Project's Problem Statement: As India revs up for a thrilling general election season in April 2024, the amount of waste generated continues to be a pressing concern. With millions of campaign materials, including posters, banners, flyers, and pamphlets, flooding streets, walls, and public spaces, the environmental impact of election-related waste would only escalate. Many of these materials end up littering streets, clogging drainage systems, and polluting water bodies, posing significant challenges to both urban and rural areas.

Proposed Solution: Ballot to Bin is an innovative and engaging project by the Global Shapers Jaipur Hub to transform election waste into tangible symbols of environmental and social progress. This project seeks to address the issue of waste generated during election periods by creatively repurposing discarded materials into meaningful products that tell stories of positive transformation and community impact. The project will aim to spread awareness about the issue of event waste by looking at one of the most high-volume waste-generating events - Indian Elections- and will pilot an implementation program in Jaipur and eventually shape policy on the matter.

Goals, Activities, Impact, and Metrics:

• 
  Awareness and Education:
  
  
  • Goal: Increase public awareness about waste reduction and recycling.
  
  
  • Activities: Run 2 social media campaigns and 1 on-ground event in Jaipur.
  
  
  • Impact: Inspire sustainable behaviours in individuals.
  
  
  • Metrics: Measure engagement metrics on social media, event attendance, and post-event surveys.
  
  
  
  


• 
  Management of Election Waste:
  
  
  • Goal: Responsibly recycle/process/repurpose election waste.
  
  
  • Activities:
    
    
    • Collaborate with 2 waste processing units.
    
    
    • Identify partners for waste reuse/repurposing.
    
    
    • Find vendors for eco-friendly election-related products.
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Impact: Reduce waste generated during elections.
  
  
  • Metrics: Tons of waste processed, partnerships established, and product sales.
  
  
  • Long Term Vision: Streamline the waste cycle with the City Municipal Body using technology to enable the seamless process
  
  
  
  


• 
  Policy Impact:
  
  
  • Goal: Influence policy changes for environmental sustainability in elections.
  
  
  • Activities:
    
    
    • Interview stakeholders to understand the landscape.
    
    
    • Publish a policy paper and engage stakeholders.
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Impact: Long-term systemic change in electoral processes.
  
  
  • Metrics: Policy adoption, stakeholder engagement, and media coverage.
  
  
  
  


• 
  Community Empowerment:
  
  
  • Goal: Empower communities to participate in sustainable initiatives.
  
  
  • Activities: Establish a sales channel for repurposed products.
  
  
  • Impact: Community engagement in environmental initiatives.
  
  
  • Metrics: Revenue generated, community participation, and project sustainability.