Final Report: Global Design Team Jordan 2011

GDT Jordan 2011: Sustainable Waste Management and Social Entrepreneurship in Jabal Al-Natheef

(Source: Dima Alashram, February 2011)

Final Report to Aramex and GEP

May 6, 2011

CE 59700-082 GDT: Jordan – Sustainable Waste Management through Engagement, Engineering, Entrepreneurship and Education

CE 49700-021 GDT: Jordan – Recovering Value from Waste through Engagement, Engineering, Entrepreneurship and Education

Community Partner: Ruwwad

Prepared for: Aramex

Prepared by: GDT Jordan Team, Purdue University

https://globalhub.org/groups/jordan_ruwwad

https://globalhub.org/groups/jordan_ruwwad

Final Report May 6, 2011

GDT Jordan 2011 2

Executive Summary

The GDT (Global Design Teams) program, sponsored by Purdue University‘s Global Engineering Program, brings together students from diverse disciplines to design solutions to real-world challenges in close collaboration with community partners and local stakeholders. The spring 2011 GDT Jordan Team has developed sustainable waste management solutions for the community of Jabal Al-Natheef, Jordan, applying both social entrepreneurship and educational approaches to the challenges of increasing and enhancing local paper recycling and composting practices.

The project outcomes presented in this report are the result of significant research into informal recycling techniques and entrepreneurial strategies practiced around the world, as well as careful inquiry into the characteristics and needs of the Jabal Al-Natheef community in particular. This background research is presented in Appendix A.

With this report, we present the following deliverables which are described in greater detail in their respective sections of the document:

Paper-Making Manual

Journal-Making Manual

Plan for a Hands-On Paper and Journal Making Workshop

Assessment of Economic Feasibility and additional entrepreneurial resources

Composting Manual

Data Collection Plan for gathering additional information from the community

Much of the knowledge generated by our team, while not included in this report, may be valuable to others engaged in international service-learning, engineering design, entrepreneurship, or educational projects. This material will be made available to future GDT teams as well as to our external partners upon request. In an effort to save paper, we encourage you to view this report and accompanying materials digitally.

We are grateful to GEP and to our partners at Ruwwad and Aramex who have invested their time and resources into this project, and we look forward to continued work towards the goals of the project.

GDT Jordan Team, Spring 2011 (* indicates those who will travel to Jabal Al-Natheef in May 2011)

IN THIS REPORT

Executive Summary 2

Course Objectives 3

Project Objectives 4

Team Structure & Roles 5

Paper-Making Project 7

Composting Project 18

On-site Data Collection 19

APPENDICES

A: Municipal Waste Management in Amman 22

B: In-Depth Analysis of the Composting Process 27

Additional files accompanying

this report:

Paper-Manual-Extended.pdf Journal-Manual-Extended.pdf

Compost-Manual.pdf FeasibilityAssessment.xlsx

Kasey Faust Michael Frank* Abrar Hammoud* Masaki Kakoi John Mejia Sheran Oradu

Lindsey Payne Jennifer Roath* David Rosenthal Annie Sheahan Freddy Solis Prof. Dulcy Abraham*

Faculty Adviser


GDT Jordan 2011 3

I. Course Objectives

The focus of the Jordan GDT is to develop and test ENGINEERING designs, EDUCATIONAL plans, and appropriate ENTREPRENEURSHIP strategies for informal recycling in the country of Jordan.

The course is designed to introduce students to the basic concepts of context-sensitive sustainable waste management. The specific aims of the course are to:

1. Develop, test and implement an interdisciplinary, global approach to challenges in waste management using a 4E approach (engagement, engineering, entrepreneurship and education).

2. Develop cultural understanding and knowledge of waste management issues at the international level.

3. Expose graduate and senior undergraduate students to technologies practiced in the Middle East, specifically by:

Identifying key stakeholders and their beliefs, knowledge and information (BKI)

Collecting and analyzing of socio-economic and environmental data in the Jabal Al-Natheef community in Amman, Jordan

Identifying objectives, constraints and tradeoffs for sustainable waste management

Developing and testing analytical models/deliverables

Relevant Engineer 2020 Attributes

Integration of design, analytical and problem solving skills

Ethically responsible in a global and social setting

Synthesizing engineering, business and societal perspectives

Key Topics Covered

Human-centered design, designing in different cultures, role of stakeholders

Project planning and implementation with limited resources;

Socio-economic impacts

Educational impacts

Cross-cultural communication


GDT Jordan 2011 4

II. Project Objectives

Vision

The GDT Jordan Team will develop context sensitive recycling solutions that provide benefits to the

members of the Jabal Al-Natheef community, following four core principles:

1. Design solutions will be developed in close consultation with Ruwwad and Jabal Al-Natheef

to maximize contextual effectiveness and ensure that local factors are fully understood.

2. Recognizing the power of entrepreneurship to create social impact, we aim to develop

designs that provide income-generating potential for the people of Jabal Al-Natheef. In

particular, we aim to empower the women of the community through social entrepreneurship.

3. Design will be oriented towards developing solutions that are sustainable and can be carried

on into the future, creating lasting impact.

4. Emphasis will be placed on feasibility and ease of implementation.

We have further clarified the project goals and objectives through correspondence with our partners

at Ruwwad and internal discussions. We will focus on the development of two design solutions:

A composting project which features an educational component

A paper recycling project which features an entrepreneurial component

Goals

Create a sustainable, culturally sensitive, composting system to address waste management

issues and increase recycling awareness within the community of Jabal Al-Natheef

Create a sustainable, culturally sensitive, income-generating handmade recycled paper system to

address waste management issues and increase recycling awareness within the community of

Jabal Al-Natheef

Objectives

Research, gather, analyze, and interpret information relevant to opportunities for composting and

recycling paper in Amman, Jordan and Jabal Al-Natheef

Design pilot engineering solution(s) for composting and paper recycling systems

Explore the possibility of social entrepreneurship and empowerment of women and incorporate

these into design solution(s)

Develop education material to inform the community about these projects, including active-

learning modules (e.g., lesson plans, activities) for children along with corresponding training

resources for educators in the community


GDT Jordan 2011 5

III. Team Structure and Roles

The GDT Jordan team will address two unique and independent projects for waste management in Jabal

Al-Natheef: composting and creating handmade products from recycled paper. We have divided our team

into those specializing in composting, those specializing in paper recycling, and several coordinators who

will bridge the two groups. Furthermore, we have integrated the Engineering and Education approached

into both groups, as well as the Entrepreneurship approach for the Paper group. Figure 1 demonstrates

the structure of the project and the integration of its two major components. A complete listing of team

members and roles is provided in Table 1

GDT:Jordan

Homemade

PaperComposting

Education Engineering Entrepreneurship Education Engineering

Education

Manual &

Business Plan

Educative

Manual

Team

Integrated

Solution

Solution

FeasibleYES

NO

Figure 1: Integrated Team Structure

Education

Manual


GDT Jordan 2011 6

Table 1: Team Roles and Responsibilities

Team Role Team Member

Name Responsibilities

Project Coordinator & Facilitator

Engineering Specialist Kasey Faust

Oversees project, sets agenda for forward progress, facilitates class meetings, and provides engineering expertise


