When I was a high school freshman, my English Teacher asked me this question – “If you could create anything, what would it be?” I immediately drew up plans for a calculator that could take pictures of math problems and give me the answers to my algebra homework. But when she was asked the same question, her answer rang in my ears loud enough that I still remember it today. “If I could make anything I wanted, I’d make a chute to Africa. That way all my old things could go to people who really needed them and not in the trash.” This mythical item may seem impossible to create, but its central idea could solve a large problem with today’s society; donation inconvenience. While people cannot build a system of chutes and analytical computers through the core of the earth; we may be able to connect everyone together in a more realistic way. A donation collection service could put a large dent in many of the problems our world faces today, including poverty, high amounts of trash production, and negative environmental impact. But who has time to drive around and pick up peoples’ old shoes and backpacks? The answer to this problem lies in the business of the very thing we humans make the most; waste.
There are many different organizations that are working to keep waste out of landfills. People like...
While these organizations are great -- taking old items to Goodwill or Salvation Army is a process many people just don’t have time for today.
I surveyed 100 people and asked them this question: "What are the two main reasons you do not donate items?"
45.5% responded “It’s easier to just throw things away” and 43.4% answered “Its inconvenient to donate them” (Donation Collection Service Survey).
So, what can we do to get these people to donate? My answer is to make donation as easy and convenient as throwing out the trash.
I propose that The City of Dayton implement a dual stream collection service in the community. However, instead of having a bin for paper and a bin for everything else – we would have a bin for donations and a bin for everything else.
-- (Disposal)
This service would make donating easier and more convenient, because it incorporates the same steps people use to take their trash out into the steps, they would use to make a donation.
With this service -- not only would we be reducing peoples’ negative environmental impact, but we would also be decreasing poverty, and assisting with the reduction of trash production in our community.
While this all sounds fabulous in a theoretical sense, perhaps it isn’t actually realistic. Besides -- why would we want to add a whole new service and complicate the trash disposal process even more? It works the way it is right?
My answer to that is this; what will our kids be saying ten years from now? Will they still be saying that “it works?” Or will they be migrating to the desert because we filled up the space, WE weren’t already occupying with garbage that THEY could be using to build their homes and clothe our grandkids?
This process may seem difficult, but it IS possible, and even – I dare to say – necessary. Let’s look at the first step. This idea is solely based off of my research and is clearly still in the beginning stages, but let's pretend for a moment it is 100% possible. How would we make it work?
While this part of "A Chute to Africa" appears logical, it can sometimes cause concern. But before we write off this solution because of potential flaws -- lets take a look at what Goodwill has to say about these apprehensions.
What constitutes as "sellable"?
If your wondering what you can and cannot donate to Goodwill its really easy to find out on their website (linked below).
Do we wash our clothes and other items before putting them in the bin?
Goodwill also discusses its criteria for the quality, and condition of the items (washed/unwashed clothes) they accept on this page.
So if customers of this service are unsure about wether they can donate an item or not, it is really easy to find out!
If Goodwill determines the items I donate are "unsellable" what happens to them?
When it comes to the fate of unsellable items, unfortunately, Goodwill must dispose of them (as seen in picture above). However, this risk is part of donation services everywhere.
It is inevitable that people will donate things unsuitable for reuse. But through this service that item had a chance to be reused instead of it just going in the garbage. This way too, someone may donate something they are unsure is donatable, and it could turn out as worthy of being sold by Goodwill. This chance prevents items from going in the trash, and gives someone else something they need.
Doesn't Goodwill sell the things they collect?
They do indeed. However, the money they make goes right back into their business to help pay their employees, and handle the costs of running this wonderful organization. Goodwill provides employment and job resources too many people in need. It also sells their items at affordable prices and works hard to support the communities their stores are apart of.
(Learn more about Goodwill and their mission at...)
One final potential problem I would like to address here is...
What if I want to donate things Goodwill won't take; like large furniture, or bed related items?
