Clicko-Brick - Don’t lose it… REUSE it!

The specific problem that Clicko-Brick aims to solve is the environmental impact caused by single-use plastic bottles, particularly in the context of the beverage industry. The scale of this problem is significant both locally and globally, affecting communities worldwide.

Globally, the consumption and disposal of single-use plastic bottles contribute to pollution, environmental degradation, and harm to wildlife. Plastic bottles often end up in landfills, oceans, and waterways, where they take hundreds of years to decompose, releasing harmful chemicals and microplastics into the environment. This pollution has far-reaching consequences, including damage to ecosystems, marine life, and human health.

In the United States, for example, plastic pollution is a pervasive issue, with millions of plastic bottles discarded every day. According to the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA), the bottled water industry alone produced 12.8 billion gallons of bottled water in 2016, with only a fraction of these bottles being recycled. Additionally, other beverage categories such as fruit juices, sports drinks, and dairy products also contribute to the problem, further exacerbating environmental concerns.

Clicko-Brick's solution addresses several factors contributing to the problem of plastic pollution:

1. **Single-Use Plastic Bottles**: The primary focus of Clicko-Brick is to provide an alternative to single-use plastic bottles by promoting reuse. By introducing a reusable bottle design with interlocking features, Clicko-Brick aims to reduce the demand for traditional single-use plastic bottles, thereby mitigating their environmental impact.

2. **Transportation and Distribution**: Clicko-Brick's innovative bottle design allows for more efficient packing and transportation compared to traditional bottles. By maximizing space utilization and reducing packaging waste, Clicko-Brick helps lower carbon emissions associated with transportation and distribution, contributing to environmental sustainability.

3. **Consumer Behavior**: Clicko-Brick aims to influence consumer behavior by offering a sustainable alternative to single-use plastic bottles. Through partnerships with beverage companies and marketing strategies targeting various consumer segments, Clicko-Brick seeks to educate and incentivize consumers to choose reusable options over disposable ones.

4. **Waste Management**: By promoting reuse and reducing the consumption of single-use plastic bottles, Clicko-Brick contributes to minimizing waste generation and alleviating pressure on existing waste management infrastructure. This is particularly relevant in communities where inadequate waste management systems struggle to cope with the influx of plastic waste.

In summary, Clicko-Brick's solution addresses the pervasive problem of plastic pollution caused by single-use plastic bottles. By offering a reusable alternative and promoting sustainable consumer behavior, Clicko-Brick aims to reduce environmental harm locally and globally, mitigating the detrimental effects of plastic pollution on ecosystems, wildlife, and human health.

Clicko-Brick's solution is a patented reusable bottle design that aims to revolutionize the way we consume beverages while significantly reducing plastic waste. At its core, Clicko-Brick offers a sustainable alternative to single-use plastic bottles by providing consumers with a durable and versatile bottle that can be used repeatedly.

The Clicko-Brick bottle features a unique design consisting of interlocking hexagon, square, and triangle-shaped bottles that seamlessly connect on all sides, including the top and bottom. This innovative design allows multiple bottles to be securely stacked and stored, optimizing space utilization during transportation and storage.

Here's how it works:

1. **Durable Design**: Clicko-Brick bottles are made from PET or HDPE - high-quality, durable materials that are built to last. Unlike traditional single-use plastic bottles, Clicko-Brick bottles are designed for reuse, which turn the disadvantage of these materials (which are non-biodegradable) into a significant advantage, eliminating the need for disposable packaging.

2. **Interlocking Mechanism**: The key feature of Clicko-Brick bottles is their interlocking mechanism, which allows bottles to connect with each other securely. This interlocking design ensures that bottles remain stable when stacked, maximizing storage efficiency.

3. **Versatile Applications**: Clicko-Brick bottles are suitable for a wide range of beverages, including water, juice, sports drinks, and dairy products. The versatility of the Clicko-Brick design makes it an ideal solution for various consumer markets, from beverage companies to toy manufacturers.

