Fests Go Green, Armenia

Project name: Fests Go Green

Project location: Armenia

URL Website: http://issdngo.com

URL Facebook or other social media channels: https://www.facebook.com/innovativesolutionsforsustainabledevelopment

Project description:

Improper waste management is one of the biggest issues that Armenia faces nowadays. Within this project the team aims at organizing proper waste management during the festivals. Hundreds of tourists, both local and international, are visiting different cities/villages of Armenia during the fests. Unfortunately, people are throwing the garbage all around the villages and later on the communities face big issues. Many tourists are staying overnight, and during the next day they see waste dumped all around the place. Proper waste management is crucial not only for the environment, the community, but also for development of tourism sector in Armenia, which in its turn allows people to generate some income. The team wants to do waste sorting during the fests (3 festivals have been chosen for pilot project, where the number of visitors is reaching up to 30,000). The idea behind the project is to set recycle bins for different purposes (plastic, paper, glass and other) and later on recycle collected waste in Yerevan (contracts with recycling companies will be signed - initial agreements have been reached). The team will sign a contracts with fest organizers (there is an initial agreement) for implementing the project during the festival (initial agreement has already been reached). Ideally, after successful completion of the project the NGO can organize the same activity during other fests and events. This project is of great importance for Armenian environment as there are few dozens of festivals organized all around Armenia annually, and none of them organizes proper waste management thus negatively effecting on the environment of Armenia. The NGO plans to recycle sorted waste and get new products that will be distributed to households in poor villages (e.g. boxes for transporting fruits, etc.). This is an innovative project that has never been implemented in Armenia, which can help to increase public awareness about proper waste management and finally, it can become the first step towards bringing Armenia to new ecological level. Public awareness campaigns are going to be organized across Armenia to increase the literacy level and to educate people about importance of waste management and conservation.

Goal and purpose of the project:

The goal of the project is to organize organize proper waste management during the festivals that are being organized across Armenia. The project is also aimed at increasing public awareness about this issue. The team plans to recycle sorted waste and provide new products to the villages with limited financial opportunities (for example out of recycled paper cardboard boxes will be prepared which will be distributed to the villagers who grow fruits and vegetables).

Motivation of the applicant / applicant team:

The money will be spent on the following: - purchasing recycling bins (10 double-section bins - specially designed for sorting the waste)/$400 - transportation of waste, staff and the bins/$200 - promotion for creating public awareness about the project/$50 - plastic bags for waste ($70) - salary of workers/$180 - printed t-shirts for volunteers and workers - $100

Use of prize money:

The money will be spent on the following: - purchasing recycling bins (40 4-section bins - specially designed for sorting the waste) - trainings for youth and volunteers - setting costs of bins - transportation of waste, staff and the bins - promotion for creating public awareness about the project - printing of promotional materials - plastic bags for waste - salary of workers - printed t-shirts for volunteers and workers - video and photo - creation of new products (models) and delivery to villages