Entrepreneurship Specialist Freddy Solis

Oversees project, sets agenda for forward progress, facilitates class meetings, and provides entrepreneurial expertise


Education Specialist Lindsey Payne

Oversees project, sets agenda for forward progress, facilitates class meetings, and provides educational expertise

Communication Coordinator

Education Specialist (Paper) Abrar Hammoud

Coordinates communication between class and community partner, includes: question collection, Skype coordination and facilitation, and email correspondence

Paper Specialist Jen Roath Provides expertise in paper recycling

Compost Specialist

Class Recorder Michael Frank

Provides expertise in composting; takes notes during class sessions and distributes to team

Skype Recorder

Education Specialist (Compost) Sheran Oradu

Takes notes during Skype conversations, distributes to class, and provides educational expertise

Creation of Design Manual and

Business Plan (Compost/Paper)

John Mejia

Annie Sheahan

Designs engineering solution manual and business plan, provides technical writing expertise

Documentation Specialist

And Web Design

David Rosenthal

Masaki Kakoi

Develops necessary documentation, compiles interim progress reports and final report for submission, assists in creation of educational manuals


GDT Jordan 2011 7

IV. Paper Recycling and Social Entrepreneurship

The paper recycling initiative is the primary component of this project and has three goals:

Enhance the community understanding of recycling by providing educational resources

Support the development of a social entrepreneurship enterprise involving the sale of

homemade paper products from recycled materials

Promote context-sensitive sustainable living practices

Paper recycling is the process of recovering waste paper to be reused in the production of new paper

products. Most paper contains wood fibers that can be recycled 5-7 times.i According to the U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)ii, the benefits of paper recycling including the reduction of

greenhouse gas emissions, reduced need for landfills, and decreased consumption of energy and water.

We believe the paper recycling project will be most beneficial to the Jabal Al-Natheef community in the

context of social entrepreneurship, a business or profit-driven approach to solving social problems.iii

Social entrepreneurship ventures have two dual goals. The first goal is to create social change by

providing solutions to important problems or challenges facing people in their communities or society

more broadly. The second goal is to make a profit which can be used to multiply the project‘s impact. A

large portion of profit is often invested back into improving the social enterprise. This is an essential

component because it makes the enterprise sustainable and allows it to continue into the future without

having to rely on donations or funding from outside groups. Providing an additional source of income for

the community is also a valuable end in itself which improves quality of life and access to basic services.

According to the Jordan Times, a paper recycling project was initiated in Azraq, Jordan in partnership with

the Jordanian Royal Society for Conservation of Nature.iv This project will employ 15 women to create

marketable products from recycled paper. We propose a similar project for the women of Jabal Al-

Natheef. The necessary components of such a project include knowledge of the production process and

access to the required materials and sufficient financial capital. The following deliverables address these

needs.

Deliverables

Paper-Making Manual: offers a list of required supplies and a step-by-step guide to making

recycled paper. It will serve as a resource to members of the community, especially women. A

condensed version of the manual will be translated into Arabic. The manual is available as a

separate file accompanying this report (Paper-Manual-Extended.pdf).

Journal-Making Manual: accompanying the Paper-Making Manual, offers a step-by-step guide

to making journals using recycled paper. The manual is available as a separate file

accompanying this report (Journal-Manual-Extended.pdf).

Paper and Journal-Making Workshops: will be led by GDT students in May 2011 and provide

training through hands-on demonstrations. Tentative workshop plans are presented on page 8.

Economic Feasibility Assessment: provides a method for determining the economic viability of

entrepreneurial enterprising involving paper products. Presented on pages 9-13.

Additional Resources for development of entrepreneurial enterprises presented on pages. 14-

17.


GDT Jordan 2011 8

Paper and Journal Making Workshops (Tentative Agenda)

Paper-Making

Start

Introduce concept of paper making (5 min)

Pass around demonstration pieces

Construct frames (15 min)

Basics of paper making (15 min)

Art techniques (45 min)

Swirled pulp paper

Natural fiber lamination

Two-sided paper lamination

Make paper (40 min)

End

Total Time: 2 hours, 15 minutes

Journal-Making

Start

Prepare pieces (15 min)

Fold paper

Cut cardboard for hardcover

Make covers (20 min)

Glue handmade paper onto cardboard pieces

Assemble pieces and drill holes (10 min)

Bind pieces to make journal (15 min)

End

Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes


GDT Jordan 2011 9

Model for determining economic viability of entrepreneurial enterprises

Building on several schools of thought in the fields of business planning, marketing, cost engineering, and entrepreneurship, the GDT: Jordan has begun to develop a framework to analyze the feasibility/income generating potential of sustainable waste management solutions for the Jabal Al-Natheef community.

The feasibility study described in this section examines the potential for journals made of recycled paper as an income generating product. This feasibility study, which includes ―real‖ local costs for items is an update from the model described in Progress Report 3. The goal is to eventually convert the assumptions used here into known values, therefore all assumptions outlined in the feasibility analysis below can be easily extrapolated to other contexts. The expected market for journals may also be varied in order to analyze different scenarios. The Excel spreadsheet which may be used to such scenarios can be examined is available as a separate document accompanying this report (GDTJordan-FeasibilityAssessment.xlsx).

This study is spurred due to the expressed concern from Ruwwad that after the community has produced products; the community then has difficulty in evaluating the commercial viability of these products. The analysis presented in this section is a conceptual, low-risk method for examining the feasibility and potential obstacles of an idea.

Overview of Means to Assess Entrepreneurial Opportunities

The process of evaluating the feasibility of income generating strategies proposed in this progress report stems from several management science schools of thought. These schools of thought include discovery driven planning

v, activity-based accounting, staged-idea implementation

vi, which, if used in combination

can provide a simple, yet robust view of the potential of a business idea. The evaluation process consists of 7 key steps: Step 1: Reverse an income statement based on a desired minimum profit and an assumed profit margin. The first step towards evaluating an idea is to determine the necessary amount of profit, to then calculate the allowable costs for the idea, given a hypothetical profit margin (see Table 2). As suggested by Ruwwad, the minimum profit that would motivate a community member to participate in an income generating sustainable waste management program was 20 JD (Jordanian Dinars). All calculations in the feasibility analysis will be based upon this number. This spreadsheet determines the allowable costs and necessary sales to reach the desired profit per month. 20 JD is the assumed, minimum profit, per month, necessary to make journal sales "worth" it to the women. The quantity of journals that must be sold to reach this profit goal is shown. The calculations are based on the profit, as well as the sales price per journal determined in the "Unit Price Analysis" spreadsheet. Comments throughout the spreadsheet are provided to better understand the analysis process used.

Table 2. Reverse Income Statement

Financial Calculations

Reverse Income Statement

Total Figures for assumed margin Required profit 20.00 JD/month Necessary revenues 67.59 JD/month Allowable costs 47.59 JD/month Per Unit Figures for assumed margin Sale price of item 10.00 JD

Necessary sales volume 7.00 Journals/month


GDT Jordan 2011 10

Step 2: Conduct a unit price analysis of the item to be produced/sold. Once the allowable costs are determined, a unit price analysis of a journal made of post consumer recycled paper – based on hypothetical costs and quantities – was conducted to determine the remaining per unit figures (e.g., required number of sales) of the reverse income statement (see Table 3).

