Radically Re-Coffee Please

Consumer and production behaviour are driving the Anthropocene. There are some that take part in changing patterns, such as consumers in markets suggesting ‘no bag please’. Radically Re-Coffee Please seeks to address that not only responsible consumers, but mass producers and consumers re-create their behaviours on the basis of their waste, especially what millions can’t live without: coffee. So, we are transforming plastic-culture, into delivering coffee culture at all stages. Products from bags, to furniture, to everyday use to be made from the basis of used or wasted coffee. This raw material being already readily available, will efficiently use inverted logistic for collection and distribution, up-skill workers, and even be used in 3D printing. Latin America and Caribbean being mainly coffee producers, will ignite the world desperately needs while securing the future of jobs and industry, to further sustainable and socio-economic development.

Consumption and production drive today’s economy. However those who foster it, human beings, are far from understanding how their actions can actually be innovative and responsibly drive their own change. While life happens, millions drink 2 billion cups of coffee every year. But after pouring and drinking coffee, coffee grounds still remain in the machine (or used method). Hence, six million tonnes are disposed into landfills (and methane). Simultaneously, life goes on with people using plastic almost everywhere, even unaware except for those kindly requesting ‘no bag please’. Radically Re-Coffee Please proposes the utilization of all used and potentially wasted coffee as the main material in replacing plastic for mass production and consumption: bags, tupperware, furniture, packaging, and single use plastic. Guatemala being in one of the biggest coffee producers in the world, can establish biodegradable materials in restoring degraded soils once the coffee-based products finalize their utility (on the consumers judgement). Within Eat Better Wa'ik we are already using recycled used-coffee into organic fertilizer, but there is simply too much coffee waste that needs to be put in use in much better ways: rethink coffee into rethinking plastics, it's already there!

We are serving all women, girls, men and boys around Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as countries (environment and population) which products are being exported to, and hence sustainably and competitively sourced from this region, towards the world. Our estimated reach could well be 7 billion people around the world, and which initiative can be replicated by all manufactures, companies and producers of whichever products that contain plastic or packaged into plastic materials. Moreover, we are working with all entities that serve and have coffee, as a means to alleviate their waste residue, as we collect coffee from them, and also generate income for them from their waste, as recycled used-coffee products are sold there too. From coffee shops, restaurants, hotels, to logistic companies, offices and individual household, to plastic-dominated panorama in villages, this will secure jobs and enable livelihood peace within our region’s population. Moreover, Latin America and the Caribbean will be positioned as lead innovators using their own land’s production, and respecting human dignity and labour rights. 

Radically Re-Coffee Please is an initiative to stop wasting any more coffee in whichever spaces coffee is available. It is to find new solutions for coffee recycling. We have already developed our products or recycled used coffee as organic fertilizer (as a means to be sustainable), but that only attains one sector – agricultural lands- which for urban and semi-urban population, is often disentangled from their day to day. The idea is to turn residues into creative and useful material from where plastic has dominated their lives. And from that, changed it into the same products (or others), but improved for the planet’s and biodiversity conservation (and future). All of them will replace plastic by used coffee. From the land where coffee comes from, our region will be championing the effective in-house elements grown here, into transformative products throughout the world, and with a solid team of women leading this – fostering then the closing of gender-based gap. Collecting coffee waste is easy, the raw material is already there, and at minimum cost, making the most of inverted logistics of partnered companies. We will develop a process in which to compress coffee (grounds and used coffee grounds) with a team of engineers, carpenters, industrial designers (within our team and Board Members) and partners to create coffee-based bags (to be replaced in supermarket), furniture, all previously-used utensils of single-use plastic (and hence the ones made from deforestation). The materials and use of compressed coffee can be turned into ordinary creation of other product, but also turned into 3D printed products base. This will create a closeness to the Fourth Industrial Revolution, fostering new skills into people already working in the coffee industry (especially coffee workers/agricultural families) to have another work prospect, in operating coffee in an ever more technological way. We would have partnerships that engage in the promotion of this use and workers’ enhancement. Our procedures will be done using as least water and favouring solar energy in our processes. This will radically change how company produce and act, stepping away from using plastic from the very few plastic that is recycled, but merely using their own consumption rightfully. Even people living in poverty can take advantage of this, as even selling their used coffee, as coffee will be the new gold, in the revolution against plastic. A business-model can be created by very simple means. 

