countries. In 2000, P&G launched PUR®. This technology is essentially a water treatment system for households not served by a safe drinking water supply, or for use in disaster relief. Since its introduction, PUR® has provided 260 million liters of clean drinking water. It has been successfully used in many countries including Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, Sudan, Ethiopia, Iraq and in the tsunami ravaged region of South East Asia, where 15 million sachets were delivered (enough to treat 150 million liters).
The product consists of a sachet of ingredients commonly used in conventional municipal water treatment, reverse engineered to effectively act as a mini-water treatment plant. Each sachet is effective in removing bacteria, viruses, parasites and some heavy metals from contaminated water. It works through a process of precipitation, coagulation, flocculation and disinfection. Each small sachet costs around $0.10 and can provide 10 liters of clean drinking water (enough for an average family for two days). Sachets dramatically improve the microbial quality of stored water and reduce diarrheal illness.
The PUR® approach is complementary to the development of piped water infrastructure. Sachets are robust and compact, making them easy to transport and store; a design particularly suited to natural disaster and other emergency relief. In addition, they are simple to use.
When tested in 514 households in 14 villages in Guatemala, where diarrhea is a leading cause of death, families who used the product to treat their drinking water had in addition to cleaner water, 40% less diarrhea than households that used standard handling practices. These households also had 50% fewer prolonged episodes of diarrhea in children under two. The World Health Organization (WHO) says the provision of safe water alone will reduce diarrheal disease and other enteric diseases by 6% to 50% even in absence of improved sanitation and other hygiene measures.
PUR® sachets provided almost 10 million liters of safe drinking water to Haiti, where in 2004, civil unrest, severe flooding and heavy damage from hurricanes meant that clean drinking water was particularly hard to obtain.
Poor distribution networks and inadequate health education are major obstacles to extending the use of PUR®. Distributing low-cost health products to rural areas represents a significant challenge, especially where roads are non-existent or in poor condition. Similarly, health education and an understanding of the importance of clean water are prerequisites for promoting use of a product such as PUR®.
P&G is currently pursuing two separate models to deliver clean water where it is most needed: social marketing and emergency relief. Social marketing aims to provide sustainable access to clean water. P&G sells PUR® to NGO partners in Pakistan, Haiti, Kenya and Uganda who have their own local distribution networks. PUR® is then sold by local distributors, the profits providing a source of revenue for these low-income families. P&G also provides PUR® at cost to international relief agencies for use in natural disasters and humanitarian crises. The company is developing many other partnerships. In Uganda, P&G promotes health education with the ICN and its Ugandan affiliate. P&G has also helped found the International Network to Promote Household Water Treatment and Safe Storage, a WHO-backed network. P&G’s work has been supported by the United States Agency for International Development’s Global Development Alliance (USAID GDA), and the UK Department for International Development (DFID).
In 2008, some 1.2 billion people survive on an income of less than one dollar each day. Progress toward reducing this extreme poverty has been uneven and achieving the Millennium Development Goal to halve the proportion of people in extreme poverty by 2015 remains a major global challenge.
The great majority of extremely poor people lives in rural areas and depends, in whole or in part, on agriculture for their income. The rural poor (whether farmers, laborers, or sellers of non-farm commodities) will not prosper without farm income growth.
Yet small farms in the developing world face serious obstacles to improved productivity. Most smallholders do not control the water supply so crucial for enabling the use of productivity-enhancing inputs and they typically have poor access to input supplies, credit, and output markets.
Despite the challenges, there are reasons for hope. A number of global trends create new opportunities for smallholders in developing countries (see Annex 2). For them to take advantage of these opportunities and for their incomes to grow significantly, they must overcome three key constraints: (a) water control, (b) reliable supply of affordable high-productivity inputs, and (c) access to the increasingly concentrated supply chains that now serve the largest and most rapidly growing output markets.
The unique characteristics of poor (low capital availability, small fragmented land holdings, low risk tolerance and low opportunity cost for family labor) require unique solutions:
• Low investment and operating cost
• High rate of return
• Rapid return on investment
• Optimal use of family labor
• Appropriately sized
• Simple maintenance
• Scalability
This exploratory research helps to clarify the nature of the problem showing how the development of appropriate technology could have significant impact on sustainability and, in consequence, in business success.
In our opinion, it is important to highlight that appropriate technology may become a solution for most of problems addressed by the Millennium Development Goals. Moreover, appropriate technology can be a practical example of “how to” reach sustainability in emerging markets. The business perspective helps appropriate technology to be self-sustainable, involve more beneficiaries and create value and job opportunities.
The objective is to conduct an analysis of business cases for low-income markets in emerging economies that would help to generate new ideas on how entrepreneurs, grassroots inventors and business managers successfully develop appropriate technology-based business and to develop constructs that would facilitate future hypothesis testing.
Businesses with appropriate technology can reduce costs by making environmental improvements which deliver an immediate impact on the financial aspect.
Also termed “eco-efficiency”, environmental process improvement involves producing the same level of output with fewer resources, emissions and less waste. Eco-efficiency can be increased by using alternative raw materials, redesigning equipment or techniques, using more efficient technologies, reorganizing the supply chain and/or sitting production processes in a manner that reduces overall environmental impacts.
Reducing the use of energy and raw materials and limiting emissions and waste from production processes are key contributions that appropriate technology can make to tackle the environmental challenges facing the world. Emissions from industrial activity can have serious impacts on human health and the natural environment. They also contribute to climate change, ozone depletion, acid rain and contamination of surface and ground water and soils. Maintaining finite resources is essential for future growth and development.
Most of the cases demonstrated cost savings from environmental improvements. Some savings flow directly from using less energy and materials. Others come from lower pollution costs, in the form of charges for waste handling and disposal, fees, licenses and fines for breaking environmental regulations. The evidence comes from many sectors, all types of company and all regions.
Shivji and Sons, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, has just 45 permanent employees, making laundry soap through a process which uses steam from a diesel-powered boiler. The company replaced leaking steam valves and taps, halved the time required for heating the fat storage tank through efficiency improvements and minimized steam consumption during the cooling stage. These measures cut diesel use by more than 50% and have resulted in annual savings of $188,000 a year from an initial investment of $830. This represents a payback period of just 1.6 days.
Grupo Nueva works in the area of sustainable forest products, water systems and light construction materials. Amanco, a Grupo Nueva subsidiary, specializes in water management systems. Agriculture is the main source of income for 87% of Guatemala’s rural population, yet only 3% of farmers receive the technical assistance that would enable them to improve productivity and raise living standards. In 2004, Amanco started looking for innovative ways to make its products available to lower-income farming communities and decided to provide small drip irrigation systems and latrines for local growers. These irrigation systems help reduce farmers’ costs and ensure highly efficient year-round water availability.
Amanco created a system geared to the specific needs of poor farmers, the .4X4 all terrain Irrigation Model: 4 Seasons, 4 Harvests per year. It also designed a new process to bring this product to a new market. Given that at the outset, Amanco’s potential customers had very little disposable income and a highly unstable income stream, finding innovative mechanisms to help them finance the small investment needed to buy pumps was crucial.
