My Initiative Journey: Exercise 2 – 5 Problems, 5 Solutions

My Initiative Journey: Exercise 2 – 5 Problems, 5 Solutions

Exercise 2: The point of this exercise is to find 5 unsolved problems in the field of my interest. Most importantly, identify a problem that is felt by people and name the unwanted emotion caused, then write a solution for each.

Note: I ended up over-brainstorming and came up with 6 problems and multiple solutions to some of them. Whoops.

The 5 (6) Problems and their Solutions

1. Problem: The solar systems that could help lift people out of poverty and provide energy independence to so many are prohibitively expensive to many that could use them the most, leaving them feeling trapped and frustrated with expensive electric bills.
   1. Solution: Community Solar Help them form a cooperative or community-driven solar electric project where many could benefit and contribute to one system. 
   2. Solution: Install solar water heating systems, which are much cheaper to install, and generally pay for themselves within 2-4 years. 
2. Problem: Owners of land that has been degraded by decades of industrial farming and no longer produce crops have been left desperate for solutions for their land which continues to decrease in value.
   1. Solution: Bamboo Grow bamboo, which grows very well even on degraded land. It rapidly sequesters carbon in biomass and soil, requires almost no tending, and can be cut down and sold for thousands of uses: from paper-making to a sustainable replacement for aluminum, concrete, plastic, or steel in a variety of applications.
   2. Solution: Similarly, they could potentially grow a mini-forest, which wouldn’t necessarily produce a product that could bring revenue, but it would help the environment in other ways: supporting biodiversity, improve soil health and water retention, etc. 
3. Problem: Many business owners are feeling a desire to “green” their companies to reduce expenses and aim for net-zero emissions, or respond to customer pressure. (Similarly, many people are also looking for solutions to “green” their homes) WORRY CONCERN
   1. Solution: Green Consulting Provide “green” consulting by performing energy audits and advising on how their companies/homes can reduce their environmental impact.
4. Problem: Many people who want to own EVs can’t because they live in an apartment or don’t have a garage to charge their car with.
   1. Solution: Devise a mobile charging system that could be charged in-home, but brought out to your vehicle to charge it.
   2. Solution: Provide an apartment EV charger service that covers the cost, installation, and maintenance of EV chargers in apartments. Collect a percentage of the electric rate to eventually cover the cost of the chargers, then profit.
   3. Solution: Mobile Charging Service:  A mobile charging service that could schedule charging via a smartphone and a ‘charger bus/truck/van’ could be dispatched at the scheduled time to charge users’ EVs.
5. Problem: Restaurant and hotel owners feel frustrated and helpless while losing money at people taking free things more than they need, but can’t say not to. Ketchup, napkins, etc. But they can’t say “Only take a little at a time!” because it may harm their image.
   1. Solution: Eco Portion Control Become a third party that can be the “environmental voice” of many companies. We go and place signs in all the stores saying “We are cooperating with VG Environmental to reduce our environmental impact! Please take only as many napkins as you need!” – Verdant Growth Environmental 
6. Problem: Transportation by car is expensive, polluting, and causes traffic in most major cities, leaving commuters feeling frustrated and helpless with no alternatives. 
   1. Solution: Ride-Sharing App Smartphones could make carpooling and ride-sharing much more viable than in the past. 
   2. Solution: Wider implementation of public transportation: electric buses and trains.
   3. Solution: Electric bikes paired with better bike infrastructure could greatly reduce pollution and car-trips, particularly in suburban areas where most trips tend not to be into major cities, but instead into surrounding neighborhoods and community centers of activity (supermarkets, shopping, etc.)

Exercise 2 – Reflection

This exercise really changed the way I looked at problems and solutions to climate change. Thinking of problems that people face was definitely a lot harder than I’d imagined it to be. Before, when I would see climate solutions, I would just see them as inherently good and simply something that we should do. i.e. “You should put solar panels on your house, they make your electricity cheaper, they’re better for the environment.” But unless you think of the problem, and more specifically, the negative emotion that people are feeling, you’re not going to find customers. You’re only going to get acceptance when you solve a problem that people have.

By looking at the solutions and thinking of “who would this help? Who is currently troubled by some kind of problem that could be solved by this technology?” it gave me a new outlook on each solution and potential ways to use them that I hadn’t previously imagined. What problem do we solve by putting solar panels on someone’s house? “Electricity is cheaper” is not a problem that is solved. If they were people who don’t have electricity, like in some villages in Africa, then you solve a problem. But even in poorer neighborhoods in America, they already have electricity and most likely don’t have the capital to install solar panels. What is the problem of theirs that we solve? It gave me a lot to think about and consider. I had to re-think how I consider solutions and business ideas.

I was also surprised at how much, after a lot of thinking hard about problems and solutions, more novel, original ideas began to flow in my mind. The more I started to think of people and their problems, the more I started to realize there are. I’m sure I will think of more as time goes on.

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