Privada Eau Minerale Naturale ... Aggressive Business, Flaccid Community Value. Rod it up, Mr. Baron!

Today, I bought “some” of the latest satchet-water sensation in town … Privada.

Privada Eau Naturale Minerale. 


I say … does it sound better and more impressive and intimidating in French? ‘Cus most of the water companies have a thing for writing Natural Mineral Water in French. (See image accompanying).

Privada is produced by Baron Distilleries, Ghana … a serious, aggressive business with the most in-your-face marketing campaigns in town, known mostly for its range of send-your-mamma-home alcoholic beverages.

They are unforgettable for a number of reasons, but it is names and slogans like: Pusher. Shaa lai pushwaa (or whatever that Chinese man says) … Playboy Dry Gin, and Captain’s Whisky etc which guarantee a hallucinogenic effect and gleeful aftermath that’ll make you slap your mamma.

The distillery is also known for its innovative and ingenius ways of plastic packaging of these alcoholic beverages … from the tot-a-pack types (where a little tightly-sealed plastic packet the size of two thumbs contains alcohol that fits in your pocket or little purse … and everywhere else and sells very economically too) to the interestingly shaped plastic bottles of gin, brandy, schnapps, bitters, etc.

And now … the sexy, sleek, super-cool tough plastic (PET/PE) satchet with a screw-top (similar to a bottle) containing 500ml of great-looking mineral water.

This design was actually practiced on their Playboy Gin Bitters (?) a short while ago, and must have garnered a good number of hearty cheers from the pubs, chop-bars, VIP suites and the numerous ‘blue kiosks’ littering our neighbourhoods to have prompted an appearance in the more “holy” water industry. 
Which is why I believe Mr. Baron is real smart and sleek. The guy nor dey waste time kwraa (he doesn’t waste time at all).

The plastic is tougher than the usual satchet water plastics, and it says PET/PE on the package itself. It shows that they are paying attention to the global standards of labeling plastics used for packaging one’s good, to enable efficient recycling.

BUT they do not have “Please Recycle” or even “Recycle!” Or “Can be Recycled” on it.

And I doubt even 10% of the Ghanaians drinking Privada will diligently search for those 2 or 3 rotating arrows which symbolize “recyclable” and say “Ahhhh! Can be recycled. Then plod over to a recycling plant and hand it over with honour and pride bubbling in their hearts.” 


Privada c/o Mr. Baron, please note: Ghanaians must be told to recycle, then battered over the heads with it until they cannot breath. Then, they will pay attention.

Lesson: two rotating arrows plus “PET/PE” in random positions on your fancy water satchet (which I like and they all like) does not mean shyte to us.

Baron also does not seem to have any website (I looked and searched, I assure you) that provides contacts, because I really want (and I intend to) to notify Mr. Baron about the importance of adding an aggressive recycling initiative to his aggressive marketing and packaging business model.

It is a successful business model. 
I respect him for it, and will be undoubtedly star-struck should I ever meet him, because I saw Baron Distilleries boomerang from little to mega in no time at all, and they keep getting more popular, better at what they do (making people feel “wheeee”), and now … actually making us feel “wheeee” even when drinking water.

Where did you say I can meet this man?

Anyway, off the drunken spiel and back to the main issue at hand.

Privada and the other Baron initiatives MUST begin a recycling initiative to lend a more humane and sustainable focus to their existence; call it a sort of CSV, if you will.

They must, like Nestle and some other big beverage companies are doing (or attempting to do well), set up a system which enables them to collect all the plastics put out there by the purchase of their alcoholic beverages, and now water (Privada … Privada) for bulk recycling,  either by an entity like BlowPlast or Zoomlion or Trashy Bags etc they can partner with OR for bulk recycling by Baron Distilleries itself.

It must not simply put these plastic packages out there, and call it a done deal.

Who should collect those discarded Privada satchets? And those discarded alcoholic plastic bottles? Who should be responsible for them, even if it means educating the public on where to send these bottles after use?  Baron must spear-head this responsibility.

Hence, Privada for example, must have on it, in addition to the plastic grade … “Can be Recycled” Or “Please Recycle”.

Privada must set up collection points at vantage locations in all areas where Privada is/can be sold.

And Privada must ensure that this wonderful business innovation that has aggressively and successfully catapulted it into the spotlight of the satchet water-drinking public in Ghana (safe to peg this public majority at 99% of the population, no?) will impress us even more with these measures being adopted to keep the environment safe from it.

We love Privada, Mr. Baron … but not enough to forget the environment. Neither should you.

Recycle. Reuse. Sustain.

Yes, you can.

Snapple is trying it out … and so far, well …. not so bad. (Google 'em up if you want to know more. Hint : Snapple ... Dr. Pepper Snapple ... ~~Sustainability.)

Snapple: all natural. Made from the best stuff on earth.

Privada Eau Naturale Minerale: Natural Mineral Water. Made in Ghana by Baron Water House. Erm … and that’s all.

P.S:

By the way …. Have you read about our $3500 biogas facility fundraiser for a little farmstead cattle ranch village in the Upper West Region yet? See here, and donate. Looking for 100 people to donate $35 each. 85 people to go!

3 weeks to go! Crazy weeks ahead!

Modern technology
Owes ecology
An apology (Alan M. Eddison)

Ain't that true!