This spreadsheet calculates the unit prices for each recycled journal made. This accounts for the depreciation of reusable resources (e.g., bowl, needle, ruler), and assumes that such resources may be used 50 times (i.e., to make 50 journals).

Table 3. Unit price analysis

Recycled Journal Unit Price

Materials (per journal)

Resources Quantity Unit Cost/Unit

(JD) Cost (JD)

Used Paper 75.00 sheets 0.01 0.75

Water 2.50 gallons 0.015 0.037

5

White Glue 1.00 small bottle 1 1.00

Ribbon 1.00 m 0.2 0.2 Card Board 1.00 sheets 0.25 0.25

Miscellaneous Equipment (reusable for 50 journals)

Quantity Unit Expected number of

uses

Percent used in 1 journal

Unit Cost/Unit

(JD) Cost (JD)

Plastic Tub (28 qt) 1 tub 50.00 0.02 tub 10.00 0.2 Picture Frame 2 units 50.00 0.04 units 3.00 0.12 Mesh Screen Sheets 0.25 m 50.00 0.01 m 3.00 0.015 Tray (Optional) 1 units 50.00 0.02 units 8.00 0.16 Sponges 2 units 50.00 0.04 units 0.15 0.006 Fabric sheets 20 sq. m 50.00 0.40 sq. m 2.00 0.8 Bowl 1 units 50.00 0.02 units 2.00 0.04 Paint Brush 1 units 50.00 0.02 units 2.00 0.04 Exacto Knife 1 units 50.00 0.02 units 1.00 0.02

Needle (Large eye) 1 units 50.00 0.02 units 0.10 0.002 Scissors 1 units 50.00 0.02 units 1.00 0.02 Ruler 1 units 50.00 0.02 units 0.50 0.01 Power Tools & Equipment Blender 1 units 200.00 0.01 units 20 0.001 Electric Drill 1 units 200.00 0.01 units 20 0.001

Direct cost 3.67 Shipping 0

Cost before

margin 3.67 JD Margin 81%

Cost before

exhibition 6.63 JD

Exhibition

cost 30%

Cost before

tax 8.62 JD Tax 16% Sales Price 10.00 JD

Profit per journal 2.96 JD


GDT Jordan 2011 11

In the previous model we considered wages for the women building the journals. However, upon further consideration, this component was removed since the women‘s profit made from each journal is considered the wage. Thus, by including wages separately, the monetary value made per journal was accounted for twice. If this endeavor expands in the future and labor is hired, wages must then be considered. Step 3: Determine operational aspects of the idea An idea is also likely to fail if certain operational issues are not considered in its feasibility evaluation. Manufacturing, sales and logistics, shipping, and equipment and depreciation constraints need to also be assumed to then be transformed into knowledge to quick tests strategically designed to assess their feasibility. In the case of the journals made of recycled paper, at the current moment and scope of the pilot project, this is not applicable given that the initial products are sold directly to the consumer and do not need to be shipped and/or handled by an external party. Step 4: Calculate per figure units.

With all costs and minimum required profits, the necessary sales volume of the venture can be projected. Table 4 shows the hypothetical sales volume for the journals

Table 4. Necessary sales volume

Per Unit Figures for assumed margin

Sale price of item 10 JD


Necessary sales volume 7.00 Journals/month

Step 5: Brief overview of the market. Even while the costs and operations of a proposed venture seem feasible, it is imperative to conduct a quick evaluation of the potential market that might be interested in the sustainable waste management offering (Table 5). In this analysis, the idea was to determine the overall size of the target market for journals made of recycled paper to be sold at fairs, as discussed with Ruwwad. Then the market can be broken down using purchase funnel (i.e., awareness of the offering, consideration of purchasing an offering, purchase of an product offered in the market, and repeat/retention of a customer) percentages (Table 6). A schematic representation of the purchase funnel is illustrated in Figure 2.

Figure 2. Schematic Representation of the Purchase Funnel


GDT Jordan 2011 12

Table 5. Potential Available Market

Possible market Quantity Unit

tourist fairs 1 fair/month

tourists (at fairs) 250 tourists/fair

tourists seen at fairs 250 tourists/month @ fairs

tourist locations/ year ( 1 per month) 1 location visit/ month

tourists (at tourist locations outside of fairs) 100 tourists

tourists seen at tourist locations outside of fairs 100 tourists/month @ tourist "locations"

local population (Amman) 2,800,000 people

Table 6. Purchase Funnel

Market Projections

Stage/Channel Percentage Size (people)

Awareness

Tourists at fairs 50% 125

Tourists at tourist locations 50% 50

Other (local via word of mouth) 0.01% 280

Consideration

Tourists at fairs 70% 87.5

Tourists at tourist locations 70% 35

Other (local via word of mouth) 35% 98

Purchase

Tourists at fairs 30% 26.25

Tourists at tourist locations 30% 10.5

Other (local via word of mouth) 30% 29.4

Retention

Tourists at fairs NA N/A

Tourists at tourist locations NA N/A

Other (local) NA N/A In this initial marketing study, there is an indication that the market for selling journals in fairs and local tourist locations may be the limiting factor for reaching the 20 JD/month for the number of women participating in the journal-making endeavor (see Table 7). This may be an early indication that the number of women participating may need to be reduced or in the future the market needs to be expanded to consider additional revenue sources such as:

- Stores in other parts of Amman

- Museums in other countries and overseas

- Coffee shops in other countries and overseas

- Boutiques in Jordan, other countries and overseas.


GDT Jordan 2011 13

Table 7. Market Size under Current Assumptions

Current market under these assumptions yields

Total journal sales per month 66.15 Journals

Total per woman 4.41 Journals


Profit per women per month 13.05 JD

Step 6: Document all assumptions and find means to turn assumptions into knowledge Assumptions for physical journal and resources to make journal

A journal would consist of 50 pages of recylced post-consumer paper (It takes approximately 1.5 sheets of paper to make one sheet of recycled paper)

The miscellaneous equipment can be reused an approximate of 50 times before another set of equipment is needed

Assumption for potential market analysis

1

Revenue is mainly generated at tourist fairs and locations and a relatively small percentage due to local sales

Assumed size of each fair is approximately 250 people.

Approximately one fair occurs and/or is attended each month

The number of tourists at a tourist locations is approximately 100

Percentages for purchase funnel follows as : o Tourists

Awareness: 50% Consideration: 70% Purchase: 30%

o Local Awareness: 0.01% Consideration: 35% Purchase: 30%

Step 7: Examine feasibility of product This initial feasibility study considers 15 women participating as this is the targeted number who will participate in the upcoming May 2011 workshops in Ruwwad. Based on the assumed number of a profit 20 JD/month the potential market examined is not adequate to meet the desired profit for each woman. Three potential solutions to this challenge include reducing the number of woman participating in this pilot journal making initiative, reducing the cost, or increasing the potential market. Reducing the cost further is likely unfeasible as the largest components of the costs are taxes and margins.

