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Pitch

Prompting movement by establishing a conscience-driven pro-environment cafe business with strong CSR practice empowering herd mentality.


Description

Summary

Problem:

Deforestation is one of the leading causes of death of our forest ecosystem. This greatly attributes to illegal logging and the conversion of forest masses to commercial areas and residential subdivisions by private corporations. 

In the Philippines:

  • There is a deforestation rate of 1,900 hectares (4,695 acres) a day. Forestry experts state that Philippine forests are more likely to be completely denuded by 2025. This is both sad and disturbing. (Bengwayan, 2019).

  • The increasing rate of deforestation in the country is the culprit to water shortage which paralyzed Metro Manila last March to April 2019. This is according to PCWS or Philippine Center for Water and Sanitation. (Business Mirror, 2019).

 

Opportunities:

  • Consumer reports show that eight out of ten Filipinos consume 2.5 cups of coffee every day.

  • Tea and Coffee is ranked 2nd and 3rd consecutively in the list of nine most consumed beverage in the world.

  • A Philippine bill requiring high school and college students to plant trees before graduating is on its way to become a law.

 

Solution:

The Green Project: Brewing coffee for a cause is a conscience driven, pro-environment Cafe aiming to pledge 20%-30% of its net income to buying seeds and having it planted to deforested areas in the Philippines. The Green Project team will partner with various schools, Government and Non-Governmental organizations, local farmers, and private businesses with the goal to improve the forest ecosystem in the country. The Green Project will raise a city wide (soon a nationwide and worldwide) campaign informing consumers that for every cup they purchase equates to helping one seed to be planted. This will help in sparking herd mentality encouraging the youth to help in making this project a success.

 

Important Dates to remember:

  • June 2020 - Open the first ever branch of “The Green Project” in Manila near the University Belt.

  • June 2021 - First tree planting project to be held in various cities in the National Capital Region.


Is this proposal for a practice or a project?

Project


What actions do you propose?

The Green Project proposes 8 phases for this project:

  • PHASE I: THE GREEN PROJECT CAMPAIGN AWARENESS - INTRODUCTION AND PROMOTION TO THE PUBLIC (JANUARY 2020 - JUNE 2020)

  • PHASE II: THE GREEN PROJECT ESTABLISHMENT (FEBRUARY 2020 - JUNE 2020)

  • PHASE III: THE GREEN OPENING (Late JUNE 2020)

  • PHASE IV: INTENSIVE CONSUMER CAMPAIGN AND MARKETING (Late JUNE 2020 onwards)

  • PHASE V: PERFORMANCE EVALUATION: FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO INCREASE OF THE THE GREEN PROJECT SALES. (DECEMBER 2020)

  • PHASE VI: PARTNER WITH LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS AND FARMERS (JANUARY 2021 - MARCH 2021)

  • PHASE VII: THE FIRST GREEN PROJECT TREE PLANTING PLANNING (MARCH 2021 - Early JUNE 2021)

  • PHASE VIII: THE FIRST GREEN PROJECT TREE PLANTING ACTIVITY (Late JUNE 2021)

 

The details of 8 phases are as follows:

NOTE: DATES PRIOR PHASE I IS DEDICATED FOR BRAINSTORMING PERIOD

 

  • PHASE I: THE GREEN PROJECT CAMPAIGN AWARENESS - INTRODUCTION AND PROMOTION TO THE PUBLIC (JANUARY 2020 - JUNE 2020)

Phase I one focuses mainly on setting up social media accounts, posting environmental related videos, pre-release plans of The Green Project, and first store volunteer recruitments. After the setting up of online accounts, the promotion and introduction process continues by touring around the schools across the top universities in Metro Manila. The promotion will consist of the following:

  • Talks on Environmental Issues

  • Successful stories on overcoming past environmental calamities

  • Lessons learned.

The team will then introduce The Green Project cafe which will soon to open as part of raising awareness to help the environment. The team will discuss the mission and vision of the cafe and how this project can greatly affect not just the national farmers but also the environment. 

The team will highly utilize digital materials by posting on social media and reach out personally through presentations in schools.