Amanco’s system improves water use through saving up to 50% during irrigation. Soil quality also benefits as these drip irrigation techniques help prevent soil erosion. Farmers are now seeing a 22% rise in production, coupled with a major improvement in produce quality. On the back of this, they have been awarded an international certification of environmentally and socially-responsible crop cultivation. Farmers are achieving 33% savings in labor costs and have significantly improved their standard of living, with incomes doubling to around $1,950 a year. This is enabling farmers to integrate into the formal economy and to pay for their children’s schooling. These new technologies and technical assistance boost rural competitiveness; improve produce quality and supply stability and help secure long-term contracts with overseas purchasers in the United States and Europe.
Procter & Gamble markets almost 300 household products to over five billion people in 140 countries. In 2000, P&G launched PUR®. This technology is essentially a water treatment system for households not served by a safe drinking water supply, or for use in disaster relief. Since its introduction, PUR® has provided 260 million liters of clean drinking water. It has been successfully used in many countries including Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, Sudan, Ethiopia, Iraq and in the tsunami ravaged region of South East Asia, where 15 million sachets were delivered (enough to treat 150 million liters).
The product consists of a sachet of ingredients commonly used in conventional municipal water treatment, reverse engineered to effectively act as a mini-water treatment plant. Each sachet is effective in removing bacteria, viruses, parasites and some heavy metals from contaminated water. It works through a process of precipitation, coagulation, flocculation and disinfection. Each small sachet costs around $0.10 and can provide 10 liters of clean drinking water (enough for an average family for two days). Sachets dramatically improve the microbial quality of stored water and reduce diarrheal illness.
The PUR® approach is complementary to the development of piped water infrastructure. Sachets are robust and compact, making them easy to transport and store; a design particularly suited to natural disaster and other emergency relief. In addition, they are simple to use.
When tested in 514 households in 14 villages in Guatemala, where diarrhea is a leading cause of death, families who used the product to treat their drinking water had in addition to cleaner water, 40% less diarrhea than households that used standard handling practices. These households also had 50% fewer prolonged episodes of diarrhea in children under two. The World Health Organization (WHO) says the provision of safe water alone will reduce diarrheal disease and other enteric diseases by 6% to 50% even in absence of improved sanitation and other hygiene measures.
PUR® sachets provided almost 10 million liters of safe drinking water to Haiti, where in 2004, civil unrest, severe flooding and heavy damage from hurricanes meant that clean drinking water was particularly hard to obtain.
Poor distribution networks and inadequate health education are major obstacles to extending the use of PUR®. Distributing low-cost health products to rural areas represents a significant challenge, especially where roads are non-existent or in poor condition. Similarly, health education and an understanding of the importance of clean water are prerequisites for promoting use of a product such as PUR®.
P&G is currently pursuing two separate models to deliver clean water where it is most needed: social marketing and emergency relief. Social marketing aims to provide sustainable access to clean water. P&G sells PUR® to NGO partners in Pakistan, Haiti, Kenya and Uganda who have their own local distribution networks. PUR® is then sold by local distributors, the profits providing a source of revenue for these low-income families. P&G also provides PUR® at cost to international relief agencies for use in natural disasters and humanitarian crises. The company is developing many other partnerships. In Uganda, P&G promotes health education with the ICN and its Ugandan affiliate. P&G has also helped found the International Network to Promote Household Water Treatment and Safe Storage, a WHO-backed network. P&G’s work has been supported by the United States Agency for International Development’s Global Development Alliance (USAID GDA), and the UK Department for International Development (DFID).
The development of appropriate technology in Emerging Markets
Distinct challenges face developing countries, both rapidly industrializing large nations and the more slowly developing nations burdened by persistent poverty. In places where the institutions that enable an entrepreneurial society are weak or absent, the priorities for innovation measurement are not on science-based innovation but rather on such fundamentals as the time and cost required to start a business.
In many developing countries, starting a business is fraught with expensive and time-consuming red tape. While all the paperwork for starting a corporation in the United States can be complete in a day, according to the World Bank it takes 153 days in Mozambique to incorporate and register a firm, 151 days in Indonesia, and 40 days in El Salvador. That must change. Understanding and, importantly, measuring the challenges that face entrepreneurs in different parts of the world is a start.
Emerging Markets are very different from other developed markets in the diversity of the user needs, motivations and the business environment dynamics. A strong understanding of user needs (social, cultural, economic) and the business ecologies along with powerful technical insights is essential for success in these markets.
Net private capital flows to the major emerging markets fell from $169 billion in 2000 to $132 billion in 2001 .The growth of trade slowed and the trend in real commodity prices relative to manufactured goods prices shows no sign of improving. As a result, growth of real gross domestic product (GDP) in developing countries was forecast to increase by 1.3% in 2001, down from 3.8% growth in 2000 . Poverty remains endemic, almost a quarter of the population in emerging markets lived on less than $1 per day in 1999, while 28% of the world’s children under five years of age are malnourished. HIV/AIDS incidence is increasing 36 million people were affected around the world in 2000, with the majority living in Southern Africa and South and East Asia. Over 1 billion people worldwide do not have access to safe water sources.
However, there are some encouraging statistics. The economies of Central and Eastern Europe were spared most of the upheaval of 2001’s global slowdown, with GDP growth rates averaging 5%. Further, the situation for emerging markets as a whole improved in 2002, with private capital flows expected to recover rising to $160 billion. Many developing countries are on track to achieve one of the Millennium Development Goals: universal primary education by 2015 and some are significantly reducing infant and under-five mortality.
Moreover, the needs of a world which will soon have to accommodate 8 billion people, where environmental resources will be under greater stress, while new health and security risks emerge, and issues of equity and access to resources, technology and markets will grow in importance.
In this emerging market context, the development of appropriate technology points out a unique business opportunity to provide a technological solution to daily challenges. According to Paul Polak , a billion poor people need:
• A $2 pair of eyeglasses.
• A $5 household water filter
• A $15 computer for people who can’t read
• A $100 house with real market value
• A $10 solar lantern
The role of grassroots inventors, entrepreneurs and business managers is essential. Not only developing appropriate technology but also creating business which satisfies the needs of world’s poor.
Every entrepreneur knows that a great idea does not guarantee success, it must be sold. Similarly, appropriate, pro-poor technologies will have only limited impact unless they are effectively marketed.
The practical problem is to understand how to market appropriate technologies that enhance smallholder productivity and mainly improve the livelihoods of poor (in a global vision: profits, people and planet). Usually, it is not sufficient to merely scale down technologies that are suitable for more well-off consumers. Technologies must be rethought and reengineered from a poor perspective. It includes that these technologies should be accepted by society.
In many developing countries, starting a business is fraught with expensive and time-consuming red tape. While all the paperwork for starting a corporation in the United States can be complete in a day, according to the World Bank it takes 153 days in Mozambique to incorporate and register a firm, 151 days in Indonesia, and 40 days in El Salvador. That must change. Understanding and, importantly, measuring the challenges that face entrepreneurs in different parts of the world is a start.
Emerging Markets are very different from other developed markets in the diversity of the user needs, motivations and the business environment dynamics. A strong understanding of user needs (social, cultural, economic) and the business ecologies along with powerful technical insights is essential for success in these markets.
Net private capital flows to the major emerging markets fell from $169 billion in 2000 to $132 billion in 2001 .The growth of trade slowed and the trend in real commodity prices relative to manufactured goods prices shows no sign of improving. As a result, growth of real gross domestic product (GDP) in developing countries was forecast to increase by 1.3% in 2001, down from 3.8% growth in 2000 . Poverty remains endemic, almost a quarter of the population in emerging markets lived on less than $1 per day in 1999, while 28% of the world’s children under five years of age are malnourished. HIV/AIDS incidence is increasing 36 million people were affected around the world in 2000, with the majority living in Southern Africa and South and East Asia. Over 1 billion people worldwide do not have access to safe water sources.