1 The potential market analysis makes relatively conservative assumptions.


GDT Jordan 2011 14

List of Additional Resources to Aid in the Development of

Entrepreneurial Enterprises

In addition to the economic feasibility model described above, we have compiled information regarding

social entrepreneurship resources that may be used by the community partner to increase their

knowledge-base and their ability to scale the paper-making initiative. This list classifies such resources

into: potential (international) partnerships, funding sources, ideas/case studies, and potential

(international) vendors. The following table summarizes these resources, including potential application to

the community partner, the community in itself and future GDTs

Category Title Topic/history Possible Applications to

Ruwwad and/or Jabal Al Natheef

Funding Potential Partnerships

Kiva

www.kiva.org Empower people around the world with a $25 loan

―Kiva is a non-profit organization with a mission to connect people through lending to alleviate poverty. Leveraging the internet and a worldwide network of microfinance institutions, Kiva lets individuals lend as little as $25 to help create opportunity around the world. Through these loans, individuals can receive funding (e.g., $100, $500) for their business.‖ (from

http://www.kiva.org/about) ―Kiva partners with existing microfinance institutions around the world (we call them Field Partners). These organizations that have expertise in microfinance and a mission to alleviate poverty facilitate Kiva loans on the ground. Field Partners know their local area and clients and do all the leg work required to get Kiva loans to the entrepreneurs posted on Kiva.org.‖ (from http://www.kiva.org/about/how) Kiva‘s website allows the lender to read the story of the person the lender is about to give money to. This motivates the micro-lender to engage in the lending transaction as it creates an emotional connection with the person receiving the loan.

Kiva is both a good case study, a potential partner/funding source for Ruwwad. Through Kiva, the women could obtain money to buy their initial set of equipment to manufacture their crafts and journals. Kiva has excellent examples of how the women can write their "story" in the first page of the journal that can help them connect with potential customers.

Potential places to sell crafts/ journals

Ten Thousand Villages

http://www.tenthousandvillages.com A fair trade retailer

Ten Thousand Villages is an fair trade organization with several locations within the U.S. and Canada. They trade unique handmade craft produce in 38 developing countries around the world. Ten Thousand Villages provides a sustainable market in North America for their long term skilled artisan partners, whose otherwise, won't have opportunity for a stable income.

This fair trade organization could be a potential opportunity for Ruwwad and the people of Jabal Al Natheef. We consider that partnership with Ten Thousand Villages could generate a sustainable market in the US & Canada for products developed by the women of the community.

http://www.kiva.org/about

http://www.kiva.org/about/how


GDT Jordan 2011 15



Partnerships Potential partnerships

OpenIDEO

http://openideo.com/about-us Where people design better, together

―OpenIDEO is a place where people design better, together for social good. It's an online platform for creative thinkers: the veteran designer and the new guy who just signed on, the critic and the MBA, the active participant and the curious lurker. Together, this makes up the creative guts of OpenIDEO.To become a place where good ideas gain momentum, OpenIDEO depends on participation — your inspirations, his comments, her concepts, our design process. It's these efforts, these big and small moments of sharing and collaboration, that make this platform a dynamic resource for tackling significant global challenges.IDEO, a design and innovation firm, developed OpenIDEO as a way to include a broader range of people in the design process through inspiration, concepting, and evaluation.‖ (from http://www.openideo.com/about-us)

Ruwwad and future Purdue GDTs need to embrace the principles of "open innovation" and use idea sharing sites (such as OpenIDEO) to collaborate with more experienced designers to further develop sustainable income-generating solutions for the women and children of Jabbal Al Natheef


Greyhouse Coffee Shop

http://greyhousecoffee.com/

Greyhouse is a non-profit coffee shop located in West Lafayette, Indiana, in close proximity to the campus of Purdue University. Greyhouse suppliers form relationships with farmers all over the world, ensuring that prices that are fair trade or in many cases actually better than fair trade.

Greyhouse is a potential venue to sell the products that the women in Jabal Al Natheef create

Ideas/case studies

TOMS

http://www.toms.com/our-movement/movement-one-for-one One for One: With every pair of TOMS shoes you purchase, TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need

‖TOMS Shoes was founded on a simple premise: With every pair of shoes you purchase, TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need. Using the purchasing power of individuals to benefit the greater good is TOMS's mission.The TOMS mission of giving shoes has attracted other brands, resulting in unique and successful collaborations. Ralph Lauren sold co-branded Polo Rugby TOMS, giving a matched pair with every pair sold. It is TOMS‘ hope that as the One for One movement continues to grow, more and more companies will look to incorporate giving into what they do.‖ (from http://www.toms.com/our-movement/movement-one-for-one)

In future stages of this partnership between Purdue and Ruwwad, future GDTs can try to partner with notebook/paper product companies and do a "one for one" campaign to supply the women of Jabbal Al Natheef with paper for their journal/paper-based crafts.

Potential partnerships

Aramex

http://www.aramex.com Global Transportation & Logistical Services Company

ARAMEX is a leading global provider of logistics and transportation, with its headquarters located in the city of Amman, Jordan. ARAMEX is actively involved in sustainable community development initiatives.

Stregthen the relation between ARAMEX, Ruwwad and the Jabal Al Natheef community is crucial for the development and sustainability of the social entrepreneurship solutions. ARAMEX could provide the require transportation and logistic service require to market the products made in Jabal Al Natheef to affluent markets outside Jordan.

http://www.openideo.com/about-us


GDT Jordan 2011 16



Partnerships Ideas/case studies

Project H Design

http://www.projecthdesign.org/ Design Initiatives for Humanity, Habitats, Health & Happiness

According to the website Project H team works in the design of community and educational solutions. The specific focus of the organization is to create innovative designs concerning products, environments and curricula for education institutions. The design process consists of six-tenet design process: 1) design WITH community; 2) document, share and measure; 3) start locally and scale globally; 4) design systems; 5) simple and effective design solutions that empower communities; 6)build collective creative capital.

Since, Project H works for communities in the US, is unlikely an impact in the community of Jabal Al Natheef. However, partnership among Ruwwad and Project H could be a source for innovative ideas and design perspectives, specially in the educational area.

Ideas/case studies

Web-Ecoist: Going Beyond Green

http://webecoist.com/2009/04/05/15-awesome-ways-to-reuse-shipping-containers/ 15 Awesome Ways to Reuse Shipping Containers

According to this website, steel shipping containers have a lifespan of less than 5 years. Once they have reached the end of their lifespan, the containers often sit abandoned. " Now, they‘re gaining increasing recognition for their durability, adaptability, light weight, low cost and ease of stacking, spurring a recycling trend that has resulted in shipping container sculpture, homes, hotels, museums and more."

Aramex's shipping containers which have reached the end of their lifespan may possibly be used by this community, or other similar communities. This steel shipping containers can be used to expand buildings, serve as rooms for gathering, teaching and/or storage, or be altered for play area for the children and youth.

