1.Introduction and Objective

You are on the Product Development team of a major company. These companies are currently facing the need to reduce, and completely eliminate their use of plastic in the packaging, shipping, and selling of their products.Plastic is leading to grievous damage to the environment, and specifically the world's oceans, lakes and rivers.

At our current rate of consumption by 2050 -29 years from now - the world's oceans will contain more plastic than fish. Your job is to convince senior management to begin the process of cutting down on plastic use, with the aim of completely eliminating plastic from your company's production, and sales line in the next 5 years. The UN has given the world a deadline of 9 years to stave off an irreversible climate change crisis. Initially you will be promoting the concept of returnable and reusable plastic, as currently the companies will claim their products are recyclable, but that does nothing to influence ocean waste!

2. Background. Coca-Cola is the worst offenders for plastic pollution in the world. Globally we produce over 300 million tons of plastic every year, and 78% of that is not reclaimed or recycled. 8.8 million tons of plastic are dumped in the world's oceans every year.Apparently one truckload of plastic waste is dumped in the ocean every minute. You will be dealing with the polluting statistics and possible solutions forCoca-Cola Company.

Instruction: The discussion should follow these parts:

Part 1: OCEAN WASTE & COCA-COLA PLASTIC PROBLEM:

- Brief introduction of overall presentation, what to expect from each person

- A look at the global problem of plastic ocean waste

- Coca-Cola's role in the problem of plastic waste and ocean pollution

Part 2: COCA-COLA'S CURRENT PLASTIC REDUCTION PLAN - RECYCLING AND RETURNING

- A look at Coke's current plastic recycling efforts and bottle return programs

- What are the criticisms about these policies? What doesn't work?

- What is good about these policies? What is working?

Part 3: PLASTIC ALTERNATIVES

A look at plastic alternatives (not recycling, bottle returns, or eliminating plastic)

- For example ... PET or Tetra pack

- What has Coca-Cola tried already? What worked / what didn't?

- What are other plastic solutions? What works / what doesn't?

Part 4: ELIMINATING PLASTIC

-A look at the solution of Eliminating plastic from Coke's production in next 5 years

- Is this a feasible solution?

- What are the costs? What are the benefits?

Part 5: BRAND IMPACT

- What is the impact of plastic reduction on Coke Brand (or Coke's Brand Equity)

- What is coke's demographic?

- What is that demographic's relationship /interest in plastic pollution and ocean health

- A brief conclusion summarizing our findings and final recommendation