 

  • PHASE II: THE GREEN PROJECT ESTABLISHMENT (FEBRUARY 2020 - JUNE 2020)

II-A: FINDING AND BUILDING THE KEY LOCATION (FEBRUARY 2020 - MARCH 2020)

Phase II will begin as the The Green Project team looks for a suitable and attractive location to build the first cafe branch. The team is aiming for a cafe with an ambiance of nature. They would like the customers to feel as if they are just relaxing in a forest or by a river. 

 

II-B: THE PROCESSING OF BUSINESS PERMITS AND OTHER LEGAL DOCUMENTS (FEBRUARY 2020 - APRIL 2020)

The processing of the business permits and other legal documents for the business will begin while the first phase is still on the process. This is to make their time more economical and resourceful by maximizing all the possible processes that they can do for every moment they have.

 

II-C THE MENU CREATION + THE BENEFICIARIES (APRIL 1 - 30, 2020)

This is important as this will help in capturing the taste of the Filipino customers. In this part, the team aims to be able to cater hot and cold drinks that may both be coffee or cream based or simply just a juice or tea. The team will be encouraging their customers to bring their own straws or buy bamboo straws that will also be available in the cafe.

Once the menu is created, the search for the project’s beneficiaries will begin. Aside from having local farmers as the suppliers for the ingredients of the products that will be served, The Green Project also aims to be able to use a part of their profit in restoring barren places. There will be a wall of hope inside the cafe wherein a picture of a specific barren place will be posted yearly for the customers to see the fruits of their help by buying products in the cafe. The development will be posted yearly wherein they will be able to see that from an empty land there will be trees planted. The customers may monitor the place yearly through this wall.

 

II-D: INTENSIVE RECRUITMENT OF VOLUNTEERS (SCHOOLS, NON-PROFIT ORG,) (APRIL 2020 - Late MAY 2020)

The volunteers will be the one to accept and serve customers’ order. They must be at least 18 years of age or above and are willing to spend a minimum of three hours a day for their shift. The green project team would like to give college students a chance to be able to contribute in their own little ways of helping the environment by giving a minimum of three hours in the cafe to serve the customers.  

 

Phase II-E: THE FIRST GREEN EXPERIENCE (Early JUNE 2020)

Before the cafe begins to serve the public, the team will be inviting social media influencers, artists, media, and if possible government officials to experience the green project cafe and be able to introduce to them the goals of the team to be able to be an instrument to gain more connections and have more publicity for the public to know.

 

  • PHASE III: THE GREEN OPENING (Late JUNE 2020)

Finally the opening day. The team would like to give free bamboo straws to their first 100 customers.

 

  • PHASE IV: INTENSIVE CONSUMER CAMPAIGN AND MARKETING (Late JUNE 2020 onwards)

Phase IV is a continuation of Phase I. Online presence will be heightened. Aside from that The GREEN PROJECT will also be working with the following:

  • Social Media Influencers.

  • School/Universities

  • Government Organizations.

  • Association of Neighbors.

  • Local Farmers Association.

 

  • PHASE V: PERFORMANCE EVALUATION: FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO INCREASE OF THE THE GREEN PROJECT SALES. (DECEMBER 2020)

In this phase, a study to be conducted by The Green Project Team will be done six months after the launching of the cafe. This aims to review the sales of the business and see whether the June 2021 First Green Project Tree planting activity is achievable.

Moreover, the goal for the performance evaluation is to also assess whether the mission, vision, and goals of THE GREEN PROJECT has an impact on the decisions of the customers. 

The quality of food and services is also being assessed in this point as the team sees it critical as well in helping attract more customers in the cafe.

Participants will be given the chance to express their opinions about the business in order to make further improvements in the services that THE GREEN PROJECT provides.
 

  • PHASE VI: PARTNER WITH LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS AND FARMERS (JANUARY 2021 - MARCH 2021)

It is important at this point to determine who can be of help in further promoting the goals of THE GREEN PROJECT and this can be done by partnering with local agricultural organizations in various cities and provinces of the Philippines. Moreover, it is the team’s goal to ensure that local farmers are also given high opportunity to provide their products and sell under THE GREEN PROJECT Cafe. Local farmers will also be given the opportunity to take part in the TREE PLANTING ACTIVITY by distributing them seeds that they need for farming.