However, there are some encouraging statistics. The economies of Central and Eastern Europe were spared most of the upheaval of 2001’s global slowdown, with GDP growth rates averaging 5%. Further, the situation for emerging markets as a whole improved in 2002, with private capital flows expected to recover rising to $160 billion. Many developing countries are on track to achieve one of the Millennium Development Goals: universal primary education by 2015 and some are significantly reducing infant and under-five mortality.
Moreover, the needs of a world which will soon have to accommodate 8 billion people, where environmental resources will be under greater stress, while new health and security risks emerge, and issues of equity and access to resources, technology and markets will grow in importance.
In this emerging market context, the development of appropriate technology points out a unique business opportunity to provide a technological solution to daily challenges. According to Paul Polak , a billion poor people need:
• A $2 pair of eyeglasses.
• A $5 household water filter
• A $15 computer for people who can’t read
• A $100 house with real market value
• A $10 solar lantern
The role of grassroots inventors, entrepreneurs and business managers is essential. Not only developing appropriate technology but also creating business which satisfies the needs of world’s poor.
Every entrepreneur knows that a great idea does not guarantee success, it must be sold. Similarly, appropriate, pro-poor technologies will have only limited impact unless they are effectively marketed.
The practical problem is to understand how to market appropriate technologies that enhance smallholder productivity and mainly improve the livelihoods of poor (in a global vision: profits, people and planet). Usually, it is not sufficient to merely scale down technologies that are suitable for more well-off consumers. Technologies must be rethought and reengineered from a poor perspective. It includes that these technologies should be accepted by society.
Sustainable innovation
The term “emerging market” was originally coined by IFC (International Finance Corporation, World Bank Group) to describe a fairly narrow list of middle-to-higher income economies among the developing countries, with stock markets in which foreigners could buy securities. The term’s meaning has since been expanded to include more or less all developing countries. Developing countries are those with a Gross National Income (GNI) per capita of $9,265 or less
There are several definitions of sustainability and sustainable development, but the best known is that of the World Commission on Environment and Development. This suggests that development is sustainable where “it meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.
Sustainability is about ensuring long-term business success while contributing towards economic and social development, a healthy environment and a stable society. There are three broad components of sustainability. They are sometimes described as “people, planet and profits”, or the “social, economic and environmental” dimensions. Sustainability is sometimes known as “corporate social responsibility” or “corporate citizenship”. I accept that in many respects the terms are synonymous. They cover the same broad aspects of the business: good governance, treatment of employees, impact on the environment, impact on local communities and business relationships with suppliers and customers.
Eco-efficiency involves the delivery of competitively priced goods and services that satisfy human needs and bring quality of life, while progressively reducing ecological impacts and resource intensity throughout the life cycle. The term eco-efficiency was coined by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) in its 1992 publication "Changing Course". It is based on the concept of creating more goods and services while using fewer resources and creating less waste and pollution.
According to the WBCSD, critical aspects of eco-efficiency are:
• A reduction in the material intensity of goods or services;
• A reduction in the energy intensity of goods or services;
• Reduced dispersion of toxic materials;
• Improved recyclability;
• Maximum use of renewable resources;
• Greater durability of products;
• Increased service intensity of goods and services.
There is no precise or established definition for sustainable innovation. Arthur D. Little (2004) defined “sustainability-driven” innovation as “the creation of new market space, products and services or processes driven by social, environmental or sustainability issues.” Sustainable innovation is a process where sustainability considerations (environmental, social, and financial) are integrated into company systems from idea generation through to research and development (R&D) and commercialization. This applies to products, services and technologies, as well as new business and organization models (Charter, 2007).
An alternative term is eco-innovation which has been described as: “the process of developing new products, processes or services which provide customer and business value but significantly decrease environmental impact” (James, 1997).Eco-innovation is any form of innovation aiming at significant and demonstrable progress towards the goal of sustainable development, through reducing impacts on the environment or achieving a more efficient and responsible use of natural resources.
Although the two terms are often used interchangeably, eco-innovation only addresses environmental and economic dimensions while sustainable innovation embraces these as well as the broader social and ethical dimensions. Social and ethical issues are especially relevant to sustainable product design and development in the areas of outsourcing and in specific “bottom of the pyramid ” products aimed at meeting the needs of the world’s poor. In general, however, these issues are not easy to apply directly in the fields of product/service design and innovation. Finding solutions to environmental problems through eco-innovation has been, and is likely to remain, the primary focus for sustainable innovation while aiming to achieve social benefits.
There are several definitions of sustainability and sustainable development, but the best known is that of the World Commission on Environment and Development. This suggests that development is sustainable where “it meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.
Sustainability is about ensuring long-term business success while contributing towards economic and social development, a healthy environment and a stable society. There are three broad components of sustainability. They are sometimes described as “people, planet and profits”, or the “social, economic and environmental” dimensions. Sustainability is sometimes known as “corporate social responsibility” or “corporate citizenship”. I accept that in many respects the terms are synonymous. They cover the same broad aspects of the business: good governance, treatment of employees, impact on the environment, impact on local communities and business relationships with suppliers and customers.
Eco-efficiency involves the delivery of competitively priced goods and services that satisfy human needs and bring quality of life, while progressively reducing ecological impacts and resource intensity throughout the life cycle. The term eco-efficiency was coined by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) in its 1992 publication "Changing Course". It is based on the concept of creating more goods and services while using fewer resources and creating less waste and pollution.
According to the WBCSD, critical aspects of eco-efficiency are:
• A reduction in the material intensity of goods or services;
• A reduction in the energy intensity of goods or services;
• Reduced dispersion of toxic materials;
• Improved recyclability;
• Maximum use of renewable resources;
• Greater durability of products;
• Increased service intensity of goods and services.
There is no precise or established definition for sustainable innovation. Arthur D. Little (2004) defined “sustainability-driven” innovation as “the creation of new market space, products and services or processes driven by social, environmental or sustainability issues.” Sustainable innovation is a process where sustainability considerations (environmental, social, and financial) are integrated into company systems from idea generation through to research and development (R&D) and commercialization. This applies to products, services and technologies, as well as new business and organization models (Charter, 2007).
An alternative term is eco-innovation which has been described as: “the process of developing new products, processes or services which provide customer and business value but significantly decrease environmental impact” (James, 1997).Eco-innovation is any form of innovation aiming at significant and demonstrable progress towards the goal of sustainable development, through reducing impacts on the environment or achieving a more efficient and responsible use of natural resources.
Although the two terms are often used interchangeably, eco-innovation only addresses environmental and economic dimensions while sustainable innovation embraces these as well as the broader social and ethical dimensions. Social and ethical issues are especially relevant to sustainable product design and development in the areas of outsourcing and in specific “bottom of the pyramid ” products aimed at meeting the needs of the world’s poor. In general, however, these issues are not easy to apply directly in the fields of product/service design and innovation. Finding solutions to environmental problems through eco-innovation has been, and is likely to remain, the primary focus for sustainable innovation while aiming to achieve social benefits.
e-Agriculture
e-Agriculture is an emerging field for enhancing sustainable agriculture and food security through improved processes for knowledge access and exchange using information and communication technologies (ICT). The needs and the services required will determine how ICT are used, adapted and thus evolve. To enable and empower rural communities to improve their livelihoods is likely to involve a mix of traditional communication channels (neighbors/family, local news, announcement boards etc), as well as newer ones (internet, mobile phones etc). For instance, due to the region's dialect preference radio is the most important information source for farmers in the Cajamarca region in Peru. The NGO “Soluciones Prácticas” is using old and new technologies to reach these farmers, by disseminating important agricultural information through “podcast” radio programs, which are saved in digital format, recorded in discs and distributed to the local radio stations.