...and I must confess I don't really have an answer. But while this obstacle may still remain in our path, I believe that this idea has enough merit to warrant an attempt, considering it has solved so much already.
Based off of all of this, I believe it is safe to say that...
Goodwill is the solution to the storage issue that our Donation Pick Up Service faces.
Since the donatable goods will be going straight to Goodwill, The City of Dayton will not have to worry about the work it would take to sort and distribute these items. Goodwill will take care of that process.
Because of Goodwill, The City of Dayton would not be required to add on to their facilities, employ more people, or pay the employees they already have overtime.
The next - and most cumbersome - obstacle this service must hurdle, is money. We've learned how this service is going to run, but who is going to pay for all of this?
"The costs to run this service will be completely supported by the fees we will charge the customers."
-- (Donation Collection Service Survey)
I am proposing that this service be self-sustaining and non-profit. This approach will help keep the price of the service as low as possible. As long as consumers are only paying for the costs associated with this service, they will be able to support it.
For the City of Dayton providing one day of services cost around $50,000....
-- (Moorman and Demitt)
...and in 2010, there were 57,778 lived in households that were serviced by Dayton, Ohio.
(All households in Dayton, Ohio are serviced by The City of Dayton)
-- (Dayton, OH | Official Website)
Inspired by this information, I conducted a survey to try and calculate the potential cost of this service, and determine potential interest...
Let's say that it could be guaranteed that the 44% who answered “maybe” would be interested. Based off of the data from my survey, we would potentially have an interest of 57/100 people.
If this data is calculated (to scale) based off the total households in Dayton, Ohio, we could potentially have an interest of 25,422 people.
That is a lot of people who could help make this potential trash collection service affordable and realistic.
Now that we know how many people we have to potentially work with, lets look at the cost..
It costs the City of Dayton around $50,000 to run a service for one day. Since I am proposing this service be offered monthly, I multiplied $50,000 by 12 and came to the conclusion that this service would cost about $600,000 a year to provide.
But still, $600,000 isn't just pocket change. Right?
Wrong. At least...not when split between 25,422 customers.
Ummm...thats not bad. Not bad at all. I would be willing to spare $20 a year to help save the planet and help people in need...How about you?
Soooo....that number is just a tiny bit larger than before...
..But get this! In my survey I also asked: “If the fee for this service were around $150, would you be willing to pay for it?”
- 27% responded “no”
- 30% responded “yes”
- 41% responded “maybe.”
(there were also various other personal responses)
That’s 17% more interested people than there were at the $200 price tag.
Goodwill also helps you claim your donation on your taxes, by offering a donation calculator tool, so customers know how much they can claim on their taxes. This feature would help save customers even more, and increase appeal to non-profit supporters.
Based off of this data, we can conclude that as the price goes down...more and more people will be willing to pay for this service...
Buy how can we make sure these people, who could be interested, become 100% interested in paying for this service?
So, let’s say, we begin this process, by offering this service at the $80 price.
In my survey, I also asked “If you knew costs would go down for this service as it gained more customers, and time went on, would that make you more willing to pay a higher price up front?”
- 67.7% answered "yes"
- 32.3% answered "no"
Therefore we can practically guarantee that if this service was offered at a beginning price of $80, it would not be that much for long. As people drive through the beautiful city of Dayton, and notice our brightly colored, and uniquely painted donation collection bins, this idea would gain more and more popularity.
With this service, there could be a girl sitting a classroom, wearing a marathon runners $300 pair of “worn out” running shoes, instead of rubber and laces breaking down in a landfill.
We may not have the power to ship our leftovers to hungry kids in Africa....
...or give our children calculators that can take photos and do their homework...
....but we do have the power to support those around us.
This service will combat the largest enemy donation centers and struggling families face today; inconvenience. While there may still be many questions about this idea one thing is for sure...