This radical shift from extracting “cheap” fossil-fuel derivatives and manufactured as plastic, will be done by using what is leftover. Coffee, traditionally used as fertilizer, in itself that is an innovation – because coffee is yet to be the most cost-and sustainably source fertilizer in the world – and yet, companies still use chemical pesticides. Beyond this, urban population still see organic fertilizers as something they consider too distant for them. On the other hand, there are consumers that only purchase organic originated produce, where this comes in very handy. But, few have evolved into making very valuable coffee grounds (and used coffee grounds) into transformative components of daily use products. Yes, there have been initiatives that use used coffee, one very popular from Germany with coffee cups. But, Radically Re-Coffee Plastic, not only is originated in-house form the country and region where coffee is produced, but is also readily available quality coffee to be transformed in far from elite-expensive-hipster products, but accessible and affordable every-day products, that can be used by million in the region and billions all around the world. It is not always that innovation target the low-middle-high income population. But if you think about it, in order to improve livelihood and therefore countries, you need to target the 60% living in poverty in Guatemala and the subsequent one in the region. Spending less is either in everyone’s mind. And moreover, it will take it into creating jobs of the future, and even a coffee 3D Hub transformation. 

If used coffee is collected, recycled and undergone a compressing procedure to manufacture every-day use objects and if consumers are willing to give up their coffee waste for it to eventually become a product they might surely use in the future, then coffee will replace the use of plastic production and items, because not only will it be cost effective, but also to be a competitive advantage boost into companies, governments and individuals for their financial stability, into further leading effectively climate and environmental action, as well as creating new jobs for today and the future, that will ignite re/up-skilling for low and middle income workers. 

Our initiative of recycling coffee into organic fertilizers has gathered more than 5000lbs in one year from only three coffee shops. We have served this to 1000 people directly. With transforming coffee into (fast-forwarding) former-plastic made/contained daily-use objects, we will be serving at least 50,000 people with the production of boxes, plates, cutlery, furniture, glasses, and corporate packaging. In within 5 years, considering expansion and even export of our products worldwide, the market can be quantifiable of at least 3 million users of products from Radically Re-Coffee Please, and have multinational and national businesses sourcing with these types of materials. 

We use a theory of change of consumer behavior, but also understanding the impact of the decision each take for their own lifestyle and livelihood. With commitments and goals set to one another, is that accountability and perception works wonderfully. Just by knowing, being more aware, and themselves being useful in protecting our country, planet and each other, and not left to, for example governments that tend to have a very low trust (especially the case in Guatemala). For that, we use impact measurments of:

- critical aware and changemaker in climate sustainabilty (actions delivered)

- social empathy and responsible leadership and following 

- food and nutritional economics, how to understand the value of money with the value of food. 

The main goal today is to pass this stage, and move from there with great expectation, work, and partnership. Within this year, the main goal is to secure numerous grant funding so as to pursue our main three lines of work, cover our fees, time dedication, and also establish ourselves nationally as credible and forward-thinking team. So as to be a reference within other climate or sustainability topics. Its to spread best practices, and continue shaping the country and the world (and not only by being a Global Shaper). 

Our main barriers today securing a full-time team to support in the delivery of the multiple aspects the organization needs to have, and not solely dependent on the Founder. Therefore, generating partnerships to expand ideas is essential. From that come trust, funding, and target audience, and from there grow strategically and inclusive. 

We will overcome these barriers with a solid team of Board Members to take greater ownership of the organization, and liberty to engage in their best possible way to make food security, climate sustainability and human rights in their spheres, and get diverse mind into a goal to understand multiple action, input and outputs to deliver. And from there, ideas such as these within this opportunity, is exactly what we need. 