 

  • PHASE VII: THE FIRST GREEN PROJECT TREE PLANTING PLANNING (MARCH 2021 - Early JUNE 2021)

In this phase, the ream plans and prepares for the first ever green project tree planting activity which is expected to be done in various places in Metro Manila. One of the reasons why Metro Manila is selected is due to the fact that many cities in the region is known to encounter severe flooding. It is important to have this addressed as early as possible and help in ensuring that after five to ten years, the problem on flooding has decreased.

Tree planting planning will involve the participation of local government parties and other organizations. Promotion planning will also be included in this preparation.

Maintenance of the planted seeds are also considered in this stage.

 

  • PHASE VIII: THE FIRST GREEN PROJECT TREE PLANTING ACTIVITY (Late JUNE 2021)

The PHASE VIII aims to have a successful GREEN PROJECT TREE PLANTING in Metro Manila and hopes that a continued success in business will further help in planting more seeds in other provinces of the Philippines.

Every  five or ten years, The Green PROJECT visits the places where seeds have been planted and see its output. 

Paid volunteers plus the help of national and local government will help in ensuring the growth of the seeds.


Who will take these actions?

The Green Project team has a vast number of key actors. These people play a vital role for the project’s success:

1. The Green Project Team

The Green Project team is responsible for ensuring the timeline is being followed and the business continuously sticks into mission, vision, and goals.

 

2. The Green Project Consumers/Customers

The customers play a very important role as they will be the one who would technically help sustain the funding for continuously achieving the goals of the cafe. Once they buy any product from the green project cafe a part from this money will be reserved for environment projects that the cafe is helping

 

3. Schools/Universities

The schools/universities will be helping in getting the students involved by helping the green project cafe reach to the students, inform them and be able to somehow volunteer.

 

4. Local and National Government

They will be the one to approve the business permits and other legal documents of the company. They will also be the one to help promote the green project in the community.

 

5. Local Farmers 

They are the ones who will benefit from this project as the local farmers will be the target suppliers for the coffee beans to be used by the cafe.


Where will these actions be taken?

The first The Green Project cafe Branch will be built in Manila City near the University Belt as it is saturated with students who always likes going to cafes.

The Tree planting activities will be in four different areas (one area per semester)

  1. June 2021: Metro Manila (1,000 seeds)

  2. June 2022: Pampanga (1,000 seeds)

  3. December 2022: Nueva Ecija (2,000 seeds)

  4. June 2023: Maguindanao (2,000 seeds)


In addition, specify the country or countries where these actions will be taken.

Philippines


Country 2

No country selected


Country 3

No country selected


Country 4

No country selected


Country 5

No country selected


Impact/Benefits


What impact will these actions have on greenhouse gas emissions and/or adapting to climate change?

Following the successful marketing and campaign of The Green Project, the business will raise enough funds to help in creating impact, spark herd mentality and cause the following changes:

 

1. Reduction of the adverse effects of greenhouse gas emissions

The main goal of The Green Project is to plant 1,000 seeds per semester per branch on both new and deforested areas in the Philippines per year. This increases as the number of branches increases. The acquisition of these seeds can be made possible by attributing to the purchases of the loyal and trusted customers of the The Green Project cafe since 20%-30% of the net income of the cafe will be used to buy seeds. The 2,000 new seeds will help create new trees and treat bald forests.

According to OneTreePlanted.org, trees help reduce the adverse effects of greenhouse gas emissions by absorbing Carbon and other gases in the atmosphere. It further mentioned that:

“A single mature tree can absorb 48lbs. of carbon a year, and makes enough clean oxygen for 4 people to breathe fresh air. A previous special report by IPCC stated that tree-planting could sequester around 1.1–1.6 GT of CO2 per year.”

Furthermore, WorldVision states that “When communities plant trees they can help to reduce the impacts of climate change in their local area and around the world.”