Power generation from mechanical devices
Power generation from mechanical devices is a project developed by a team at IDDS 2008. The motion from everyday tasks can provide low-cost electricity for lighting and other appliances in rural households.
Incorporating electricity generation into the daily routine can reduce the time, effort, and cost burden of the user. The team feels that harnessing daily tasks to provide electricity is more acceptable than isolated stationary human power generation because people who have already worked all day may not want to work again to power a light at night. There are many possible motions for electricity generation, such as using a hand pump to collect water, using a mortar and pestle to grind grain into flour, using a treadle pump to irrigate fields, walking or running, riding a bicycle, and even the motion of animals. This team chose to convert the motion of the treadle pump into electricity because it is a widespread irrigation tool used by millions in Asia and Africa.
There are many potential benefits of being able to generate electricity while pumping water for agriculture. The basic mechanical challenge was to convert the linear oscillatory motion of the treadle pump pedals to a unidirectional circular motion. All major components have been derived from bicycle parts. Consequently, all parts are easily and widely available at fairly low cost all around the world. Maintenance of devices can therefore be taken care of by any local bicycle mechanics without any special training.
Incorporating electricity generation into the daily routine can reduce the time, effort, and cost burden of the user. The team feels that harnessing daily tasks to provide electricity is more acceptable than isolated stationary human power generation because people who have already worked all day may not want to work again to power a light at night. There are many possible motions for electricity generation, such as using a hand pump to collect water, using a mortar and pestle to grind grain into flour, using a treadle pump to irrigate fields, walking or running, riding a bicycle, and even the motion of animals. This team chose to convert the motion of the treadle pump into electricity because it is a widespread irrigation tool used by millions in Asia and Africa.
There are many potential benefits of being able to generate electricity while pumping water for agriculture. The basic mechanical challenge was to convert the linear oscillatory motion of the treadle pump pedals to a unidirectional circular motion. All major components have been derived from bicycle parts. Consequently, all parts are easily and widely available at fairly low cost all around the world. Maintenance of devices can therefore be taken care of by any local bicycle mechanics without any special training.
Charcoal crushing device
MIT's D-lab developed a method to turn agricultural wastes into affordable smokeless fuels, such as sugarcane charcoal and corn cob charcoal. This agricultural waste charcoal has the potential to combat deforestation and reduce the dangerous effects of indoor cooking fires. One limiting factor in the adoption of this technology is the need for a charcoal crusher. Burning carbonized cobs produces less smoke than regular biomass fuels, but the carbonized cobs produce a hazardous level of carbon monoxide. D-lab developed a device to turn charcoal powder into a dense compact briquette that burns safely, but it is difficult to crush the carbonized cobs into a charcoal powder without inhaling dangerous amounts of charcoal dust. A team during the IDDS 2008 built a charcoal crushing device which addresses the gap in this alternative fuel process.
The device limits the user's exposure to the charcoal dust that is harmful when inhaled. Charcoal dust consists of super fine particles of charcoal that are thrown into the air when the carbonized cobs are being crushed or when the charcoal powder is being transported or agitated. To minimize transfer of the charcoal powder from one receptacle to another, the device deposits charcoal powder directly into the container where it is mixed with a wet binder. After the user deposits carbonized cobs into the device's hopper, the lid prevents the charcoal dust from escaping. Depending on the materials available, the grating cylinder can be made from expanded steel tack welded to a steel pipe, or cement poured into a mold made from a PCV pipe.
The device limits the user's exposure to the charcoal dust that is harmful when inhaled. Charcoal dust consists of super fine particles of charcoal that are thrown into the air when the carbonized cobs are being crushed or when the charcoal powder is being transported or agitated. To minimize transfer of the charcoal powder from one receptacle to another, the device deposits charcoal powder directly into the container where it is mixed with a wet binder. After the user deposits carbonized cobs into the device's hopper, the lid prevents the charcoal dust from escaping. Depending on the materials available, the grating cylinder can be made from expanded steel tack welded to a steel pipe, or cement poured into a mold made from a PCV pipe.
Pico hydro generator
Pico hydro generator is a project developed at MIT during the IDDS 2008. A team proposes the use of Pico Hydro power systems in Guatemala and Honduras to meet rural electricity demands, cleanly and efficiently. Specifically this team developed tools that can be used to easily convert a car alternator into an electric generator for a Pico Hydro system.
This system is expected to generate about half a kilowatt of power enough to power lights and radios, agricultural processing equipment, and/or charge batteries which will be useful to families currently living in isolated mountainous areas without access to the electrical grid. The system consists of an impulse turbine built from PVC piping and a Toyota pickup alternator converted into a generator (which runs at a more suitable rotational speed than the original alternator and doesn't require a current for start-up). The most expensive and difficult-to-build part of these systems is the electrical generator. The generator requires a laminated steel core to which strong magnets are attached. Cutting out laminates for the generator core by hand takes one person three days. This team developed three tools to cut out this laminate shape in a quick and repeatable manner. The tools are simple. After an investment of about 1-2 days to build these tools, they will save at least 2/3rds of the time necessary to build a generator core, cutting the fabrication down to less than one day.
Thanks to the use of appropriate technology in these four cases, it has been possible to provide products/services to people who normally do not have access to them (e.g. small drip irrigation system, electricity and so on). It also has a direct impact in the reduction of costs as well as increases in productivity which are strong evidence of business performance. These reductions in costs allow that the bottom of the pyramid be reached as beneficiaries.
This system is expected to generate about half a kilowatt of power enough to power lights and radios, agricultural processing equipment, and/or charge batteries which will be useful to families currently living in isolated mountainous areas without access to the electrical grid. The system consists of an impulse turbine built from PVC piping and a Toyota pickup alternator converted into a generator (which runs at a more suitable rotational speed than the original alternator and doesn't require a current for start-up). The most expensive and difficult-to-build part of these systems is the electrical generator. The generator requires a laminated steel core to which strong magnets are attached. Cutting out laminates for the generator core by hand takes one person three days. This team developed three tools to cut out this laminate shape in a quick and repeatable manner. The tools are simple. After an investment of about 1-2 days to build these tools, they will save at least 2/3rds of the time necessary to build a generator core, cutting the fabrication down to less than one day.
Thanks to the use of appropriate technology in these four cases, it has been possible to provide products/services to people who normally do not have access to them (e.g. small drip irrigation system, electricity and so on). It also has a direct impact in the reduction of costs as well as increases in productivity which are strong evidence of business performance. These reductions in costs allow that the bottom of the pyramid be reached as beneficiaries.