4. **Environmental Impact**: By promoting reuse and reducing the consumption of single-use plastic bottles, Clicko-Brick helps minimize plastic waste and environmental pollution. The reusable nature of Clicko-Brick bottles significantly reduces the demand for disposable packaging, contributing to a more sustainable future.

5. **Partnership Model**: Clicko-Brick will operate on a partnership model, where it licenses its patented technology to bottle manufacturers and beverage companies. This business model will allow Clicko-Brick to scale its impact by partnering with industry players to integrate its sustainable bottle design into their production processes.

In terms of technology, Clicko-Brick relies on innovative bottle molding techniques and materials engineering to create its unique interlocking design. The company's patented technology ensures that Clicko-Brick bottles are not only durable and functional but also visually appealing and easy to use.

Overall, Clicko-Brick's solution offers a practical and scalable approach to reducing plastic waste by providing consumers with a sustainable alternative to single-use plastic bottles. Through its innovative design and partnership model, Clicko-Brick aims to drive positive environmental change while revolutionizing the way we think about beverage packaging.

Clicko-Brick's solution serves a diverse range of populations, including those living in refugee camps, impoverished communities in slums, and communities reliant on water sources for their livelihoods. By providing a sustainable alternative to single-use plastic bottles, Clicko-Brick aims to directly and meaningfully improve the lives of these underserved populations.

1. **Refugees in Refugee Camps**: Refugee camps often face challenges related to inadequate shelter, food, and sanitation. Clicko-Brick bottles offer a versatile solution that addresses multiple needs within these camps. Initially, refugees can receive food and drinks in Clicko-Brick bottles, reducing reliance on disposable packaging and minimizing waste. Additionally, the interlocking design of Clicko-Brick bottles allows them to be repurposed as building materials for shelters. Compared to traditional tents provided by humanitarian organizations, Clicko-Brick shelters offer a more comfortable and safer living environment, providing thermal and acoustic insulation, as well as improved security and privacy.

2. **Poor Communities in Slums**: Residents of slums often live in substandard housing conditions, lacking adequate security, privacy, and insulation. Clicko-Brick's solution offers an innovative approach to addressing housing challenges in these communities. By repurposing Clicko-Brick bottles as building materials, residents can construct residential buildings that offer improved living conditions. These buildings provide higher levels of security, privacy, thermal insulation, and acoustic insulation compared to shacks and shanties. Clicko-Brick empowers impoverished communities to upgrade their living spaces in a sustainable and cost-effective manner, improving their quality of life and overall well-being.

3. **Communities Reliant on Water Sources**: Communities living near rivers, lakes, seas, and oceans often suffer from the detrimental effects of plastic pollution, particularly from single-use plastic bottles. This pollution harms local ecosystems and disrupts economic activities such as fishing, tourism, and shipping. Clicko-Brick's solution contributes to the restoration of these communities' livelihoods by reducing plastic pollution in water sources. As Clicko-Brick promotes the reuse of bottles and minimizes the demand for single-use plastics, it helps mitigate environmental damage and restores the health of water sources. By addressing the root cause of pollution, Clicko-Brick enables communities to sustainably manage their natural resources and preserve their way of life.

In summary, Clicko-Brick's solution serves disadvantaged populations by providing sustainable alternatives to single-use plastic bottles and empowering communities to address pressing challenges related to shelter, sanitation, and environmental degradation. By promoting reuse and reducing waste, Clicko-Brick contributes to the resilience and well-being of vulnerable communities worldwide.

Gilead Meroz and Yaron Toren, the co-founders of Clicko-Brick, bring a unique combination of expertise, experience, and passion to the design and delivery of their solution. As interior and industrial designers, and advocates for sustainability, they are deeply committed to addressing pressing environmental and social challenges, particularly those affecting marginalized communities.