If we – as humans – don’t start doing our part to clean up the planet, and help others; sooner or later it’s not going to matter. One day...we’ll all wake up swimming in our own garbage, and regretting our decisions. In fact, it may get so bad that some of us might just not wake up at all.
If you feel as passionate about this topic as me, and you have a minute...consider signing the petition linked below. It means one thing to talk about it, and a completely different thing to take action. So let's save our home. All it takes is one second.
Works Cited
“About T4T << T4T Online.” T4T Online, Two Bit Circus Coundations, t4tonline.org/about/
“Dayton, OH | Official Website.” Dayton, OH | Official Website, www.daytonohio.gov/.
Disposal, Homewood. “Sorting and Recycling Facility - Follow the Process.” YouTube, YouTube, 20 July 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Lzsu8SXaWY.
Elster, Jon. “Altruistic Behavior and Altruistic Motivations.” Handbook of the Economics of Giving, Altruism and Recprocity. pp. 183-206. 2006.
Moorman, Rachel L, and Anonymizes. “Phone Interview with Goodwill Sales Manager.” 17 Apr. 2019.
Moorman, Rachel L, and Ryan Demitt. “Interview with Waste Collection Supervisor.” 17 Apr. 2019.
Moorman, Rachel L. “Donation Collection Service Survey.” Dayton, 18 Apr. 2019.
SciShow. “How Recycling Works.” YouTube, YouTube, 11 June 2015, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7GMpjx2jDQ.
“U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Dayton City, Ohio.” Census Bureau QuickFacts, www.census.gov/quickfacts/daytoncityohio.
Look below to view the Constitution of the upcoming Wright State University organization WeAreGenZ. Contact Rachel Moorman at (937) 715-0060 for more information, questions, or concerns about this organization.
Constitution of WeAreGenZ
Article I: Name
Section 1: The name of this organization shall be WeAreGenZ, hereafter referred to as, GenZ.
Article II: Purpose
Section 1: The purpose of GenZ shall be to assist in making Wright State and its students a more environmentally aware university, as well as to present opportunities for students to apply sustainable choices in student spaces. This will be done by working to petition Wright State decision makers to offer environmentally friendly alternatives to the not eco-friendly options the campus currently provides. Gen Z will also work to establish new conservation initiatives that are not currently available on campus but are deemed important and in demand by the students of WeAreGenZ.
Article III: Membership
Section 1: The membership of this organization shall consist of enrolled Wright State University students. Wright State University organizations are for Wright State University students only.
Section 2: GenZ and its members shall not discriminate against any individuals for reasons of race, national origin, color, religion, gender, age, veteran status, sexual orientation, and/or ability status.
Section 3: Membership in this group shall be open to all who are interested and willing to volunteer at least one hour of time per academic year and commit to writing five donation letters. Members must also agree with and abide by the non-discriminatory code of ethics outlined in Article III. Section 2.
Section 4: Membership responsibilities shall include attending at least half of the bi-weekly meetings held each semester. It is also required that members help at at-least one volunteering event. Members must also contribute a positive attitude and be willing to explore and promote new ideas about sustainability on campus.
Section 5: Dues for this organization shall be paid in the form of donation letters. Every member will be expected to write a letter to five friends and family with details about themselves and the organization. This letter will ask the receiver to contribute however much they see fit to the group on the member’s behalf. If the member is unable to provide the letters, a due of $25 will be accepted in their place. If money is still the only thing preventing a potential member from joining, and it is deemed appropriate by the President and Vice President, the potential member may donate one hour of service to the group for every $3 of the dues they would have been expected to pay. This will result in eight hours of service in addition to the one expected for regular membership. These dues will be used to support advertising for the group, provide a t-shirt to all members, provide refreshments for meetings and supply all events that are put on by WeAreGenZ.
