Own your valuable tree in a recycled plastic container
In this solution, we provide urban dwellers who don't have accessible space for planting trees a chance to own their valuable trees at the same time mitigating climate change.
Planting trees in recycled plastic containers.
Recycled plastic containers will provide space needed for planting trees. panting trees in containers can help to mitigate climate change, global worming and at the same time satisfying people's desires of owning valuable trees.
selected valuable dwarf or grafted tree species from fruits, ornamental and medicinal plants will be planted in recycled plastic containers and made available for people who don't have accessible space for planting trees.
As urbanization increases, urban population also increases leading to increased deforestation in urban areas as people tend to utilize the available land for construction. This makes it hard to replant trees in these areas due to limited space available. Most of the land in urban areas is filled with tarmac, cemented, pavers among other construction materials hence making it not available for tree planting. Furthermore, the only available land has been degraded by plastic pollution due to poor waste disposal in urban areas.
Urban dwellers want to own trees they consider important ranging from medicinal plants, ornamental plants and fruits. However their desires are limited by lack of accessible space for planting them.
Planting trees is also crucial for mitigation of climate change and global warming as well as beautifying the environment. Communities also associate trees to different values, some trees are considered medicinal, ornamental and others are a source of food/fruits hence trees are crucial in the life of many urban dwellers.
People with limited accessible land for planting of their valuable importance.
They include people in storey apartments, owners of recreation places, restaurants, hotels, people who lent at the peripherals of malls and arcades, people in homesteads, among others
The solution shall provide such people with an alternative of owning their desired tree species in recycled plastic containers hence meeting their needs.
A survey was contacted in Kampala, Masaka and Jinja to assess the willingness of people to plant trees in those areas. The biggest percentage of respondents were positive, however they stressed that accessible space was a limiting factor.
A secondary research was carried out to assess the possibility of planting plants growing in containers. We found that dwarf or grafted trees could successfully grow in containers.
A market research was conducted and found out that 90% of the respondents were willing to buy their desired tree species if they were available.
- Taking action to combat climate change and its impacts (Sustainability)
- Concept: An idea being explored for its feasibility to build a product, service, or business model based on that idea
The concept has not been yet actualized. However, stapes have been taken to validate the idea.
- A new use of an existing technology (e.g. application to a new problem or in a new location)
In this solution, we use the container planting technology.
Clean aerated recycled plastic containers are filled with compost soil. The containers have to be aerated to prevent water logging. The containers are at least twice the width and depth of the root ball.
A whole is made in the center of the container mix and the the mature seedling is gently added.
The plant is watered thoroughly and a thin layer of mulch is added to reduce water loss. Trees are put where they can receive direct sunlight for at least six hours in a day
The trees are checked regularly and the un healthy ones are replaced.
The trees can then be sold when they reach a certain level of maturity.
- Ancestral Technology & Practices
- Uganda
Two millions people are expected to be served next year. They include people in storey apartments, in homesteads, owners of recreation centers, hotels, restaurants and bars and people in the diaspora.
impact goals
To plant at least three million trees in recycled plastic containers.
To create at least fifty employment opportunities to different categories of people especially the youth and women.
To reduce carbon emissions.
By assessing the input, seedlings planted and output, trees sold to the community.
By relating the impact in the operational area and non operational area
Financial barriers. financial resources are needed to lease working space, purchase materials needed for planting trees, for adequate marketing of our products, research among others. however, funding is limited to facilitate the smooth running of the project.
Supply of recycled plastic containers. This will mainly depend on the supplier's production capacity which may limit our efficiency.
The team is comprised an environmentalist and three students pursuing a bachelors degree in Conservation Biology at Makerere University Uganda hence with necessary skills for planting and caring for trees.
The team is comprised of enthusiastic self motivated members with leadership skills.
The team is comprised of quick learners who welcome New ideas and knowledge.
The team members are ready to work and produce results even under minimum conditions.
currently we are not partnering with any organization on this project. However we are looking at Partnering with Eco-Brix, a waste management NGO, Eco-brix has the capacity to provide us with the recycled plastic containers needed. Concerning this matter, we visited their headquarters in Masaka and they promised full corporation when the project begins.
We are also looking at partnering with government bodies such as National Forest Authority, Ministry of water and environment, Kampala Capital City Authority, etc... these are capable of providing resources and promoting our project.
- No
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