This impact is a good sign of effectively combating climate change.

 

2. Reduction on the flooding and landslides rates in high mountainous places keeping indigenous people safe

Philippines is known for its rich agricultural products. Aside from that, the country is also known to have many indigenious people thriving in rural and remote areas of the country. Planting new trees will help prevent flooding and landslides, significantly reducing the state of calamity in mountainous areas affecting tribes and other groups. We are aware that flooding and landslides is the side effect of climate change. 

According to BusinessMirror (2018), trees serve as nature’s first defense against flood and landslides. Destroying it means destroying our own natural guards.It further stated that “No trees, no protection”.

 

3. Increase on the natural products provided by nature and Improved Sustainability on plant and wildlife biodiversity

In an article published by Environmental Science for Social Change, Inc., one of the issues that is being faced in the Philippines due to low forest cover is the loss of forest products such as rattan, resins, and gums which are considered the source of livelihood of indeginous people. This means that the adverse effects of climate change plus the loss of trees in the forests contributes largely to the scarcity of products provided by nature. 

Another side effect of climate change is the death of the wildlife ecosystem. No forests means no thriving places or source of food for wildlife. No shade and no enough protection leaving these creatures bare.

The good news is these things will also be impacted upon the successful campaign of The Green project.


What are other key benefits?

1. Environmental Benefits

The Green Project cafe business does not have direct environmental benefits. The business itself will not stop global warming, melting of polar ice caps from the north, deforestation of forests, or even the drying up of rivers. It is a medium to spark herd mentality and to encourage everyone to collaborate and work together to plant trees. We do not always have to rely on heavy machinery to stop the adverse effects of climate change. Why? Because it has to start within us. We should be the one to move. With the The Green Project cafe business, the team hopes to see everyone participating in tree planting to achieve a clean and healthy environment. It will help restore its healthy state. This way our environment can benefit from the business.

 

2. Economic Benefits

The main contribution of The Green Project to the country’s economy is the improvement of the country’s reforestation rate and reputation when it comes to environmental preservation. One of the goals of the Green Project cafe is to create more agricultural related jobs and create more products that we can get from the forests. The Green Project team believes that tree planting can create a thousand jobs and business opportunities for everyone in the future. Lastly, it can help the government in campaigning climate change and greenhouse gases awareness.. This way the business is providing economic benefits.

 

3. Social Benefits

The first social benefit of the The Green Project cafe is the provision of a chill and relaxed environment while helping the environment. Volunteers and customers get the chance to travel from one place to another to help in planting trees. Moreover, the Green Project plans to release a point system that will give them more rewards as they continue to promote and raise awareness in deforestation and climate change.

 


Costs/Challenges


What are the proposal’s projected costs?

The Green Project team views the economic costs of this proposal as investments as it could yield to a good ROI in the succeeding years. 

Note(s):

  • Investments varies across time as the project progresses.

  • Estimation is based on industry costs.



Timeline

SHORT TERM (5-15 years)

  • 2021 - 2023: Promotion & Marketing; Awareness campaign; First 4,000 seeds to be planted; 2 The Green Project branches established in Metro Manila; Partner with Universities; Get University Volunteers; Partner with Government agencies; Partner with local farmers and factory plantation owners.
  • 2023 - 2028: Promotion & Marketing; Awareness Campaign; 120,000 seeds target to be planted. To open 10 new The Green Project branches both in Metro Manila and neighboring provinces; Partner with Non-Government agencies (private businesses); recruit more university volunteers; Online delivery
  • December 2028: The Green Project Visit on 4,000 planted trees after 5 years; Press release; 
  • 2028  - 2036: Promotion and Marketing; Increased Awareness Campaign;  450,000 seeds target to be planted. To open 16 new stores distributed in Northern and Southern Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao; The Green Project to open for Franchising.
  • December 2036: The Green Project Visit on 284,000 planted trees 12 years after first seed planting in the Philippines; press release; celebration; To partner with local research institutes to determine environmental impact.

