Plastic pollution is undoubtedly one of the most pressing challenges facing humanity today. Significant action is required in order to properly address this rapidly growing threat. The Circular Economy provides a promising model for solution design in terms of responsible consumption and production. Countdown: Circular Economy Solutions is an organization created by Jasmine Amoako-Agyei focused on addressing the threat of plastic pollution in the United States and Ghana, West Africa. The first part of this report will explain the severity of the global plastic pollution crisis and challenges with recycling. It will then present the Circular Economy as a viable model for a course of action. From there it will explain the efforts of Countdown: Circular Economy Solutions over the last two with a pathway forward. This venture leveraged the greater ASU ecosystem of resources such as Walton Sustainability Solutions, Precious Plastic ASU, the Luminosity Lab, Changemaker Central, Venture Devils, Engineering Projects in Community Service (ASU), Gary K. Herberger Young Scholars Academy, KNUST, and Ashesi D: Lab.
Students completing a Cross-Sector Leadership certificate through ASU's Next Generation Service Corps program are required to take a course on social entrepreneurship. In partnership with the program and Tony's Chocolonely, a Dutch chocolate company working to make 100% slave free the norm in the chocolate industry, a semester-long course has been designed for this, including a week-long study abroad element to the company headquarters in Amsterdam. This required designing 15 weeks of academic content from start to finish; planning a trip itinerary and budget; collaborating with employees from Tony's Chocolonely, the ASU Global Education Office, the UNDP, and the Next Generation Service Corps at ASU; and preparing all of the material necessary for proposing a study abroad course for a future course instructor to present to the Global Education Office when it is ready to be implemented.
Social Entrepreneurship has become a major trend in the business world. Social entrepreneurship is a form of business where the primary goal is to create a successful business and use the resources of the company to help solve a social issue. This thesis covers several modern examples of social entrepreneurship and the positive effects these businesses have had on the world around them. After analyzing several ventures, the paper moves on to describe Wolvertech and the reasons behind its creation and the inspiration for the various programs at Wolvertech. Wolvertech is a gunsmithing company which hopes to create a positive change on the environment through the funding conservation of efforts. Wolvertech also plans to create a scholarship and mentorship program that encourages high school graduates to attend trade schools. After discussing the goals of Wolvertech the thesis moves onto describe leadership styles as well as initial ideas for setting the company up for success. Next is the marketing plan and what products will be offered at Wolvertech. The thesis finishes with the timeline for what Wolvertech hopes to accomplish in the future.