We have begun doing this in Guatemala, and seeking corporate support, and ignite this within the region. 

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Within Wa'ik, we are seven Board member and around 5 fixed collaborators, and other freelancers for specific projects. 

Our team is comprised of economists, food engineers, communicators, gender and climate advocates, developmental scientists, nutritionists, serial-techies, designers, lawyers, technicians, business managers. As the Team leader and founder of Wa'ik, I have been working in food security and food related topics for over 10 years. I've been to numerous international and local event comprising climate and sustainabilty throughout science, innovation and technology, with human rights, with food security, with Global Goods Forum, at multiple stages. I have spoken, written about this, and with all the knowledge and experience acquired (especially after having coordinated an IDB project and working in programs at the World Food Programme in Guatemala, having working in media, journalism and partnerships) I have gathered the puzzle pieces, and I am putting them together. With experiences throughout the world, and in Latin America, we have that contact with numerous entities and individuals driving change. However, we need to gather those working specifically on this, with bright ideas, that need to advance with credibility and support, to make it happen and transcend beyond our reach. What we need is this boost to truly take flight in radically changing our habits, behavior, and introduce this is the best and most appealing way, in the most simple and coloquial way, but with a message of action now. 

We have partnered or collaborated for/with numerous companies, that for security purposes we opt not to disclose them here. In total, we amount to almost 80 organizations we have jointly elaborated initiatives together. 

Our business model, as a not-for-profit is through grants, fees on services provided - such as workshops, conference, activation, consulting, creativity design, and of products - such as recycled coffee fertilizer, printed material, reports, healthy food, and more. We receive economic donations, in-kind donations. We aim to provide our diverse range of impact on food security, climate sustainability and human rights from lactating mothers to elderly, in low, middle and high income families, as provide fresh interaction with their decision making process of food and consumption.

The year 2019/2020 comes in the combination of grants, services, and partnerships to make ideas grow through most impactful streams. Moreover, to bring sustainability to the organization, and the team's. 

IDB Group has evolved into IDB Labs, that tackle with a new, freshen perspective targeted to young innovators in a more realistic and tangible way. With the most recent reports undergone, IDB has clear understanding and prospects on which to work on. IDB would scale the idea with a dynamic group of people that will highlight working topics, be up-front when needed, and challenge you to think and look even further. To get in touch with numerous people, criteria, background into gaining new perspectives, barriers, solutions, and perception. My growing interest and work upon climate has been augmented. And even more so when I denied the entry of any exterior plastic to come inside my parents house. Until we have utilized and put to go use the plastic we already had, nothing more can be brought in. Taking Marie Kondo's method even further, I was obliged to open into realization of more people eyes of our blindsided consumption - and was is being supplied to us. Such was my distraught, I pitched an article for the World Economic Forum called "Why Responsible Consumption is Everyone's Business", and got accepted. I did this with passion and clearing knowing what I want to come out of it. I did it in the moment where I was feeling the strongest. Now, I want to take this further with coffee, to not only use it as fertilizer, but having a major industry and behavioral twist in what we are so noxiously accustomed on using. 

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Multiple food and beverage, and mass consumption companies - national and international ones, such as Unilever, Alimentos S.A, CMI, cbc, supermarkets reigonally and locally such as Walmart, La Torre. Especially ANACAFE which is the Coffee Association and emphasize on the correct "tracking" of coffee (and not only its origin, but it's future whereabout too). Somehow an agreement with the Coffee Association, mass consumption manufacturing companies, and the Plastic Association, to understand the transition needed to be made. As well integrate the Exporters Association (AGEXPORT) to also establish international trade partners specificities - and the future will surely be ethically and sustainably sourced. This initiative not only fights climate change from the production and consumer side, but it pioneering into the future of work, trade, and a more cohesive and united responsible leadership of all - inclusive changemakers from a buttom-up approach.