Key rules for design in the developing world
Amy Smith is a senior lecturer at MIT. She is a leader in the Appropriate Technology movement, in which engineers from developed countries work with people in the developing world to create practical, affordable solutions to everyday challenges. She proposes 7 key rules for design in the developing world:
1. Try living for a week on $2 a day. It helps to understand the trade-offs that must be made when you have only very limited resources. From her experience in the Peace Corps in Botswana she learned to carry water on her head, and noticed how heavy the bucket was; and she learned to pound sorghum in to flour and felt the ache in her back. As a designer, she came to understand the importance of technologies that can transport water or grind grain.
2. Listen to the right people. Probably you do not know what it is like to carry fifty pounds of firewood on your head. Do not pretend that you do. Talk to someone who has done it. She believes that the key to innovation in international development truly understands the problem, and using your imagination is not good enough.
3. Do the hard work needed to find a simple solution. As Leonardo Da Vinci said “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication” and it is the key to this type of design work.
4. Create “transparent” technologies, ones that are easily understood by the users, and promote local innovation.
5. Make it inexpensive. Her friend Paul Polak has adapted a famous quote to the following: “Affordability isn't everything, it's the only thing” and there's a lot of truth in that. When you are designing for people who are earning just one or two dollars a day, you need to keep things as cheap as you can and then make it even cheaper.
6. If you want to make something 10 times cheaper, remove 90 percent of the material.
7. Provide skills, not just finished technologies. The current revolution in design for developing countries is the notion of co-creation, of teaching the skills necessary to create the solution, rather than simply providing the solution. By involving the community throughout the design process, you can help equip people to innovate and contribute to the evolution of the product. Furthermore, they acquire the skills needed to create solutions to a much wider variety of problems. They are empowered.
From our viewpoint, appropriate technology is a type of technology oriented to satisfy the needs of the world’s poor. It is designed under specific requirements such as: to be manufactured with local available materials, to be accepted by the users and to be ergonomic. I believe that sustainability may be reached by the development of appropriate technology in emerging markets. From a business point of view, appropriate technology may be a good proposal to generate value, job opportunities and new business models. In order to facilitate increases in income along the entire supply chain (at business level), all technologies and products would be manufactured in the countries where these technologies will be implemented, distributed by local agents and sold by local dealers.
1. Try living for a week on $2 a day. It helps to understand the trade-offs that must be made when you have only very limited resources. From her experience in the Peace Corps in Botswana she learned to carry water on her head, and noticed how heavy the bucket was; and she learned to pound sorghum in to flour and felt the ache in her back. As a designer, she came to understand the importance of technologies that can transport water or grind grain.
2. Listen to the right people. Probably you do not know what it is like to carry fifty pounds of firewood on your head. Do not pretend that you do. Talk to someone who has done it. She believes that the key to innovation in international development truly understands the problem, and using your imagination is not good enough.
3. Do the hard work needed to find a simple solution. As Leonardo Da Vinci said “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication” and it is the key to this type of design work.
4. Create “transparent” technologies, ones that are easily understood by the users, and promote local innovation.
5. Make it inexpensive. Her friend Paul Polak has adapted a famous quote to the following: “Affordability isn't everything, it's the only thing” and there's a lot of truth in that. When you are designing for people who are earning just one or two dollars a day, you need to keep things as cheap as you can and then make it even cheaper.
6. If you want to make something 10 times cheaper, remove 90 percent of the material.
7. Provide skills, not just finished technologies. The current revolution in design for developing countries is the notion of co-creation, of teaching the skills necessary to create the solution, rather than simply providing the solution. By involving the community throughout the design process, you can help equip people to innovate and contribute to the evolution of the product. Furthermore, they acquire the skills needed to create solutions to a much wider variety of problems. They are empowered.
From our viewpoint, appropriate technology is a type of technology oriented to satisfy the needs of the world’s poor. It is designed under specific requirements such as: to be manufactured with local available materials, to be accepted by the users and to be ergonomic. I believe that sustainability may be reached by the development of appropriate technology in emerging markets. From a business point of view, appropriate technology may be a good proposal to generate value, job opportunities and new business models. In order to facilitate increases in income along the entire supply chain (at business level), all technologies and products would be manufactured in the countries where these technologies will be implemented, distributed by local agents and sold by local dealers.
What is the impact of appropriate technology in emerging markets
It is well-known that the development of appropriate technology in developing nations is becoming a crucial factor to reduce poverty and inequalities. At the same time, the eco-efficiency principles are perfectly highlighted in the design of appropriate technology.
The research problem is to understand and explore the impact of developing appropriate technology on businesses according to sustainability considerations (economical, social, environmental and ethical issues) through real cases in emerging markets as Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa and Asia. For example, appropriate technology in Latin America is at an early stage of development and the lack of systematic research and data produces the loss of business opportunities. On the other hand, India is using appropriate technology to improve the standard of living of rural communities with significant success.
How to make a multidimensional analysis (economical, social, environmental and ethical aspects) to understand the lessons learned in case studies around the world and identify what is working and not working in emerging markets. We will try to answer the following questions:
- What is the impact of using appropriate technology on people’s live in emerging markets?
- How to analyze this impact? Are sustainability considerations good tools?
- Are the current business models working for appropriate technology in emerging markets?
- Is there a friendly environment to do business with appropriate technology?
- How is appropriate technology affecting the design process and the life cycle of products/services?
The research problem is to understand and explore the impact of developing appropriate technology on businesses according to sustainability considerations (economical, social, environmental and ethical issues) through real cases in emerging markets as Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa and Asia. For example, appropriate technology in Latin America is at an early stage of development and the lack of systematic research and data produces the loss of business opportunities. On the other hand, India is using appropriate technology to improve the standard of living of rural communities with significant success.
How to make a multidimensional analysis (economical, social, environmental and ethical aspects) to understand the lessons learned in case studies around the world and identify what is working and not working in emerging markets. We will try to answer the following questions:
- What is the impact of using appropriate technology on people’s live in emerging markets?
- How to analyze this impact? Are sustainability considerations good tools?
- Are the current business models working for appropriate technology in emerging markets?
- Is there a friendly environment to do business with appropriate technology?
- How is appropriate technology affecting the design process and the life cycle of products/services?
Environmental Management System for SMEs
The ISO 14001 standard is intended to provide organizations with the elements of an effective environmental management system (EMS) that can be integrated with other management requirements and help organizations achieve environmental and economic goals.
The standard (ISO 14001:2004) consists of an introduction, a set of definitions of the key concepts of the standard, the system requirements, and two annexes providing guidance on the use of the standard and a table with the correspondence between ISO 9001 and 14001. The system requirements consist of a limited number of chapters: Environmental policy, Planning, Implementation and Operation, Checking and Management Review.
It is not our aim to promote the certification ISO 14001 for Peruvian SMEs. We intend to train these organizations with the methodology know as PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Act). Our goal is to offer tools to these organizations based on the key principles of an EMS and to promote the transition from an informal to a formal economy.
SMEs are business organizations that produce goods and/or services in a very limited scale if we view them individually; however, collectively, they represent a significant economic force. SMEs are an essential element to characterize the Peruvian economy.
The term “small enterprise” as used in the Peruvian SME Basic Law shall generally mean an enterprise with a regular workforce not in excess of twenty people (or five people in the case of enterprises which are principally engaged in commerce or the service industry). Under this law, a medium enterprise may not employ more than 100 people.