Gilead's background in architecture and furniture design, coupled with his expertise in sustainable methods and green technologies, positions him as a visionary leader in developing innovative solutions for solid waste management, water treatment, and desertification. His hands-on experimentation with sustainable practices, conducted within his own urban household, reflects a deep commitment to living in harmony with the environment. Gilead's role within Clicko-Brick encompasses research, development, planning, and patenting, ensuring that the solution is rooted in sound design principles and sustainable practices.

Yaron, with his background in industrial design and public policy, complements Gilead's expertise with a focus on the broader societal impact of their solution. His academic and professional journey, spanning from design to public policy, reflects a holistic understanding of the interconnectedness of ecological systems and urban dynamics. Through his work in Jerusalem, where he has developed and implemented plans addressing employment, poverty, transportation, and environmental sustainability, Yaron brings firsthand experience in navigating complex urban challenges and advocating for social causes. As Clicko-Brick's Chief Business Development Officer, Yaron oversees the strategic direction of the company, ensuring that its operations align with its mission of promoting sustainability and social equity.

Beyond their professional qualifications, Gilead and Yaron's proximity to the communities they aim to serve sets them apart. Living in the heart of the Middle East, amidst ongoing conflict and humanitarian crises, they are acutely aware of the challenges faced by refugees and marginalized populations. Their commitment to helping those in need is rooted in a deep sense of moral obligation and a vision of promoting peace through sustainable development. Their firsthand experience with the realities of war and displacement underscores their dedication to finding practical solutions that improve the lives of vulnerable communities.

In designing and delivering the Clicko-Brick solution, Gilead and Yaron are guided by their values of sustainability, social justice, and community empowerment. They actively seek input from the communities they serve, ensuring that their solution addresses the specific needs and priorities of refugees, slum dwellers, and communities reliant on water sources. By centering the voices and experiences of these communities, Clicko-Brick is not just a product of innovation but a manifestation of collective resilience and hope for a better future in the region.

Clicko-Brick has progressed to this stage by completing several prototypes, of which the last one is mentioned in the provided video. The last prototype, depicted in the attached video, showcases the final design that the team has iterated upon.

During the prototype stage, Clicko-Brick has collaborated with bottle manufacturers to validate the feasibility of the production process. Through these collaborations, the team has confirmed that the production of Clicko-Brick bottles aligns with standard industry capabilities for designing and blow molding. This verification ensures that manufacturers will not encounter significant challenges in transitioning to the production of Clicko-Brick bottles.

In addition to the bottle production process, Clicko-Brick has also tested the production of the straps using plastic injection technology. This dual-pronged approach allows for the creation of a sustainable product that leverages recognized and accepted manufacturing technologies. By utilizing both blow molding and plastic injection, Clicko-Brick achieves a balance between sustainability and cost-effectiveness, ensuring that the product remains competitive within the market.

At this stage, Clicko-Brick has served as a prototype for potential customers and beneficiaries to evaluate and provide feedback. The team's efforts have been directed towards ensuring that the Clicko-Brick solution meets the needs of its target populations, including refugees, slum dwellers, and communities reliant on water sources.

We are applying to Solve because we recognize the need for expertise and support in navigating the complex challenges associated with scaling our solution, Clicko-Brick. While our team has made significant progress in developing functional prototypes, we understand that we face various barriers that require specialized assistance to overcome.

One of the key barriers we encounter is the complexity of our business model, which extends beyond the traditional supplier-buyer relationship. In the case of refugee camps, for example, humanitarian organizations often act as the buyer, procuring products on behalf of the end customers, the refugees. Similarly, in slum communities, there may be challenges in convincing residents to invest in slightly more expensive bottles, despite the added benefits of Clicko-Brick as a building material. Additionally, there are market segments, such as consumer products for home and family use, garden furniture, and giant games, where Clicko-Brick has potential but requires strategic market positioning.

To address these challenges effectively, we need assistance in cracking the market and ensuring regulatory compliance. This is where Solve can play a crucial role by connecting us with experts in the business and legal fields. Business experts can provide valuable insights and guidance on market strategies, pricing models, distribution channels, and customer acquisition strategies tailored to each target audience. Their expertise can help us refine our business model and develop effective go-to-market strategies that resonate with diverse customer segments.