Ideas/case studies

Inveneo

http://www.inveneo.org Connecting those who need it the most

Inveneo supplies technological equipment including hardware and software. Their equipment is specialized for rural communities. First, they investigate which equipment are most suitable for the community. This investigation is based on their economical and physical environment. Then, they produce and install the custom-made equipment for the specific community.

It seems this organization is not helpful for the current project. However, it might be a good recource in the future when Ruwwad wants to develop a profit-making project and it requires some technological improvement

Ideas/case studies

VNL

http://www.vnl.in/solutions/ WorldGSM Solutions

WorldGSM™ is mobile infrastructure independent of the power grid to provide profitable mobile services to rural areas worldwide.

VNL is likely not applicable to Ruwwad and/or Jabal Al Natheef as this community is within a large, urban area of Jordan. Furthermore, Ruwwad and Jabal Al Natheef is served on the power grid.

Ideas/case studies

Grameenphone

http://www.grameenphone.com/about-us Design Initiatives for Humanity, Habitats, Health & Happiness

Grameenphone started in Bangladesh as a "rural phone" initiative. The main focus of this initiative was to empower the rural woman of Bangladesh. Grameenphone has become a major wireless operator in Bangladesh, covering 98% of the rural area's population.

It is not likely that Grameenphone would have an impact in the Jabal Al Natheef community. On the other hand, the idea of accesible communications to empower the communities could be analyzed in the future.


GDT Jordan 2011 17




Amani Market

http://www.amanichildren.org Selling crafts to help the children of Kenya

Amani Children's Foundation is a non-profit organization that provides funding for the care of infants orphaned by AIDS and poverty in Kenya. All the proceeds from their sales go back to Kenya to care for orphaned babies at six New Life Homes across the country of Kenya. The volunteer artisans at Amani create distinctive organic jewelry using Kazuri beads. Kazuri beads are handmade by Kenyan women from the clay of Mt. Kenya in a local fair-trade business. The Amani Children‘s Foundation has offices located in Winston-Salem, NC; Harrisburg, PA; and Indianapolis, IN.

Potential venue to sell paper based products that the women create


GDT Jordan 2011 18

V. Composting and Education

A secondary component of this project is the composting initiative, which has the following goals:

Enhance the community understanding of recycling by providing educational resources

Promote context-sensitive sustainable living practices

Composting is an acceleration of nature's process of recycling decomposed organic materials into a rich

soil known as compost. By composting organic waste, nutrients are returned back into the soil. The

benefits of composting to communities include: enriching poor quality soils, reducing soil contaminants,

such as heavy metals, preventing the generation of hazardous gases and pollutants to water resources,

reducing the need for fertilizers and pesticides, and reducing the need for added water in the soil. vii,viii

A more detailed scientific analysis of the composting process is available in Appendix B (page 28). The

deliverables of this project are designed to make the process easy to learn and appreciate.

Deliverables

Composting Manual: to educate members of the Jabal Al-Natheef community about the natural

benefits of composting and details how the composting process works. The manual is available

as a separate filed accompanying this report (Compost-Manual.pdf).

In developing the compost manual, the following principles were integrated: (1) The manual

should explain the composting process in a way such that community members could begin

composting themselves; (2) The manual should be accessible to an adult population; (3) The

manual should contain an educational component for children, specifically focusing in the

sciences and targeting third grade through eighth grade.

To address gaps in knowledge in the natural sciences, we created the concept of ―Sciences

Boxes‖ within the manual to integrate teaching of scientific concepts into the explanation of

composting. The content for the ―Sciences Boxes‖ was based upon the following Indiana State

Teaching Standards for grades six, seven, and eight:

Nature of Science and Technology: o Students design investigations and further their scientific understanding of the natural world

through investigations, experiences, and readings. They design solutions to practical problems by using a variety of scientific methodologies. They realize that scientific knowledge is subject to change as new evidence arises. They examine issues in the design and use of technology, including constraints, safeguards, and trade-offs. (Science Box: Engineering)

The Physical Setting:

o Students collect and organize data to identify relationships between physical objects, events, and processes. They use logical reasoning to question their own ideas as new information challenges their conceptions of the natural world. (Science Boxes: Chemistry and Physics)

The Living Environment:

o Students recognize that plants and animals obtain energy in different ways, and they can describe some of the internal structures of organisms related to this function. Students begin to trace the flow of matter and energy through ecosystems. They understand that the total amount of matter remains constant and that almost all food energy has its origin in sunlight. (Science Boxes: Biology and Ecology)

For the youngest audiences (grades three, four, and five), we also created an additional

educational activity, a puppet show, in order to educate children on the importance of composting

as a form of organic waste management.


GDT Jordan 2011 19

V. Representing the Human Face, Telling the Community’s Stories

Through our work on this project, we have concluded that there is a need for more knowledge about the

Jabal Al-Natheef community in order to engage and empower the community, and develop effective

design solutions. Our partners at Ruwwad have done an exceptional job of answering questions and

describing the Jabal Al-Natheef community; however, we have still found it difficult to fully comprehend

the culture, living conditions, and lifestyles of the community. Because of our belief that the key to

developing innovative, contextually-appropriate design solutions lies in thoroughly understanding the

community and surroundings in which they live, we propose a larger, holistic study of the Jabal Al-

Natheef community using social science research methodologies. In this section of the report, strategies

will be outlined for this study with the hopes that once complete; the collective knowledge gained will

inform our current and future global design teams in more successful and meaningful project work.

Interactive Planning

Most development projects fail because they do not allow current information to shape the project plans,

or in other words, interactive planning is absent in the process. Interactive planning is iterative, involves

perspectives form multiple stakeholders, and includes reflective practice, or the process in which the

practitioner is engaged in a dialogue with the materials and situation in which he is involved questioning

assumptions that are carried with us into everyday situations.ix Interactive planning is needed to provide a

framework for aligning the goals and objectives of all participants in strategic partnerships and developing

innovation, contextually-appropriate design solutions. At this point, it is also important to acknowledge,

that decision-making processes involve significant negotiation, and that guided questions are helpful in

engaging partnership communities in collaborative, sustainable development with the anticipation of all

participants engaging in continuous reciprocal learning.x The ultimate goal: maximum participation and

reciprocal benefits to all partnership stakeholders. Specific to this project, sustained, increased

participation and reciprocal learning will, not only create awareness of the waste management issues in

Jabal Al Natheef, but hopefully begin to uncover some of the drivers and barriers—environmental,

economic, and social—to inadequate waste management. Partnerships will be enhanced, cross-

disciplinary partnerships expanded, and a detailed description of communities and cultures that are

underserved will be provided.

Implications for the GDT Jordan May 2011 Onsite Engagement

The global design team has been developing key tools, such as surveys and guided interview questions,

for data collection while in Jabal Al-Natheef. The focus of the May 2011 trip, in terms of data collection,

will be: to 1) inform the journal-making component of the project, and 2) collect baseline data for future

GDT Teams. As mentioned prior, women will create journals from recycled paper and other materials.

These journals will serve as tools of empowerment, allowing the women creating them to initiate change

in a tangible way.