Section 6: Members may be dismissed if they…
• By an official vote, more than two-thirds of the members shall decide if the member in question should be investigated. Members will then hold a “hearing” where three non-biased “judges” will listen to evidence both for and against the member’s removal. The judges will then vote on whether the evidence is worthy of possible expulsion from the group. The evidence will pass only if two-thirds of the judges vote in favor of validating the evidence. Once the evidence is found worthy, the issue will proceed to be voted on by the group as a whole. The member may only be removed if more than two-thirds of members vote in favor of removing the member.
Members may be investigated if
• Has any type of rude outburst where other members feel threatened or un-safe.
• Continually breaks rules outlined in the constitution’s rules of membership. (Article III. Section 2).
• Does not complete one hour of service to the group for at least one service event.
• Does not attend at least half of the meetings for the year.
• Do provide five donation letters, or their $25 dues by their third attended meeting.
If the member is found guilty of these trespasses by an official vote of two-thirds of the organization, the member will be asked to leave the organization and no longer attend the meetings.
Article IV: Officers
Section 1: The officers of the organization shall consist of…
• President –The President will be in charge of presiding over meetings by using Parliamentary Procedure. They will also be in charge of creating (and being) the face of our organization. All designs (social media posts, t-shirt designs, flyers, etc.) that will be representing the group -- must be approved by either the President or Vice President. The President will only vote on issues resulting in a tie. The President or Vice President will be the head of committees and groups. All committees and groups must be approved by either the President or Vice President. The President is also expected to complete CEP Training through Wright State University.
• Vice President – The Vice President shall preside over meetings in the President's absence. The Vice President will lead committees and organizations alongside the President. The Vice President will be in charge of reminding all members about upcoming meeting and event dates and keeping in contact with members about conflicts and questions. The Vice President is also expected to complete CEP Training through Wright State University
• Secretary - The Secretary will keep the minutes at the meetings of both officers and members, as well as attendance for the group. The Secretary will be in charge of GenZ’s Engage account. Through this platform, the Secretary will keep track of, and schedule events and meetings.
• Treasurer - The Treasurer will keep track of all expenses and transactions the organization incurs. The Treasurer will also be in charge of organizing fundraisers and generating money for the organization, as well as keeping track of funds generated and donated to the group.
• Head of Social Media – As Head of Social Media, this officer will be in charge of the organization’s social media presence. The Head of Social Media will create posts based on club activities and meetings, as well as use forums to remind members about dates of importance. The Head of Social Media will document important organization activities and milestones.
• Website Coordinator – The Website Coordinator will be in charge of creating a website that details and explains our group and project mission. This website will serve as an essential tool for recruiting and spreading our message in a professional, easy to access way. This website will also document important group events and milestones and show the community more about us.
Section 2: In order to qualify for an officer position in WeAreGenZ, members must have contributed their five Donation Letters or $25 dues. They must also agree not to break the rules of membership listed in Article III. Section 2. Officers must be a fulltime student at Wright State University. Officers must donate three or more hours of service to the group, have attended more than half of the bi-weekly meetings prior to their election, promote a stellar positive attitude and inspire others to create new environmentally friendly opportunities on campus. Officers must also have been a part of GenZ for at least one year prior to their election to the post.
Section 3: The selection of officers shall be done by majority vote in the first meeting of every year.
Section 4: The term of each office shall be one year from the first week staring on February 1st and ending on January 31st the following year.
Section 5: Should an officer’s position become vacant during his/her term, the remaining officers and members will hold an extra election where the majority vote will decide the replacement.
Section 6: The provisions for removal of an officer include…
• By an official vote, more than two-thirds of the members shall decide the officer in question should be investigated. Members will then hold a “hearing” where three non-biased “judges” will listen to evidence both for and against the officer’s removal. The judges will then vote on whether the evidence is worthy of possible expulsion from the group. The evidence will pass only if two-thirds of the judges vote in favor of validating the evidence. Once the evidence is found worthy, the issue will proceed to be voted on by the group as a whole. The officer may only be removed if more than two-thirds of members vote in favor of removing the officer.
Officers may be investigated…
• If the officer has any type of rude outburst where other members feel threatened or un-safe.
