SPARKS | Season 2 Episode 3 : From Grounds up | DBS

Summary

In the video, Claire and her team from X-Grounds, a social enterprise, aim to revolutionize waste management by upcycling coffee grounds into consumer products like soap and candles. They face challenges convincing cafes and restaurants to adopt their collection service due to added costs. Despite rejections, they persist, leveraging social media to rally support and eventually partnering with Javas Coffee. The narrative also touches on personal growth, as Claire returns to school, inspired by her past experiences and the impact of small actions on a larger scale.

Takeaways

• 😄 The script revolves around Claire and her family's history with Hendra, hinting at a past where their parents tried to set them up.
• 🤝 Claire and her team approach a potential investor with an innovative idea to upcycle used coffee grounds into consumer products.
• 🌱 The goal of Claire's project is to change consumer behavior by making recycling and upcycling a part of everyday life.
• 👔 They create products like soap from coffee grounds, aiming to reduce waste and greenhouse gases.
• 💡 The team faces a challenge in convincing businesses to adopt their coffee grounds collection service due to the associated costs.
• 📈 They strategize to start with smaller cafes and use social media to create a movement that could attract larger businesses.
• 🚫 Despite a compelling pitch, a major coffee chain refuses to join their campaign due to concerns over profit margins and operational considerations.
• 🌟 The team persists, developing new products and proposing a partnership that could benefit the coffee chain and their campaign.
• 🎓 Claire decides to return to school to pursue a master's degree in sociology, indicating a personal growth and commitment to societal change.
• 🌍 The script concludes with a message about the collective impact of individual actions on the environment and the future.

Q & A

What is the main idea behind Claire and her team's project?

Claire and her team aim to change the way people think about waste by upcycling coffee grounds into everyday products such as soap bars, candles, and coasters.

Why is it important to recycle coffee grounds according to the script?

Recycling coffee grounds is important because it helps reduce greenhouse gases, as decomposing coffee grounds release methane, and it also creates a connection between consumers' daily coffee consumption and sustainable waste management.

What is the challenge faced by Claire's team in collecting coffee grounds from cafes and restaurants?

The challenge is that while most establishments are willing to give the coffee grounds for free, the transportation costs of collection are too high for them to bear, which means they have to charge a fee for collection to make the business sustainable.

What strategy does Claire's team propose to get big coffee chains on board with their initiative?

Claire's team proposes pitching to one of the big coffee chains and getting them on board to set an industry trend, which they believe will encourage other businesses to follow suit.

What is the grassroots movement proposed by Claire's team to involve smaller cafes and restaurants?

The grassroots movement involves getting smaller cafes and restaurants to join first, using social media to rally the public, and then leveraging the support to attract larger businesses to participate in the campaign.

What are the three new products developed by Jake and Leanne's social enterprise?

The three new products are a bar soap in the shape of a coffee cup made from coffee grounds, olive oil, and coconut oil; a coffee-scented candle made from soy and coffee grounds; and a coaster made from coconut shell fibers and compressed coffee grounds.

How does the partnership with Javas Coffee work according to the proposal?

The partnership involves Javas Coffee joining the campaign, allowing Claire's team to collect their coffee grounds to make products and put Javas Coffee's logo on them, which can then be retailed at all their stores.

What is the main concern expressed by Mr. de Souza, the representative from Javas Coffee, regarding the partnership?

Mr. de Souza's main concern is the added cost for Javas Coffee due to the collection service charges, as they are already operating on a thin profit margin.

How does Claire respond to Mr. de Souza's refusal to join the campaign?

Claire respectfully acknowledges the business considerations but emphasizes the collective impact of waste on everyone's future, arguing that there is a shared responsibility to fight for change.

What is Claire's personal plan after the events in the script?

Claire plans to go back to school to get her master's degree in sociology after the events in the script.