According to the main macroeconomic indicators, 75.9% of economically active workers in Peru are employed by SMEs. They contribute about 43% of Peru’s gross domestic product (GDP). Their prevalence in the national economy is most significant in the service sector –66% versus 14% of the industrial sector. In the industrial sector, SMEs work in a wide variety of fields, including food products, the clothing industry and tailoring, the wood industry, glass manufacturing, basic industries of nonferrous minerals, machinery and appliance manufacturing and electrical accessories and supplies.
SMEs face a series of obstacles which substantially affect their development, such as obstacles to compete, obstacles to enter other markets, credit discrimination and the lack of information and technical training. Consequently, they usually cannot demonstrate their creditworthiness, they do not pay taxes, they do not have accounting records, they cannot support their production capacity, they cannot contract and they lack the legal collateral. The informal economy is estimated to compose between 34% and 49.2% of the economically active population
According to the data provided by CONAM (National Council for the Environment, 2005) there are 55 enterprises certified ISO 14001 in Peru. 92% are members of the private sector and 8% are public institutions. Most of them are large organizations and its economic activities are focused on mining, chemical industry, energy production, packaging industry and food industry.
The process of transition from an informal to a formal economy involves a multidimensional analysis (legal requirements, financial, accounting, quality, environmental issues and so on). This paper will be focused on how to support more SMEs in the internalization of an EMS. For this reason, a practical approach has been designed as a tool of training.
The standard (ISO 14001:2004) consists of an introduction, a set of definitions of the key concepts of the standard, the system requirements, and two annexes providing guidance on the use of the standard and a table with the correspondence between ISO 9001 and 14001. The system requirements consist of a limited number of chapters: Environmental policy, Planning, Implementation and Operation, Checking and Management Review.
It is not our aim to promote the certification ISO 14001 for Peruvian SMEs. We intend to train these organizations with the methodology know as PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Act). Our goal is to offer tools to these organizations based on the key principles of an EMS and to promote the transition from an informal to a formal economy.
SMEs are business organizations that produce goods and/or services in a very limited scale if we view them individually; however, collectively, they represent a significant economic force. SMEs are an essential element to characterize the Peruvian economy.
The term “small enterprise” as used in the Peruvian SME Basic Law shall generally mean an enterprise with a regular workforce not in excess of twenty people (or five people in the case of enterprises which are principally engaged in commerce or the service industry). Under this law, a medium enterprise may not employ more than 100 people.
According to the main macroeconomic indicators, 75.9% of economically active workers in Peru are employed by SMEs. They contribute about 43% of Peru’s gross domestic product (GDP). Their prevalence in the national economy is most significant in the service sector –66% versus 14% of the industrial sector. In the industrial sector, SMEs work in a wide variety of fields, including food products, the clothing industry and tailoring, the wood industry, glass manufacturing, basic industries of nonferrous minerals, machinery and appliance manufacturing and electrical accessories and supplies.
SMEs face a series of obstacles which substantially affect their development, such as obstacles to compete, obstacles to enter other markets, credit discrimination and the lack of information and technical training. Consequently, they usually cannot demonstrate their creditworthiness, they do not pay taxes, they do not have accounting records, they cannot support their production capacity, they cannot contract and they lack the legal collateral. The informal economy is estimated to compose between 34% and 49.2% of the economically active population
According to the data provided by CONAM (National Council for the Environment, 2005) there are 55 enterprises certified ISO 14001 in Peru. 92% are members of the private sector and 8% are public institutions. Most of them are large organizations and its economic activities are focused on mining, chemical industry, energy production, packaging industry and food industry.
The process of transition from an informal to a formal economy involves a multidimensional analysis (legal requirements, financial, accounting, quality, environmental issues and so on). This paper will be focused on how to support more SMEs in the internalization of an EMS. For this reason, a practical approach has been designed as a tool of training.
Recover the traditional use of Boliche - Sapindus saponaria sp.
This project was initiated due to the search of finding an alternative to diminish the pollution of the marine and fresh waters caused by the detergents. It affects the waters of the developing countries as Peru where the wastewaters are spilt to the sea and rivers.
We are proud to develop an all-natural laundry soap that's free of perfumes, dyes, fillers, phosphates, chlorine and petroleum based products and it’s a low-cost detergent.
Our eco-friendly formula uses a resin extracted from the fruit of the plant known as Boliche (Sapindus saponaria sp.).
This plant has been domesticated by the ancient Peruvians and used for centuries; vestiges of his existence have thought in La Galgada (Archaeological site – Ancash, Peru) that it dates from 2662 to 2000 b.C
This resin is an active agent of the detergent which is able to work with less aggressive means and with high wash effectiveness.
Our formula does not contain harsh petroleum based detergents or synthetic perfumes; it is an ideal choice for baby clothes and people with sensitive skin.
Our laundry soap is made in small batches, yet the cost per load is comparable to conventional brands. The process also allows recycling the residues produced after the extraction of the resin. These residues are recycled like a granulated material which can be used in the preparation of earth blocks which are the traditional material of construction. In consequence the process of production allows saving energy and materials.
By buying our product, customers will not only support the environment, they will also benefit from a healthier life and increase the household income of people who come from rural communities. Using this detergent will therefore also have a positive impact on the housing environment and the health of these families.
The objective is to start a commercially successful company that will manufacture and sell a natural biodegradable detergent in Peru. The company expects to contribute to the reduction of poverty, the protection of the environment and the improvement of Peruvian’s households.
This project has 3 aims:
• This business model proposes to generate jobs to the families from rural communities.
• Launch to the market a biodegradable detergent which reduces the pollution of the fresh and marine waters caused by the detergents.
• To recover the traditional use of this native plant called Boliche (Sapindus saponaria sp.).
During the first year, product development was focussed on reducing the raw material and manufacturing costs. After having optimized the models, product development was focussed on developing and testing prototypes of packaging designs. The detergent is technically ready for commercial launch. However further product development is required.
To inform potential customers about the benefits of this detergent, we will launch a marketing campaign which will primarily target the household segment and focussed on women. The potential customers will be informed about the product through different channels. To target large customer groups, we plan to demonstrate the product in main grocery store formats: hypermarkets, supermarkets, hard discount and conveniences stores.
We want to use some indicators about the sustainable development impact of our business plan. We propose the following indicators:
• Total waste generated; this indicator was chosen because it gets to the heart of sustainability in a very practical, measurable way.
• Number of jobs created, we think that this company will generate employments for 50 families. After the second year, if the detergent is a commercial success also outside of Peru, our company will generate employment of up to 400 families in the first five years. This detergent will have a positive impact on gender equality and the empowerment of women.
• Net population movement of local (indigenous and non-indigenous) people away from rural lands and townships. This indicator shows the level of demographic shift from rural lands and townships. It will provide a surrogate measure of the potential loss of local knowledge. It is a key indicator in terms of the potential significance of the situation which it could represent.
This project benefits the community as the following ways:
• It is an alternative of generation of employments to promote the return of the people who migrated to the cities (urban life).
• It seeks to recover and to support the knowledge on the managing of this native plant and others. Equally it promotes the people's training that it will be the people in charge of the transmission and conservation of this knowledge.
• To learn on the importance of a sustainable development across this model of business.
And the environment:
• The process for the obtaining of this detergent reduces considerably the issue of residues.
• The recycling of the residues is used to improve the houses of the people due to the production of a traditional material of construction.
• Reduce the pollution of the fresh and marine waters caused by the detergents.
The strategic approach to achieving more sustainable use of natural resources should lead over time to improved resource efficiency, together with a reduction in the negative environmental impact of resource use, so that overall improvements in the environment go hand in hand with growth.