Furthermore, legal experts can assist us in navigating regulatory frameworks and ensuring compliance with relevant laws and standards. This is particularly important as Clicko-Brick operates in multiple contexts, including humanitarian settings, urban environments, and consumer markets. Legal guidance will help us address any regulatory hurdles, mitigate risks, and ensure that Clicko-Brick meets all necessary safety and quality standards.

By participating in Solve, we hope to leverage the network and resources available to overcome these barriers and accelerate the adoption of Clicko-Brick as a sustainable solution for diverse communities worldwide. While funding is undoubtedly valuable, our primary goal is to access the expertise and support needed to scale our solution effectively and make a meaningful impact on the lives of our target populations.

The innovation behind Clicko-Brick lies in its approach to tackling the pervasive issue of plastic waste, particularly single-use bottles, in a fundamentally different and highly sustainable manner. While traditional methods of addressing plastic waste often focus on recycling, Clicko-Brick takes a novel approach by creating a product with dual functionality, both of which are sustainable and economically viable.

Unlike conventional plastic bottles that end up in landfills, incinerators, or polluting natural habitats and water sources, Clicko-Brick bottles serve two purposes: as beverage (or food) containers and as building materials for lightweight, modular structures. This innovative dual-use design not only eliminates the need for recycling but also transforms plastic waste into a valuable resource.

By integrating Clicko-Brick into the market, countries and communities can shift away from costly and energy-intensive recycling processes toward a more efficient and sustainable solution. Instead of relying on government mandates and incentives to encourage recycling, Clicko-Brick provides a market-driven approach where consumers receive tangible benefits from their purchases.

The potential positive impacts of Clicko-Brick extend beyond waste reduction. By repurposing plastic bottles as building materials, Clicko-Brick has the potential to catalyze broader positive changes in various sectors:

1. Environmental Impact: Clicko-Brick reduces the demand for new raw materials for construction, thereby conserving natural resources and minimizing environmental degradation associated with traditional construction methods. Additionally, by preventing plastic bottles from entering landfills and waterways, Clicko-Brick helps mitigate the negative impacts of plastic pollution on ecosystems and wildlife.

2. Economic Empowerment: Clicko-Brick creates economic opportunities by providing a market for reused plastic bottles and supporting local manufacturing industries. Communities can benefit from job creation in bottle collection, processing, and production of Clicko-Brick building materials.

3. Social Benefits: In refugee camps and impoverished communities, Clicko-Brick offers a sustainable solution for shelter construction, providing residents with safer, more durable, and climate-resilient housing options. This can improve living conditions, enhance community resilience, and promote human dignity.

4. Innovation Catalyst: Clicko-Brick's innovative approach to waste management and construction materials has the potential to inspire similar solutions in the broader sustainability and circular economy space. By demonstrating the feasibility and scalability of dual-use products, Clicko-Brick could spur innovation and investment in other sectors seeking to address global sustainability challenges.

Overall, Clicko-Brick has the potential to transform the market landscape by offering a scalable, economically viable, and environmentally sustainable solution to plastic waste management and construction challenges. Its innovative design not only addresses the immediate problem of plastic pollution but also catalyzes broader positive impacts across multiple sectors and communities worldwide.

The theory of change for Clicko-Brick is rooted in its innovative approach to addressing the pervasive problem of plastic waste while simultaneously providing sustainable solutions for shelter construction. Here's how the theory of change for Clicko-Brick unfolds:

1. Activity: Development and Production of Clicko-Brick: The first step involves the design, development, and production of Clicko-Brick bottles using recognized and accepted technologies such as blow molding for bottle production and plastic injection for strip production.

2. Immediate Outputs: Dual-Use Bottles and Building Materials: Clicko-Brick yields two immediate outputs: beverage or food containers and lightweight, modular building materials. These outputs are tangible products that fulfill immediate needs for consumers and communities.