We would like to add an additional element to the journals – a human face. By humanizing the journals,

we have the opportunity to create not only financial but also social connections with consumers and edify

the creativity and work of the women of Jabal Al-Natheef. The idea is to insert a culturally appropriate

picture of the woman creating the product with a suggested statement, ―As you write your life story in this

journal, my life story is being re-written...‖ A short ‗story‘ of the life of the woman could be included. In this

way, the journals take on personalities of their own. It is our hope is that those purchasing the products

will learn more about the person creating their product and thus be more likely to continue their


GDT Jordan 2011 20

engagement with the Jabal Al-Natheef community. In order to collect information for these stories, the

team, with assistance from Ruwwad and community members, hopes to conduct interviews with the

women participating in the paper-making and journal-making workshops in May 2011.

Collecting baseline data for future teams will include direct observation in conjunction with site visits to the

following entities: Ruwwad, Aramex, the community of Jabal Al-Natheef, and the local schools. Four of

the travelers will stay in Jordan for four days and during that time will conduct preliminary observations

and data collection. One member of the GDT Jordan team will stay beyond those four days and spend an

additional week in Jordan. During that time, this student member will spend two days at each

aforementioned site collecting additional data. One day will be an observational day where the student

will collect quantitative data, and the second day will be spent conducting interviews using a set of guided

questions. Focus will be upon identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Based upon

the observations and interviews, a simple matrix can be developed for future GDT Teams highlighting key

needs, places/niches for maximum impact based on engagement with community, and ideas for

sustainability.

Listed below are some prospective tools used for collection of quantitative and qualitative data. While this

small dataset will not allow the team to make large inferences, upon return, the data with be analyzed and

compiled for use by future GDT Teams to inform their project planning and future data collection tools.

Observation

Time Frame: 6-7 hours Location: Ruwwad Example Data Points: (count total and/or absence/presence)

Employees

Structure of office staff

Buildings

Describe environmental conditions (financial, intellectual, human, informational, physical, etc.)

Location: Jabal Al-Natheef (whole community) Example Data Points: (total and/or absence/presence)

Waste containers/home

Occupants/home

Food types

Single-use products in home

Waste products in homes

Describe how waste is managed


Location: Schools Example Data Points: (total and/or absence/presence)

Classrooms

Computers/classroom

Students/classroom

Teachers/classroom



GDT Jordan 2011 21

Guided Interviews

Time Frame: 1-2 hours Location: Ruwwad

Example Questions:

1. What current programs exist at Ruwwad?

2. What programs would be well-suited for partnering in the future? How can we build on existing

projects Ruwwad is engaged in so as to better ―partner?‖

3. What organizations/individuals are currently partnering with Ruwwad on waste management

activities? What activities are they undertaking?

4. What are other organizations/individuals independent of Ruwwad are in the area working on

waste management issues?

5. What needs do you have in terms of waste management?

6. How can we best serve those needs?

Location: Jabal Al-Natheef, (2 families, identified by Ruwwad and community leaders, will be interviewed)

Example Questions:

1. What do you do with your waste?

2. Where do you think/know it goes after you dispose of it?

3. What goes on outside of the community in terms of waste management?

4. Where do you get your food products? What types of food do you generally consume?

5. How long are the children in school? What do they do after school?

6. What needs do you have in terms of waste management?


Location: Schools

Example Questions:

1. What is the current curriculum being taught (focus on sciences)

2. What is the developmental level of the students? Teachers?

3. What resources are available at the schools?

4. What organizations/individuals are the schools currently partnering with?

5. What needs do they have in terms of waste management?


Location: Aramex

Example Questions:

1. What types of products are you developing with the youth from Ruwwad?

2. What processes are you using to develop those products?

3. Where are the materials obtained?

4. What is the time frame for making the products?

5. What are the markets where these products are being sold/exhibited?

6. What specific needs do see in terms of waste management?



GDT Jordan 2011 22

Appendix A: Research regarding municipal solid waste management (MSWM) system in the Greater Amman Municipality

The Jordanian population has largely increased in the last years as a result of population growth and migrations, thus increasing the amount of waste generated in Jordan. The massive and sudden population growth in combination with the lack of an adequate policy, insufficient financing, fiscal accountability and technical expertise have undermine the development of an adequate Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSWM) in Jordan. Furthermore, this is expected to increase based on the population growth of 2.8% annually, and the changing patterns in Jordanian consumption behavior. According to Khalid Alfayez (2008)

xi, Head of

Policies & Planning Division for the Jordan Ministry of Environment, an estimated of 4,600 ton/day (MSWM) are generated in Jordan, which represents a solid waste generation rate of 0.7 ton/capita/day. Therefore, the Jordanians generate 1,679,000 ton/year of solid waste, and it is likely to reach 2,500,000 ton/year by 2015. The solid waste generated in Amman, which is close to 1,900 ton/day, and accounts for approximately 41% of the total waste generated in Jordan. Therefore, the city of Amman and the country require the development of alternatives to handler the problem of Solid Waste from the perspective of volume and complexity.

This data could be an underestimate of the actual situation given inaccuracies of the data recording systems in the final disposal sites, and to the waste the is collected and burned locally, due to the shortage of equipment (METAP, 2004).

xii

Table A1 shows the projected waste generation for Amman and Table A1 and Figure A2 show the composition of the Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) in Amman, capital of Jordan. According to the data collected, the amount of inorganic waste is close to 42%, which represents the major component of the MSW as expected in a city of a developing country as Jordan.

Table A1: MSW generated in Amman, Jordan (2008) Source: http://worldbank.org

Food Waste 42%

Mixed Paper 9%

Yard Trimming, and Leaves 2%

Plastics 16%

Glass 2%

Corrugated Cardboard 11%

Metals 2%

Textile and Rubber 14%

Others 2%

Composition %

http://worldbank.org/


GDT Jordan 2011 23

Figure A2: MSW generated in Amman, Jordan (2008)

Source: http://worldbank.org

Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSWM) Stakeholders The MSWM in Jordan is undertaken by the public sector. The stakeholders involve in the MSWM are the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs, the Municipalities (e.g., Greater Amman Municipality), and the Ministry of Environment.

The Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs is the responsible to provide the funding to the municipalities to finance the MSWM. Furthermore, the ministry is mandated by law to monitor and oversee the implementation of the laws and regulations by the municipalities. The Ministry of Environment has the responsibility to regulate the activities that would potentially impact the environment, including the MSWM.

The municipalities are communal corporations create to serve and being responsible for any municipal service, including the MSWM. The municipalities report to the Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs, except for the Greater Amman Municipality, which reports to the Prime Minister and have a distinctive representation in terms of bureaucratic hierarchy.

42%

9%

2%

16%

2%

11%

2%14%

2%Food Waste

Mixed Paper

Yard Trimming, and Leaves

Plastics

Glass

Corrugated Cardboard

http://worldbank.org/


GDT Jordan 2011 24

Greater Amman Municipality (GAM)

Figure A3: Map of Greater Amman

Source: http://travel.yahoo.com/

Amman, capital of Jordan, is the economic, cultural, social and political center of Jordan. Moreover, Amman is the largest city with an estimated population of 2,800,000 (Department of Statistics). The city has an estimated area of 1,680km, and is politically divided in 27 districts. Figure A3 shows a map of Greater Amman. Solid Waste Management within Amman boundaries is responsibility of the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM). This is stated in the Article 41 - Law N° 29 of the 1955‘s Municipal Law. The Mayor and the Municipality Council constitute the upper part of the bureaucratic hierarchy of the GAM. Half of the Municipality Council‘s members are appointed by the Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs, while the rest of the members are elected. Furthermore, in terms of waste management, Amman city was divided into six regions, where each region consists of a group of areas (4-5 areas).