• Continually breaks rules outlined in the constitution’s rules of membership. (Article III. Section 2).
• Is unable to contribute three hours of service to the group.
• Does not promote a positive attitude to the group
• Ceases to inspire members to create new sustainable opportunities on campus.
• Does not attend more than half of the bi-weekly meetings for the year.
• If the officer does not provide five donation letters, or their $25 dues by their third attended meeting.
If the officer is found guilty of these trespasses by an official vote of more than two-thirds of the members of the organization, the officer will be asked to leave the organization and no longer attend the meetings.
Article V: Advisor
Section 1: Our organization advisor must be a full-time member of the faculty, administration, or staff of Wright State University.
Section 2: The duties and responsibilities of the advisor shall be to offer a professional opinion and guidance to the members and officers of WeAreGenZ. As well as to assist the group as a voice of reason. The advisor may also serve as a liaison for any Wright State affiliated functions, by helping the group communicate with other faculty and staff members and getting the group in touch with officials regarding WeAreGenZ business on campus.
Section 3: Should the position of advisor become vacant during the year the group will continue to meet while actively seeking a new advisor. If the advisor position is not filled by the upcoming officer elections, the group will cease to meet until a new advisor can be found.
Section 4: The provisions for removal of an advisor include…
• Has any type of rude outburst where other members feel threatened or unsafe.
• Continually breaks rules outlined in the constitution’s code of ethics. (Article III. Section 2).
• Does not attend at least half of the meeting for the year
Article VI: Meetings
Section 1: Regular meetings of the organization shall be held bi-weekly. Meetings will be set at the beginning of each semester.
Section 2: Special meetings of the organization shall be held in cases of emergency such as…
• Sudden extreme opportunities for growth
• Sudden need for entire group approval/vote
• If all of the members agree to meet an extra time during the semester. (Must be a unanimous decision that is voted on at the planned meeting prior to the extra meeting.)
All special meetings must be registered -- by the Secretary -- through Engage and with the University Activities Board at least 5 days in advance.
Article VII: Committees
Section 1: All permanent committees shall be formed by… (Clearly list each committee and the function and specific duties of each)
Section 2: All ad-hoc committees shall be formed by… (Clearly list each committee and the function and specific duties of each. The best way to keep all information about an organization is on OrgSync. This way no notebooks or paper files can be lost.)
Article VIII: Dues
Section 1: A one-time due of $25 or Five donation letters must be submitted to the treasurer by the members’ third attended meeting of the semester. If money is the only thing preventing a potential member from joining -- and it is deemed appropriate by the President and Vice President -- the potential member may donate one hour of service to the group for every $3 of the dues they would have been expected to pay. This will result in eight hours of service in addition to the one expected for regular membership. These dues will be used to support advertising for the group, provide a t-shirt to all members, provide refreshments for meetings and supply all events that are put on by WeAreGenZ.
Article IX: Amendments
Section 1: This constitution shall be amended by a vote of 2/3 majority of the membership at any regular or special meeting.
Section 2: Provision for advance notice of amendment shall be informed prior to the meeting by the vice president through email. As well as by announcements by the President at two meetings prior to the amendment change.
Date Ratified (Insert date the constitution is initially ratified)
Date Revised (Insert date the constitution is revised)
Credits:
Created with images by Markus Spiske - "untitled image" • PublicDomainPictures - "scrapyard recycling dump" • CopleyNathan - "rubbish litter trash" • Mari Partyka - "untitled image" • jarmoluk - "architect building joy" • Matthew Henry - "untitled image" • MabelAmber - "feet footwear shoes" • monicore - "eggs raw dairy" • Kelly Sikkema - "untitled image" • Cristian Newman - "untitled image" • 8249023 - "water sea ocean" • Javardh - "untitled image" • Christopher Campbell - "untitled image" • Luca Zanon - "untitled image" • obpia30 - "clock time alarm clock" • Lucas Sankey - "untitled image"