3. Short-Term Outcome: Reduction in Plastic Waste: By incorporating Clicko-Brick bottles into the market, there is a direct reduction in the amount of plastic waste generated. Instead of single-use bottles ending up in landfills or polluting the environment, they are repurposed into valuable building materials.

4. Short- to Medium-Term Outcome: Improved Living Conditions: In refugee camps and impoverished communities, Clicko-Brick provides residents with access to safer, more durable, and climate-resilient shelter options. This leads to an improvement in living conditions, enhancing the well-being and security of the target population.

5. Medium- to Long-Term Outcome: Economic and Social Benefits: As Clicko-Brick gains traction in the market, it creates economic opportunities for local communities involved in bottle collection, processing, and production. Job creation and income generation contribute to poverty alleviation and economic empowerment.

6. Long-Term Outcome: Environmental Sustainability and Community Resilience: Over time, widespread adoption of Clicko-Brick results in significant reductions in plastic pollution, conserves natural resources, and promotes environmental sustainability. Communities become more resilient to climate-related challenges due to the durable and climate-resilient nature of Clicko-Brick structures.

7. Broader Positive Impacts: Clicko-Brick's success in addressing plastic waste and providing sustainable housing solutions serves as a catalyst for broader positive impacts in the sustainability and circular economy space. It inspires innovation, investment, and collaboration across sectors, leading to transformative changes in waste management, construction practices, and community development globally.

The theory of change for Clicko-Brick is supported by its innovative design, which addresses immediate needs for both consumers and communities while generating long-term positive outcomes for the environment, economy, and society. Through rigorous development, testing, and implementation, Clicko-Brick has the potential to revolutionize the way we think about plastic waste management and shelter construction, ultimately creating a more sustainable and resilient future for all.

The impact goals for Clicko-Brick are centered around creating transformational changes in several key areas:

1. Reduction of Plastic Waste: The primary impact goal is to significantly reduce the amount of plastic waste generated, particularly single-use plastic bottles, by repurposing them into durable building materials. Progress towards this goal is measured by the quantity of plastic bottles that will be prevented from reaching landfills, incinerators, nature sites and water sources in the first place, because they were produced as a Clicko-Brick, and will be reused instead.
2. Improved Shelter and Living Conditions: Clicko-Brick aims to improve shelter and living conditions for vulnerable populations such as refugees and those living in impoverished areas. Progress is measured by the number of Clicko-Brick structures built, the level of comfort and safety they provide compared to traditional shelters, and feedback from beneficiaries regarding the impact on their quality of life.
3. Economic Empowerment and Job Creation: Clicko-Brick seeks to create economic opportunities and empower local communities by engaging them in the collection, processing, and production of Clicko-Brick materials. Progress is measured by the number of jobs created, income generated for individuals and communities involved in Clicko-Brick production, and the overall economic impact on participating regions.
4. Environmental Sustainability: Clicko-Brick contributes to environmental sustainability by reducing the demand for virgin construction materials and minimizing the environmental impact of plastic pollution. Progress is measured by the carbon footprint reduction associated with Clicko-Brick production compared to traditional building materials, as well as the ecological benefits of reducing plastic pollution in landfills, waterways, and ecosystems.
5. Community Resilience and Well-being: Clicko-Brick aims to enhance community resilience and well-being by providing secure, climate-resilient housing solutions. Progress is measured by indicators such as the resilience of Clicko-Brick structures to natural disasters and extreme weather events, improvements in community cohesion and social capital, and overall improvements in health and safety outcomes for residents.

These impact goals are measured through a combination of quantitative and qualitative indicators, including data on material inputs and outputs, economic metrics such as job creation and income generation, environmental assessments, and social impact assessments capturing beneficiary feedback and outcomes. By tracking progress across these key areas, Clicko-Brick aims to achieve meaningful and sustainable transformational impacts on people's lives and the environment.