We want to measure our environmental achievements in terms of sustainability by indicators. These indicators must measure progress in efficiency and productivity in the use of natural resources, including energy and evaluate how negative environmental impacts have been decoupled from resource use. Finally, an overall indicator must measure progress in reducing the ecological stress of resource use by this business model.
Our product selection is geared to help the environment. When we convert the residues into earth blocks for instance, we are doing more than reducing landfill waste. We are also saving fuel and pollution that would normally be used and produced to transport waste to the landfill. Converting "waste to usable product" also employs more people which helps the local economy. Remanufacturing "waste" into new products is often cheaper than making products from virgin materials. Our model reflects our efforts to reduce reuse and recycle products into new material in such a way to reduce impact on the environment.
This project is a good example of improving business practices around the use of renewable resources with a positive environmental impact and produces substantive social benefits.
We are proud to develop an all-natural laundry soap that's free of perfumes, dyes, fillers, phosphates, chlorine and petroleum based products and it’s a low-cost detergent.
Our eco-friendly formula uses a resin extracted from the fruit of the plant known as Boliche (Sapindus saponaria sp.).
This plant has been domesticated by the ancient Peruvians and used for centuries; vestiges of his existence have thought in La Galgada (Archaeological site – Ancash, Peru) that it dates from 2662 to 2000 b.C
This resin is an active agent of the detergent which is able to work with less aggressive means and with high wash effectiveness.
Our formula does not contain harsh petroleum based detergents or synthetic perfumes; it is an ideal choice for baby clothes and people with sensitive skin.
Our laundry soap is made in small batches, yet the cost per load is comparable to conventional brands. The process also allows recycling the residues produced after the extraction of the resin. These residues are recycled like a granulated material which can be used in the preparation of earth blocks which are the traditional material of construction. In consequence the process of production allows saving energy and materials.
By buying our product, customers will not only support the environment, they will also benefit from a healthier life and increase the household income of people who come from rural communities. Using this detergent will therefore also have a positive impact on the housing environment and the health of these families.
The objective is to start a commercially successful company that will manufacture and sell a natural biodegradable detergent in Peru. The company expects to contribute to the reduction of poverty, the protection of the environment and the improvement of Peruvian’s households.
This project has 3 aims:
• This business model proposes to generate jobs to the families from rural communities.
• Launch to the market a biodegradable detergent which reduces the pollution of the fresh and marine waters caused by the detergents.
• To recover the traditional use of this native plant called Boliche (Sapindus saponaria sp.).
During the first year, product development was focussed on reducing the raw material and manufacturing costs. After having optimized the models, product development was focussed on developing and testing prototypes of packaging designs. The detergent is technically ready for commercial launch. However further product development is required.
To inform potential customers about the benefits of this detergent, we will launch a marketing campaign which will primarily target the household segment and focussed on women. The potential customers will be informed about the product through different channels. To target large customer groups, we plan to demonstrate the product in main grocery store formats: hypermarkets, supermarkets, hard discount and conveniences stores.
We want to use some indicators about the sustainable development impact of our business plan. We propose the following indicators:
• Total waste generated; this indicator was chosen because it gets to the heart of sustainability in a very practical, measurable way.
• Number of jobs created, we think that this company will generate employments for 50 families. After the second year, if the detergent is a commercial success also outside of Peru, our company will generate employment of up to 400 families in the first five years. This detergent will have a positive impact on gender equality and the empowerment of women.
• Net population movement of local (indigenous and non-indigenous) people away from rural lands and townships. This indicator shows the level of demographic shift from rural lands and townships. It will provide a surrogate measure of the potential loss of local knowledge. It is a key indicator in terms of the potential significance of the situation which it could represent.
This project benefits the community as the following ways:
• It is an alternative of generation of employments to promote the return of the people who migrated to the cities (urban life).
• It seeks to recover and to support the knowledge on the managing of this native plant and others. Equally it promotes the people's training that it will be the people in charge of the transmission and conservation of this knowledge.
• To learn on the importance of a sustainable development across this model of business.
And the environment:
• The process for the obtaining of this detergent reduces considerably the issue of residues.
• The recycling of the residues is used to improve the houses of the people due to the production of a traditional material of construction.
• Reduce the pollution of the fresh and marine waters caused by the detergents.
The strategic approach to achieving more sustainable use of natural resources should lead over time to improved resource efficiency, together with a reduction in the negative environmental impact of resource use, so that overall improvements in the environment go hand in hand with growth.
We want to measure our environmental achievements in terms of sustainability by indicators. These indicators must measure progress in efficiency and productivity in the use of natural resources, including energy and evaluate how negative environmental impacts have been decoupled from resource use. Finally, an overall indicator must measure progress in reducing the ecological stress of resource use by this business model.
Our product selection is geared to help the environment. When we convert the residues into earth blocks for instance, we are doing more than reducing landfill waste. We are also saving fuel and pollution that would normally be used and produced to transport waste to the landfill. Converting "waste to usable product" also employs more people which helps the local economy. Remanufacturing "waste" into new products is often cheaper than making products from virgin materials. Our model reflects our efforts to reduce reuse and recycle products into new material in such a way to reduce impact on the environment.
This project is a good example of improving business practices around the use of renewable resources with a positive environmental impact and produces substantive social benefits.
Recover the ancient knowledge about native crops
This project propose to recover the ancient knowledge about native Andean and African crops as indigenous cereals, which would become crucial for helping people to eradicate hunger and poverty.
The objective is to start some commercially successful SMEs that will recover and preserve traditional knowledge about crops as sorghum, millets, native rice and others indigenous cereals to face the disasters of overpopulation. It could be the first step to establish SMEs to exploit market opportunities. In the last centuries, the world has been fed with three cereals: wheat, rice, and maize. These cereals will not satisfy the need of alimentation of the population during the next decades.
Recovering the knowledge about the traditional crops of the poorest countries could directly benefit the people in greatest need. The grains of Andes and Africa still retain much of the hardy, tolerant self-reliance of their wild savanna ancestors. Such resilient crops will be vital for extending cereal production onto the ever-more-marginal lands that will have to be pressed into service to feed the next generations and the areas where environmental stresses and plant diseases currently limit their growth. For these now-marginal lands, native grains offer outstanding promise to establish SMEs.
Wild cereals might be made into an everyday food source, a famine reserve, and perhaps even a specialty export crops. Moreover, consumers in developed countries are increasingly interested in buying and trying "exotic" cuisines. And many people of goodwill are highly motivated and eager to help avoid the horrendous tragedies of famine they have witnessed on their television screens in recent decades.
A good example to illustrate this explanation is Kreb, perhaps the most famous food of the Sahara. A complex of a dozen or more different wild grains, it was harvested from natural meadows. Its composition varied from place to place and probably from year to year, depending on the mix of grasses that grew.
"Kreb from the Sahara" might sell at premium prices in Europe, North Africa, and North America, for example. It would be seen as a gourmet food that provides income to nomads and protects the earth's most fragile lands from further destruction by keeping a cover of wild native grasses on them.
Resurrecting the production of Kreb could provide food, income, and perhaps a protection against famine. It might bring substantial environmental benefits as well. Many of the wild African grains come from perennial grasses that continuously cover the soil and protect it from water and wind erosion.
