Project: Thuk Tuk (Plastic Reduction & Clean Water)
Team Members:
Vanida Lim, Project Lead
Project Motivation:
EcoEap is passionate about helping third world countries, such as Cambodia, who may not have access to tools and education as much as North America. We are committed to impacting the climate crises, whether it is reducing pollution, providing clean water and affordable energy, offering sustainability ideas –– or all.
“Thuk” is “water” pronounced in Cambodian and “Tuk” derives from the term, “tuk-tuk”, which is a portable motorized vehicle popularly known in Southeast Asia. Together, it depicts “water on wheels”, which plays on the idea of EcoEap’s vision of traveling to bring water stations across Asia.
EcoEap believes this is an all-encompassing project initiative that focuses on empowering the youth to ensure they are being educated on the environmental impacts and how it will affect their future. We want to spark that inspiration and teamwork desire to create positive impacts across the country. The water crisis for Cambodia is just one example of consequences due to pollution and its effects on the planet. What drives EcoEap to fight climate change is the ability to see that change can happen by working together and it must start somewhere.
Summary:
EcoEap's "Project Thuk Tuk" aims to tackle the water crisis and plastic waste in our native country, Cambodia, by introducing “water stations” that can both dispense clean drinkable water and collect returned plastic water bottles. The incentive is a tagged, branded reusable water bottle (in exchange for plastic bottles) that can then be filled-up at our water stations for free by scanning the unique code. Based around a “rewards” program, the stations will firstly be installed within schools and eventually across cities, which students can track, collect points and redeem for school supplies or swag, such as eco-friendly backpacks or notebooks. In a third world country like Cambodia, purchasing bottled water is the universal trust for clean water because it is the easiest and cheapest drinking method. Project Thuk Tuk aims to be the alternative to that by educating and raising awareness, becoming an advocate to reduce plastic waste.
Skills & Resources Needed:
Skills and resources we need to continue our project (see PDF for details):
- Technical engineers to create the water station that provides clean drinkable water and accepts plastic, aluminum and glass containers
- Subject matter experts in water quality and water filtration
- Programmers and developers to create mobile application
- Cambodian local that understands their health and law regulations for drinkable water
- Local water filter specialist to check water level standards on a daily basis
- Startup expert to advise on slide deck and pitch of Project Thuk Tuk for potential investors
- Create Customer Discovery survey to determine customer’s needs and expectations of water station
- Research Cambodia’s health regulations and current tap water conditions
- Confirm Cambodian government’s cooperation with Project Thuk Tuk
- Project revenues from sales of water and recycled bottles
- Determine estimated costs of water stations
- Propose partnerships with corporations or non-profit organizations
- Prepare slide deck with breakdown of revenue and costs to potential investors to receive pre-seed funding
Post-Capsule Goals:
Accelerator Program
University Partnership or Collaboration
Private Research Program
Entrepreneurial Program
Launching Your Own Startup
Hobby Project
Incubator Program
Sustainable Development Goals:
Quality Education
Clean Water and Sanitation
Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
Sustainable Cities and Communities
Responsible Consumption and Production
Climate Action
Life on Land