Total Stores (2021 - 2036) = 28 Stores

Total Number of Planted Seeds (2021 - 2036) = 574,000 Seeds

 

MEDIUM TERM (15-50 years)

  • 2036 - 2041 - The Green Project to expand overseas with goal to open 10 stores in Southeast Asia and East Asia; The Green Project to plant 380,000 seeds.
  • December 2041 (20 years later): The Green Project to perform global warming research in partnership with research institutes. To check impact of tree planting on observed countries
  • 2041 - 2051: The Green Project to plant 1,006,000 seeds. The Green Project to expand in the US and Europe opening 15 The Green Project stores. 
  • 2051 - 2061: The Green Project to plant 1,360,000 seeds. The Green Project to expand in South Africa opening 10 stores. First 15,000 seeds to be planted in South Africa and remaining seeds to be distributed in other countries.
  • December 2061 (20 years later): The Green Project to perform global warming research in partnership with research institutes. To check impact of tree planting on observed countries
  • 2061 - 2071 - The Green Project to plant 1,560,000 seeds. The Green Project to expand in Europe. First 15,000 seeds to be planted in Europe, remaining seeds to be distributed in other countries.

Total Stores (2021 - 2071) = 73 stores

Total Planted Seeds (2021 - 2071) = 4,306,000 seeds

 

LONG TERM (50-100 years)

  • 2071 - 3021 - The Green Project to plant 12,800,000 seeds provided that the stores have expanded already to different parts of the world (173 stores worldwide)

Total Stores (2021 - 3021): 123 Stores

Total trees Planted (2021 - 3021): 17,106,000 Seeds


 


About the author(s)

  • Hadrean Ocampo lives in the Philippines and works as a Systems Engineer of an IT company headquartered in Denmark. In his three years of working experience, he has involved himself in different projects from different business sectors.  He holds a 2:1 (Upper Second Class) classification in BS (Honours) Computer Science. He is passionate about teaching and inspiring young professionals and developing business ideas in relation to social entrepreneurship. He continuously involves himself to different conferences and activities that will fuel his motivation and harness his knowledge to create a positive change and impact. Last year, March 2018, Hadrean was accepted to be part of the Asia-Pacific Innovation Academy with an offer of 100% scholarship. The program will teach him how to start his startup, giving him an understanding of the business landscape. Hadrean’s main strength is building good relationship and connection to the people around him. With this he has gained strong network which he sees would help him in his endeavor.

 

  • Ralph Jerrald t. Ocampo is a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering at STI College Las Pinas. An advocate of leadership, self-worth and positivity. He is one of the organizer and speaker in what he and his team called “Project L.I.P.S. (Leaders In Progress Speak)” wherein he was able to tour around the schools across National Capital Region of the Philippines to talk about leadership. He also believes that conserving the nature is one of the issues that must be given with utmost importance as the process to regenerate its positive growth takes a lot of time. He decided to join the team for this project to be able to share what he believes would be vital for a positive regeneration of nature in the future.


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References

Have a Cup of Coffee by Philippines Graphic (April 25, 2018)

Link: https://philippinesgraphic.net/have-a-cup-of-coffee/

 

Illegal Logging Killing Philippine Forests – OpEd by Dr. Michael A. Bengwayan (June 4, 2019)

Link: https://www.eurasiareview.com/04062019-illegal-logging-killing-philippine-forests-oped/

 

Which countries are most affected by deforestation by Nicola Mills (October 17, 2018)

Link: https://thriveglobal.com/stories/which-countries-are-most-affected-by-deforestation/

 

9 Most Consumed Beverages Around the World

Link: http://www.haleysdailyblog.com/9-most-consumed-beverages-around-the-world/

 

CLIMATE CHANGE: How does planting trees help?

Link: https://www.worldvision.com.au/global-issues/work-we-do/climate-change/how-does-planting-trees-help

 

TREES AND CLIMATE CHANGE: Why reforestation is vital?

Link: https://onetreeplanted.org/blogs/stories/trees-climate-change-reforestation

 

Trees: Protection from flash floods, landslides

Link: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2018/08/26/trees-protection-from-flash-floods-landslides/