Melissa McAleer 52 Barberie Avenue

Highlands, NJ 07732 m.nagiel@verizon.net

201-618-7376

Overview Team’s Name

Luniver’s Future

Purpose To create a sustainable business by utilizing existing

unwanted plastic resources to benefit the environment and the people of Belize

Primary Contact Melissa McAleer 52 Barberie Avenue Highlands, NJ 07732 m.nagiel@verizon.net 201-618-7376

The Issue I discovered scuba diving a few years ago in Ambergris Caye, Belize. The small

island is full of local Caribbean charm, tropical fish adorn the coral reef like jewels and the people are warm and proud of their history and their island. All beaches along the perimeter of the island are public (even resort-front property) and used as one of the main island roads by tourists and school children alike.

The one problem that clouds the beauty of this small Caye is plastic. Coca-Cola bottles, plastic dolls, plastic bags, mismatched flip flops – plastic of every shape and size litters these beautiful beaches. Plastic dunes sometimes 10 feet wide clash with the otherwise paradise –like landscape.

There is a sad twist to this often familiar picture. The plastic is not local. It is carried by the currents from other places and deposited along the island’s shoreline. Due to limited resources and funds which make transferring it to the mainland cost prohibitive, most of it is cleaned up periodically by volunteer groups and burned right on the island.

This issue is not exclusive to Belize but the country thrives thanks to tourism and the people there understand and appreciates the value of its beaches and coral reef. Thus, it is the perfect place to implement a sound, sustainable mitigation plan.

The Solution The solution is simple and based on the premise of recycling and reusing with

minimum impact on the environment. What Ambergris Caye needs is a small company that manufactures building

materials (for example: decking composite). Because virtually everything has to be shipped to the island, building a home can be expensive so local lumber is often used.

Environmental Impact Building materials would be made from recycled plastic found on the

island. It would eliminate the plastic dunes as well as the need to burn. It would provide a local building resources thus lowering the cost of building a home and preserving local resources.

The company could use solar power to minimize its footprint. Financial Benefit In addition to the environmental benefit, the company would become another

source of jobs. Moreover, if the operation was to expand, plastic from mainland Belize could

be brought over in small increments, again, providing additional income to the local community

Finally, the company would be co-owned by the local population of the island

Customer Base The company would initially sell to the local population but as it

expanded, it would be able to export its products to the mainland.

I think the cost would have to be competitive to make it worth buying the product rather than buying lumber or shipping building materials from the mainland.

Additionally, the company could negotiate a tax incentive or discounts in return for the intake of plastic from the mainland.

The goal is not to create big business but to allow for the company to sustain itself. The cost benefits of this business idea are intended to be far beyond the bottom line.

Additionally, the vision is for a portion of the profits to go to the local ownership population.

Technology Technology is probably the least detailed part of this

business idea. I am not a scientist or a manufacturer so I would look to partner with someone who has an understanding of the mechanics.

As described before, the primary resource would be recycled plastic. The goal of course would be to ensure the absence of chemicals or anything else that would produce additional pollution.

The product itself is most likely not new; it is the business idea in the context of an island that has an abundance of unwanted resource to create a self sustaining business solution that benefits the environment and the people.

Marketing/Sales Given the size of the island, the local community

would become aware of a new company very quickly. Holding meetings with local leaders, providing an article in the local paper, and providing demos of the product would all be possible as part of the marketing strategy.

For a broader reach, articles in various publications, both contractor focused as well as scuba diving enthusiasts could be placed. I anticipate costs for advertising would be relatively low.

Competitors From a strict product perspective, the competitors would

be building materials manufacturers on the mainland and/or local lumber sellers. Whereas the imported building materials may be equally good, I suspect they would be more expensive. Additionally, creating a business partnership with the local community, would provide an incentive to purchase locally.

Lumber would undoubtedly be less expensive but would be less durable due to humidity and insects.

Another category of competitors would be other businesses entrepreneurs who could develop a similar idea. The local government would not be a factor as it does not appear to have the funds or resources to create a similar initiative.

Organizational Structure Currently, the “team” comprises of me and my

husband, John, who shares my passion for preserving the environment. I am a lawyer by profession and have spent the last 10+ years working in compliance for some of the largest financial industries. John is a paramedic and has an amazing ability to get folks to see things from different points of view.

Eventually, the owners would include local members of the island community.

Financials This is a bit difficult to determine particularly since the company would

function in a foreign country so applicable laws and regulations would need to be met in order to commence operations.

The island isn’t that large so within a short amount of time, the building materials would have to be exported. I do believe that if the operation is successful in Belize, that this model could be expended to other Caribbean islands with similar issues. This could provide a source of traditional financial growth.

I think a initial investment of capital would enable the company to take off within a number of years as long as the process was not impeded by governmental delays. The local partnership model could provide the additional benefit of additional funds or resources given their vested interest in the company.

Further research would need to be done to create a detailed business plan to attract additional investors

Sustainability Many of the previous slides covered the issue of

sustainability. The entire business model is based on the premise that it the building materials are created from recycled plastic provides a viable solution to reusing incoming plastic brought by the oceans’ currents exists. Theoretically, if Ambergris Caye was able to eliminate every last bottle that is lying on the beach, the fundamental reason for the company would cease to exist.

Additionally, building materials are by design intended to last, thus ensuring long-term use for the recycled material.

Next Steps Thus far, this is all an idea that could be made possible with the

right funding. Discussions with the local Belizean government would need to take place as well as defining the exact science and mechanics behind this product. I would want to reach out to the local business community to coordinate efforts.

Every so often, I read a blog about someone else observing the same issue and hoping for a solution. I have the energy and the passion. I would like to do this both for the beautiful coral reef and for the people of Ambergris Caye. I want to be able to at least slow down the pollution of our planet.

In the meantime, I recycle and compost, I walk and I clean up our local beaches. I joined my town’s environmental committee and I continue to scuba dive.