Beyond their direct use as cereals, wild grasses may also have international value as genetic resources. Some are related to species used elsewhere for food or fodder and are likely to have genes of international importance particularly because many of them have outstanding tolerance and resistance to heat, drought, drifting sand, and disease.
A SMEs Network will be acting as knowledge hubs in the target countries and partnerships with NGOs, women organizations, universities and local governments would improve the conservation of the domestication of native crops. All this information would be available online to allow people to generate new SMEs, which mainly manufacture products for local communities and also for the export market as gourmet products.
This project expects to contribute to the reduction of poverty, the eradication of hunger, the protection of the environment and the improvement of poor households.
The objective is to start some commercially successful SMEs that will recover and preserve traditional knowledge about crops as sorghum, millets, native rice and others indigenous cereals to face the disasters of overpopulation. It could be the first step to establish SMEs to exploit market opportunities. In the last centuries, the world has been fed with three cereals: wheat, rice, and maize. These cereals will not satisfy the need of alimentation of the population during the next decades.
Recovering the knowledge about the traditional crops of the poorest countries could directly benefit the people in greatest need. The grains of Andes and Africa still retain much of the hardy, tolerant self-reliance of their wild savanna ancestors. Such resilient crops will be vital for extending cereal production onto the ever-more-marginal lands that will have to be pressed into service to feed the next generations and the areas where environmental stresses and plant diseases currently limit their growth. For these now-marginal lands, native grains offer outstanding promise to establish SMEs.
Wild cereals might be made into an everyday food source, a famine reserve, and perhaps even a specialty export crops. Moreover, consumers in developed countries are increasingly interested in buying and trying "exotic" cuisines. And many people of goodwill are highly motivated and eager to help avoid the horrendous tragedies of famine they have witnessed on their television screens in recent decades.
A good example to illustrate this explanation is Kreb, perhaps the most famous food of the Sahara. A complex of a dozen or more different wild grains, it was harvested from natural meadows. Its composition varied from place to place and probably from year to year, depending on the mix of grasses that grew.
"Kreb from the Sahara" might sell at premium prices in Europe, North Africa, and North America, for example. It would be seen as a gourmet food that provides income to nomads and protects the earth's most fragile lands from further destruction by keeping a cover of wild native grasses on them.
Resurrecting the production of Kreb could provide food, income, and perhaps a protection against famine. It might bring substantial environmental benefits as well. Many of the wild African grains come from perennial grasses that continuously cover the soil and protect it from water and wind erosion.
Beyond their direct use as cereals, wild grasses may also have international value as genetic resources. Some are related to species used elsewhere for food or fodder and are likely to have genes of international importance particularly because many of them have outstanding tolerance and resistance to heat, drought, drifting sand, and disease.
A SMEs Network will be acting as knowledge hubs in the target countries and partnerships with NGOs, women organizations, universities and local governments would improve the conservation of the domestication of native crops. All this information would be available online to allow people to generate new SMEs, which mainly manufacture products for local communities and also for the export market as gourmet products.
This project expects to contribute to the reduction of poverty, the eradication of hunger, the protection of the environment and the improvement of poor households.
History of Physicists in Industry
This is the first systematic study of the organizational structure, communications patterns, and archival records of industrial physicists in the U.S., and it provides general guidelines for understanding and documenting their work. The study confirms that the organization and management of industrial research and development is volatile, changing in response to economic cycles, new managers and management philosophies, and a variety of other factors. It also confirms that historically valuable records that document R&D are at risk and, in fact, are often scattered and lost.
The final report is online at http://www.aip.org/history/pubs/HOPI_Final_report.pdf.
The final report is online at http://www.aip.org/history/pubs/HOPI_Final_report.pdf.
BeagleBoard Projects Contest
BeagleBoard.org launched the new Sponsored Projects Contest, which challenges developers to submit and complete inventive projects that fully leverage the increased expandability of the BeagleBoard. Contestants should submit design concepts and weekly winners will be given Beagleboards to help complete their designs.
You can register your project at the contest homepage on eLinux.org
You can register your project at the contest homepage on eLinux.org
Software Freedom Day
The season is open on registering for Software Freedom Day, which is happening this year on 19 September 2009. Check on our map [1] to see if a team is registered near you - otherwise get yours together and register [2]! (Don't forget that you need to make your team wiki page on http://softwarefreedomday.org/teams before registering).
The first 200 teams registered before Friday 10 July will receive an SFD team pack including three SFD 2009 T-shirts, Ubuntu CDs, and a few other bits and pieces to support your day - we'll keep you posted on what's going into the pack.
The first 200 teams registered before Friday 10 July will receive an SFD team pack including three SFD 2009 T-shirts, Ubuntu CDs, and a few other bits and pieces to support your day - we'll keep you posted on what's going into the pack.
The Postcode Lottery Green Challenge
The Postcode Lottery Green Challenge is for people who can instigate change - creative, innovative thought leaders and their organizations.
They're looking for products and services that contribute to an eco-friendly lifestyle, directly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and score highly on convenience, quality and design.
Send in your entry before july 31st. The entrant with the best idea will win €500,000 prize
They're looking for products and services that contribute to an eco-friendly lifestyle, directly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and score highly on convenience, quality and design.
Send in your entry before july 31st. The entrant with the best idea will win €500,000 prize
Galileo Blogathon
To enter the blogathon, all you need to do is write a review about one or more of the projects that are a part of the Eclipse Galileo release. All entries must be received by July 31, 2009. For full details, see the blogathon page.
Twitter for Activism
Twitter as a tool for digital activism. Download guide here: http://www.digiactive.org/2009/04/13/twitter_guide/
Collective Intelligence
Mark Tovey’s collection of essays called “Collective Intelligence: Creating a Prosperous World at Peace” from the Carleton University Press. The book is a collection of essays and is now available to download as PDF.
The Energy Globe Award
The Energy Globe Award 2009 is searching for outstanding environmental solutions: projects which use our resources such as energy, water, etc. efficiently and economically or utilize renewable energy such as wind, the sun, environmental heat, biomass. Submission deadline is the 15th June 2009. Further participation details and the entry form can be downloaded from here.
P2P Networks and Processes
Medialab-Prado issues a call for papers to be publicly presented during the 4th International Inclusiva-net Meeting. This edition will focus on an analysis of “peer-to-peer” networks and network processes, highlighting the social potentials of cooperative systems and processes based on the structures and dynamics inherent to these types of networks.
More information and submission form:
http://medialab-prado.es/inclusiva-net
Deadline for submissions: May 31, 2009
Event dates: July 6 to 10, 2009 in Medialab-Prado (Madrid, Spain)
More information and submission form:
http://medialab-prado.es/inclusiva-net
Deadline for submissions: May 31, 2009
Event dates: July 6 to 10, 2009 in Medialab-Prado (Madrid, Spain)
Field Guide to Humanitarian GIS Mapping
MapAction have created a great new publication. Their Field Guide to Humanitarian Mapping was produced "to help humanitarian organisations to make use of mapping methods using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and related technologies". You can download the first edition for free
Mobile Web Application Best Practices
The Mobile Web Best Practices Working Group published an updated Working Draft of Mobile Web Application Best Practices. This document specifies Best Practices for the development and delivery of Web applications on mobile devices. The recommendations expand upon statements made in the Mobile Web Best Practices 1.0, especially concerning statements that relate to the exploitation of device capabilities and awareness of the delivery context.
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