Martin Bakardzhiev, student MSc Sustainable Entrepreneurship 2018/2019, started a crowdfunding campaign for his concept ‘No More Plastic Bottles’.

You are currently working on your concept ‘No More Plastic Bottles’. Can you explain your concept?

“The concept is simple. Currently, water in supermarkets can only be bought in bottles, which is quite unsustainable. In addition, orange juice which is sold via fresh squeezing machines can only be poured in thick plastic bottles offered by the stores, as they carry a barcode on them, necessary for checking out. My proposition is that an inexpensive system could be implemented to weigh containers brought in by customers before and after the pouring of water and juice from existing dispensers. That way, the need for plastic bottles would be decreased substantially, as many people already carry reusable bottles, and more people could buy them. By buying water and juice in the absence of a plastic bottle, the price of both would decrease and the overall sustainable practice of the enterprise would increase. This method could be implemented on other goods as well, these may vary from coffee, sugar, rice to soap, detergent and other."

How did you come up with the idea?

“I am quite environmentally aware, and my master’s degree in Sustainable Entrepreneurship has furthered that. I buy at least two litres of freshly squeezed orange juice every day, and at least 6 six litres of water every second or third day, as both me and my girlfriend like to stay hydrated. All of these come in plastic bottles, which despite my aiming to reuse and recycle them, deliver waste. The plastic from which the bottles are made is bad for the health of users as after some time it releases toxins in the liquid stored in it. This is why bottled water usually has a best before date on the bottle. In contrast, all of my classmates in the study use reusable bottles, which they fill with tap water, which is not of mine or of my girlfriend’s taste. I have combined my classmates’ sustainable habit with my own preferences and have managed to come up with the idea. My background in business and experience with entrepreneurial ventures has solidified the idea and has concluded the approach.

From my current research I have not stumbled upon any other countries or entities with the same idea. There are some shops that sell goods such as detergent in brought in containers, yet they are still new entrants with no technological back up, and do not implement anything connected to liquids which is the accent of my venture.“

What are your ambitions?

“My ambitions are to implement this idea first in the municipality, after in the country and finally on a global scale. It is not hard to implement, as it has a similar functionality to that of self-checkout desks at major supermarkets. I am motivated to do my part in global pollution reduction and sustainability implementation.“

How does the master Sustainable Entrepreneurship contribute to achieving your ambitions?

“The master’s program has provided me with the opportunity to broaden my spectrum of observation in terms of sustainable practices. In addition, it has influenced my opinion on business, and has given me the opportunity to realize that a business which is motivated solely by economic gain is not sustainable, not only that, it is not viable in today’s economy. By focusing on the social and environmental aspects in addition to the economic gain, an ideally sustainable venture would contribute to the battle for reaching the United Nations’ sustainable development goals, vital for the repair and flourishment of our planet.“

Check out Martin’s crowdfunding page for more information or to donate!