MSWM process implemented by GAM Sweeping and Cleaning The GAM has a force of approximately 5,500 cleanliness workers, who are responsible for sweeping and cleaning Amman‘s streets. The workers are paid a salary of 241 JD/month, and includes benefits such as, social security, health insurance, overtime. In Jordan, these salaries and benefits are considered to be high. This has been cataloged as a major incentive to engage Jordanian employees in this area of work (META, 2004).

xiii Cleanliness workers and supervisors are controlled by the environment protection

section in each district, where each section is under the leadership of at least one engineer. Collection

Waste is collected from an approximate of 1100 liters containers by rotaries and compacters with various capacities and from 5000 liters containers by hoists. Collection schedule is planned and arranged by the environment protection section in each district according to studies and assessment in order to find the

http://travel.yahoo.com/


GDT Jordan 2011 25

best collection paths and collect all full containers. While, solid waste is collected from narrow alleys and areas by 2 ton capacity compactors, for empty spaces loaders and trucks are used. For the operation of the collection‘s equipment the GAM has a task force of 234 drivers (2008). Table A2 provides a summary of the equipment, machinery and containers used by GAM.

Table A2: Equipment for Solid Waste Collection (2008xiv

)

Disposal of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Landfilling is the disposal alternative use by the Jordanian municipalities, including the GAM. Landfilling has been widely use through the years for the disposal of MSW and it is an integral part of the current MSWM (Qdais, 2007).

xv

Currently, in Jordan there are 21 working landfills and 7 that have closed. The current situation of the landfills is not promising given the fact that open dumping is still a common practice in the majority of the landfills in the country. The disposal method used on the Jordanian‘s landfillings could be either the trench method or the cell method. Cell method is used in the Al Ghabawi landfill (i.e Jordan‘s major landfill). The process of the cell method consists in spreading, compacting, and covering with soil the waste using heavy machinery in order to create layers of approximately 9.5 meters (Chopra, 2001). There is not lining , leachate and biogas collection in the majority of the Jordanian landfills, except for the Alghabawi landfill where all the three are collected, and for the Russeifeh, which have a biogas plant.

Vehicle Type Number Function Rotaries and Compactors

263 Waste Collection

Trailers 18 Waste Collection Hoist 18 Waste Collection

Heavy Duty 10 Waste disposal Mechanical Sweeper 4 Sweeping

Washing Machine 2 Containers Washing Pickup 27 Inspection Truck 26 Bulky Waste

Collection Water Tank 21 Cleanliness Process

Loader 24 Cleanliness Process for Special Missions

Container About 16000 Waste Collection


GDT Jordan 2011 26

Al Ghabawi Landfill

Figure A6. Location of Al Ghabawi Landfill (Nobani, 2008)

xvi

Al Ghabawi is located in the eastern area of Amman, at 23 km east from Central Amman (as shown in Figure A6). The total surface area of the site is about 2000,000 m2. The selected site is part of Azraq Basin, which is one of the four largest desert basins in Jordan. The area used to be as a military land, and characterized by an arid nature without any residential, historical, cultural land uses. The site was connected by an access dual carriageway for a distance of about 23 km. The landfill is operated by the GAM. Al Ghabawi Landfill receives an estimated of 2,300 tons of waste per day to, this accounts for approximately 50 percent of Jordan‘s total municipal solid waste. An approximate of 1900 ton/day of the Solid Waste comes from Amman (i.e., 400 kg/day directly from districts, and 1500 ton/day from the transfer stations).

17 km

23 km

طريق السرقاء

وسط البلد

الطريق

الدائري

17 km

طريق األزرق

حدود أمانة عمان

الغباويمكب 9 km


GDT Jordan 2011 27

Appendix B: In-Depth Analysis of the Composting Process

Composting: An Overviewxvii

xviii

xix

xx

Composting is a process of turning organic waste (green-leafy plant matter and food scraps) into a

nutrient rich soil amendment for future plant growing. The process is dependent on biological activity

turning the matter into its more useful form. Thus, there are two popular types of composting: microbial

composting and vermicomposting (use of worms).

Microbial composting is the simplest form and is conducted universally throughout the world. In this

process, the decomposition of organic matter is facilitated by micro-organisms already present in the

matter. With no additional catalysts, this process is lengthy, taking at most a year to completely

decompose. While the physical process is almost irreverent, stimulating the microbial activity is the most

important factor for increasing time of product return. Several factors contribute to this:

Aeration: Oxygen is needed for successful decomposition, though anaerobic (no oxygen)

decomposition will occur it is inefficient and develops foul odors. Agitating or mixing the pile often

facilitates aeration; this exposes more area to oxygen. From my experience, this is easily

accomplished by storing the compost in a horizontal barrel with holes. Rotating the barrel

tumbles the compost. Aeration should occur at least once or twice a month.

Moisture: the compost requires a source of water to maintain efficiency. While the amount of

water is dependent on the amount present, an easy way to judge is by squeezing the compost

and looking at how much water comes out. In ideal conditions, only a few drops should fall for a

handful of compost. Too much water will hinder the process by suffocating the microorganisms

from water (anaerobic decomposition occurs).

Particle size: the composting process is dependent on how much surface area is available for the

organisms to ‗attack‘. Increasing the surface area of the organic matter added by shredding it in

any way will increase the process efficiency.

Nitrogen Content: A high carbon to nitrogen ratio (3:1) of matter added must be maintained.

Without adequate carbon, the organisms will not process the nitrogen as efficiently. High carbon

items include leaves, wood chips, newspaper, and sawdust (untreated wood). High nitrogen

items include: poultry litter, grass, fertilizer (10%-30%), blood meal, bone meal, livestock manure,

vegetable refuse, straw.

Temperature: the compost should be well insulated in order to maintain the high temperatures

required for killing certain disease organisms. Temperatures will range from 130 F to 160 F.

Acidity: upon completion, the compost will be slightly basic (pPh 7.1-7.5). Large quantities of

vegetable or fruit wastes might require a basic additive (lime, for example).

Layering: For static piles, the matter that will be composted should be placed at the bottom,

covered by a layer of nitrogen rich additive, and topped by soil (which contains the micro-

organisms).

What can be composted: pine needles, vegetable waste, fruit waste, grass, leaves, yard waste, straw,

kitchen wastes, coffee grounds, eggshells, sawdust (minor quantities), paper/newspaper (at most 10% of

total compost).

What not to add: feces, meat, bones, grease, eggs, dairy products. These will attract nearby varmints and

could also add disease bacteria or pathogens not easily killed. xxi

Vermicomposting: one of the quickest ways of composting with at 3-6 month turnaround.