Heard Japan has pledged to cut down on their carbon emissions 25% by 2020! Should all other countries follow, we are in for the greenest, lushest, most fantastic half-decade ever! A time-frame which is sure to see us enjoying the fruits of our labour.

15th October, 2009 is Action Blogging Day, and the topic chosen for this year is Climate Change. Furthermore, the Copenhagen international climate conference will be happening in December. Seems like this year is for the Green-ies!

It's a dream. A wonderful dream. Painstakingly achievable, but highly feasible.

So ....!

Have you told your friends and family about the 17th October yet?
Marked it on your calendar already?
Called up your 4-man posse members on prepping for it?
Have you asked your company to attend as part of its Corporate Social Responsibilities ... yet?

If you didn't know ... entry fee is only GH 2.00 cedis.
You come as a 4-member group, its only GH 6.00 cedis.

Reggie's "Take the Mic" ticket will be out soon, and can be bought ahead of time, or at the gate.
That one is going at GH 20.00 cedis for 150 people. So book your ticket ahead of time if you can help it!

The Charity Ball tickets are also out already, and will be available for purchase at the fair grounds on the 17th October as well. I have delivered a few to friends and corporates already, so if you need any, just let me know! It's for 200 people. It will have presentations and short talks from select lead experts, specialists, ground-breaking companies, foreign investors, and financiers - on the evening's programme.

It will have celebrities, famous personalities, achievers in the corporate world, and amazing mavericks who have done the once-thought-of impossible! If you can afford it, DON'T MISS OUT on this ball! I assure you! The networking, financial, investment possibilities are endless.

3 WEEKS TO GO!
I was in Elmina on Founder's Day ... met with the Project Manager for Cyclus Elmina Plastic Waste Recycling Plant in Aburansa-Komenda in Elmina.
Very personable man, and passionate about Sustainable efforts ... a man who had spent 9 years in Cameroon working on wind power projects and water engineering.

I went to see what Cyclus Elmina was all about, and how our fundraising efforts for a Plastic Waste Recycler in Accra could fit into their agenda - for better synergy. Also to learn as much about the process and its inputs as possible.

I didn't regret the trip. All my studies, readings, and research on possible end-products of plastic recycling, both occurring in other parts of Africa, and yet to happen ... were already being tested by Wim and his team in Elmina.
By the end of the meeting, I had had more than enough knowledge on how such a plant worked, and gotten a signed agreement from Cyclus Elmina to support in Accra, in terms of Plastic Waste collection (as totally as possible),education and training (of local inhabitants).

We were worried that they were not getting enough plastic waste to meet the plant's quota in Elmina ... whereas those who claimed to be collecting it in Accra seemed blind to those scattered all over the streets, and every other available space in the capital city! Apparently, deals are struck with hotels, schools, and institutions, and they collect directly from selected sources.

Here at ESF, we intend to give the money-less, homeless teens the opportunity to make 100% of the money paid by Cyclus for this plastic waste .... by hiring them on to actually collect those littering our neighbourhoods, as well as talk to the households living in those communities, so that they pick up directly from them.

Whatever cash is paid by Cyclus Elmina, we pay back 100% to them after weighing. Our focus is to clean up the plastic litter, and make sure Cyclus's plant is being utilised to the max! Cyclus also issues cheques weekly to pay, so is sorta better than most other plastic-using manufacturers in the country, who are less regular (or less reliable about paying).

You can see some of the pictures from my Elmina trip to Cyclus, and also at the guest house, where i stayed overnight.

With 3 weeks to go, I am still working on getting as many sustainable businesses and ideas involved in the Fair and the Ball, as is possible.

Here's to THE GREENFOOT CAMPAIGN!! Hip hip hooorah!

Lol. What a silly goose! I just love it! lol!

See you all soon, guys! Mwah!!

When I got to China ... and plastic recycle machinery

When I got to China ...

... and I am not talking about actually getting on a plane and flying over there ... or being there physically ... lol

You see, I was browsing online for the best locations to make enquiries for a customised waste plastic recycling set of machinery ... that can also produce plastic tiles for different uses ... therefore in different shapes and sizes.
I browsed and browsed and browsed ... and kept coming back round to Chinese and Taiwanese sites ...

Finally, I settled on a site called B2B or so ... and it promised to be the best, most reliable directory of Chinese machine-manufacturers.

Why was i in China at all ... I was starting a process which I hoped would ultimately lead me to a maufacturer who could specially design a waste plastic machinery of the specs stated just earlier, and also make me aware of the costs involved, as well as any particularly essential preparations that ought to go along with it ... such as the area needed to house the entire spread, the noise levels, the left-over materials likely ... and so on.

Now, China has a lot of stuff that impressed me ... from the machinery to solar table-lamps to solar lawn lights, and solar invertors, solar chargers, and anything you could dream of ... all possible to have in your own design ... AT HIGH (or low) COST ... depends on your choice (or common sense).

So I am now left with filtering everything down to specific machinery types and costs. Its a headache, it is.

So, so far ... these are on the iterinary:
Solar light Co. for specific specs on their solar panels and invertors
Search out any other suppliers, importers, experts in solar
Acquire firm idea of our support base - partners
Seek the police service's position on street events organised for specific campaigns
.............................................

Thats 5% ... and I can still see much to list.
I think I will hit my blackboard again and come back to you with specifics and results ...
... maybe even a voice recording or 2!

For now, however, check out our website: http://www.energysolutionsghana.webs.com/

Will be back in a shake!