GDT Jordan 2011 28

Vermicomposting, as the title might suggest, requires the additional catalyst of worms. The castings

produced by the worms are a rich nitrogen source akin to fertilizer. Use of worms normally receives a bad

press because of having to deal with worms and the excessive odor, both of which are often exaggerated.

A few different types of worms can be used: redworms (Eisenia fetida) and red wigglers (lumbricus

rubellus). The vermicomposting requires many of the same conditions described above except the

constant agitation and the basic ph. The ph should be maintained at 6.5 with upper-bounds of 6.0 and

7.0. The temperature is also different; the worms prefer 40 F to 80 F and can reproduce best between 55

F and 75 F. If the worms can reproduce properly, then adding new worms should not be a problem (they

will never over populate beyond what is first purchased)xxii

.

Layering is important. A ‗bed‘ should be prepared for the worms consisting of paper, leaves, straw, hay,

fertilizer, and dead plants (sand and dirt are optional). The ‗bed‘ represents the majority of matter present

in the bin and should settle for a few days before adding the worms. Worm limits vary; 2,000 worms will

recycle a pound of food waste in 24 hours with 4 cubic feet of space available. Once added, the worms

can process almost anything including: coffee grounds, tea bags, vegetable/fruit waste, egg shells, grass,

etc. Avoid bones, dairy products, meats, onions, acidic foods (in small quantities only), and garlic. The

additives should be buried deep in the container when added. The worms are best at continuing the

composting process already started.

There are many downsides to vermicomposting. On a large scale it is not sustainable in the long run

without a lot of space or capital income. The benefit of vermicomposting is the worm castings produced,

which are often several times more valuable than regular compost. xxiii

Once the composting process has been completed, nearly every type of plant/tree can benefit from its

use. With the addition of compost, soil quality improves in the areas of texture, nutrient retention, moisture

retention, and ventilation. For soils with a primarily sand base, compost increases water and nutrient

retention while also thickening the soil. The sand particles have something to hold on to. xxiv

For applying

to different soils, the amount depends on the plant type. For lawns, apply a ¼ to ½ inch thick layer on all

desired areas. For trees, a one inch thick layer; gardens, a 1 to ½ inch layer, shrubs, a 2 inch thick layer.

For large areas, a good ratio is 900 to 1200 lbs per acre. xxv

Regarding composting output, the relationship is nearly 1:1. From experience, 4 cubic feet of additive will

produce a little more than 3 cubic feet of compost through a full cycle. xxvi

References i "Debunking the Myths of Recycled Paper". Recycling Point Dot Com. Archived from the original on October 6, 2006. Retrieved 2007-02-04. ii U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Website: http://www.epa.gov

iii “Social Entrepreneurship in the Middle East: Toward Sustainable Development for the Next Generation.” The Brookings Institute. April 2010. http://www.brookings.edu/reports/2010/04_social_entrepreneurship.aspx

iv Hazaimeh, Hani, “Paper recycling project to aid environment, community.” The Jordan Times, 26 Januaru, 2010. <

http://www.jordantimes.com/?news=23487> v McGrath, R. and I. MacMillan (1995). "Discovery-driven planning." Harvard Business Review 73(4): 44-54.

vi Rogers, E. (1995). Diffusion of Innovations, NY: Free Press.

vii U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Wastes-Resource Conservation – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – Composting, Retrieved from http://www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/rrr/composting/benefits.htm [accessed 03/01/2011]

http://recyclingpoint.com.sg/Articles/feb1992myth_of_recycledpaper.htm

http://www.epa.gov/

http://www.brookings.edu/reports/2010/04_social_entrepreneurship.aspx

http://www.jordantimes.com/?news=23487

http://www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/rrr/composting/benefits.htm


GDT Jordan 2011 29

viii Earth911, Benefits of Using Compost, Retrieved from http://earth911.com/news/2007/04/02/benefits-of-using-compost/ [accessed 03/01/2011]

"Debunking the Myths of Recycled Paper". Recycling Point Dot Com. Archived from the original on October 6, 2006. Retrieved 2007-02-04.

ix Schön, D. (1984). The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action. Basic Books: New York.

x Dare, A., Enslow, S., Fitzpatrick, V., Leib, S., Nelson, L., and Payne, L. (unpublished). Effective Project Development: Asking the Right Questions.

xi Alfayez, E. K. (2008). Solid Waste Management in Jordan: Present Situation and Future Challenges. Middle East Recycling,

Waste & Environmental Management Exhibition & Congress, Kempinski Hotel, Dead Sea – Jordan

xii METAP (2004). Regional Solid Waste Management Project in Mashreq and Maghreb Countries, Jordan

xiv

Nobani, H. M. (2008). Municipal Solid Waste Management at Amman City. Middle East Recycling, Waste & Environmental Management Exhibition & Congress, Kempinski Hotel, Dead Sea – Jordan. Source: http://www.eng-forum.com/

xv Qdais, H.A., (2007). Environmental Impact Assessment of Municipal Solid Waste Landfills: A Case Study From Jordan in

Eleventh International Waste Managemnt and Landfill Symposium Sardinia 2007. 2007. S. Margherita di Pula, Cagliari, Italy: CISA.

xvi Nobani, H. M. (2008). Municipal Solid Waste Management at Amman City. Middle East Recycling, Waste & Environmental

Management Exhibition & Congress, Kempinski Hotel, Dead Sea – Jordan. Source: http://www.eng-forum.com/

xvii http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_h/h-164.pdf

xviii http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-8100.html

xix http://www.wormwoman.com/acatalog/vermicomposting.html

xx Isaac Sinnott: Founder – Greener Garden LLC.

xxi North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service. "Seed And Plant Sources For Medicinal Herbs And Botanicals." North Carolina Cooperative Extension. North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service. Web. 07 Mar. 2011. <http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-8100.html>.

xxii Flowerfield Enterprises. "Vermicomposting." WormWoman.com - Worm Composting (vermicomposting) Resources. Web. 07 Mar. 2011. <http://www.wormwoman.com/acatalog/vermicomposting.html>.

xxiii North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service. "Seed And Plant Sources For Medicinal Herbs And Botanicals." North Carolina Cooperative Extension. North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service. Web. 07 Mar. 2011. <http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-8100.html>.

xxiv University of Illinois Extension. "Composting for the Homeowner." Benefits and Uses. Web. 07 Mar. 2011. <http://web.extension.illinois.edu/homecompost/benifits.html>.

xxv Washington State Department of Ecology. "Natural Landscapes Project: Compost and Soil." Natural Landscapes Project: Outreach on Organic Gardening and Natural Lawn Care. Web. 07 Mar. 2011. <http://www.naturallandscapes.org/content/compost_soil/compostsoil.htm>.

xxvi Isaac Sinnott: Founder: Greener Garden LLC.

http://earth911.com/news/2007/04/02/benefits-of-using-compost/

http://recyclingpoint.com.sg/Articles/feb1992myth_of_recycledpaper.htm

http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_h/h-164.pdf

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-8100.html

http://www.wormwoman.com/acatalog/vermicomposting.html

Documents

Final Report: Global Design Team Jordan 2011