The Toy Waste Project

Keon Aarabi
Reagan Anjewierden
Mason Burnett
Hannah Cooper
Jessica Menlove

Salt Lake Community College

Communication 1010-053
October 12, 2015

Table of contents

Executive summary page 3

Project description page.. 4
Methods page.. 5
Problem Question 5
Analyzing the Problem 5
Setting Criteria 10
Brainstorming Solutions 10
Analyzing Solutions 11
Implementing the Solution 11
Conclusion.. 12
Works Cited. 13
Appendices
Appendix 1: Team Contract. 14
Appendix 2: Comparison Chart 15
Appendix 3: Participation Points. 16

Executive Summary

This report shows #group1s problem solving processes and communication skills. This
project called to utilize our group communication skills to solve a problem in our community.
The problem that we sought to alleviate was the vast waste of toys, such as kids meal toys and
unwanted toys. Many kids in our community dont have toys to play with and there are also kids
on the other ide of the spectrum that have too many toys to keep track of.

Our group sought a solution that would affect all parties in a positive way, minimizing
negative outcomes. We as a group attempted to use all the things we have learned in our
communications class to come up with and revise a good solution. We also used what we
learned to come up with a plan to implement the solution.

Our solution is to hold a toys drive at local fast food restaurants asking kids and adults to
donate any unwanted toys, like the ones that come with their kids meals. This solution benefits
children in need, by supplying toys to their poverty stricken families. It also benefits the donor
by giving them an opportunity to give back to the community, then making them feel closer to
their city. We believe this solution will affectively solve the problem.

Project Description

Over the past few years, a member of our group noticed that a majority of the toys given
out in a kids meal were being thrown away. She thought that this was a waste of a perfectly
good toy. As a group we all agreed that this was a problem and we started to brainstorm some
solutions. Then the idea of collecting the toys came to mind. The toys could be given to kids
living in poverty who may not have many toys of their own. We decided that this was the best
solution we came up with.
Our project is to talk to fast food chain companies, such as McDonalds, and see if they
will allow us to place plastic bins inside their restaurants. These bins will serve as an alternative
way to get rid of the unwanted toys given in a kids meal. After a certain amount of time, the bins
will be picked up at each location and will be cleaned thoroughly. Once they are cleaned, they
will be delivered to kids in need of toys, such as those in homeless shelters. In doing this,
children could have their own individual toy which could bring some happiness into their lives.
Donating those toys not only benefits the children in need, but the community as well. This
project could help to raise awareness of poverty in the community, and inspire adults and
children to serve those around them. A community could be unified just by simply placing an
unwanted to into a plastic bin.

Methods

Part 1: Problem Question

How can we reduce plastic toy waste within fast food industries?
Part 2: Analysis of problem
We want to find a way to give the toys that was wasted in fast food industries and give
them to poverty-stricken children.
Characteristics
1. Legal problems:
We run into the problem of people stealing the bins. But we can always chain the bins
inside or outside the restaurant. If anything is stolen, these restaurants have surveillance
cameras. Another thing to consider is the problems that can be faced within the restaurant
companies with liabilities. We can form a contract with the industries involved to protect
them and ourselves from certain situations and liabilities.
2. Health Problems:
Certain criteria will be made in order for the toys to be donated. Before we give the
homeless shelters and other charities any toys, we will pass the toys through a sanitation
station. Different toys will be given to different aged children. Before any toy is donated
we will separate them according to children age groups to ensure that there will be no
choking hazards. All toys will be examined to make sure all toys fit the certain criteria.
3. Psychological Problems:

There are many children around the world that don't have something to call their own.
Our goal is to make sure children have a toy to call their own. Toys are a way children
can create, imagine, learn, and interact with other children. We want to instill this in child
by giving them just that with toys.
4. Social Problems:
This doesn't seem to create social problems but rather benefits both the children as well
as the food industries that will be participating. The children will possibly interact more
with other children. The food industry will get positive responses from the public because
of their generosity. It also teaches and allows children and adults alike, the opportunity to
show charity and give to others.
5. Environmental Problems:
Many toys given in kids meal are being thrown in the trash, and creating more waste for
the environment. We don't want any toy to go to waste; rather we want to start recycling
those toys produced through food industries. Through the toy waste project we will be
recycling toys by giving them back to children that don't have anything. This will benefit
the environment as well as children within our community.
6. Physical Problems:
All the gathering, cleaning, and donating of toys will require some time and effort. So a
team will be needed in order to accomplish all these tasks. We will need either a
volunteer team possibly city student council or hire people to fill these duties. This will
offer kids an opportunity to serve the community or offer jobs to the community.

Stakeholders
A. Fast food restaurants that give out toys
By asking fast food restaurants to allow us to run the toy drive at their place of
business puts them as one of the biggest steak holders. Their name as a business is at
steak so if anything goes wrong it will reflect back on them. Also if all goes well it
will spread their name and business in a positive way and show they care for, and are
striving to improve our community. Members in the community will see their charity
work and want to give them their business.
B. Toy manufactures
The manufactories of the toys we plan to donate are involved because they are
making the toys. A lot depends on the quality of toys they make that we will donate.
They may not know they are involved but by making the toys they are a direct
influence on our project.
C. Poverty stricken children
They are by far the most important steak holder in our project, they are the reason we
are taking this project on. The level of children in poverty without toys is simply
unacceptable. It is very important that our project succeed for there happiness
depends on it. If we are unable to successfully run toy drives they will continue to go
without. If we are able to succeed we will be able to improve these childrens lives
even if only for the small moment of joy they will receive when playing with the toys
we hope to provide them with through our project.
D. Toy donors

The adults and children who will donate their toys to our cause are of upmost
importance; they will be the driving force of our project. Our project will affect them
in a positive way by making them feel good and giving them an opportunity to not
only give back but feel apart of their community.
History/background
We were unable to find anyone who has collected happy meal
toys and donated them to a homeless shelter in our area. The
previous solutions have been toy drives and money donation boxes.
Our solution is different because it not only focuses on helping
children but also reduces the toys that are wasted daily in our
county.
Policies/Polities

The policies that we will follow will be one hundred percent legal and will not
interfere with the businesses we work with. We want this to be a great thing for our
community and not a legal issue. Our end result will be a healthy supply of toys for kids
and a way to diminish the waste of good toys.
The politics that we will use are our effective listening skills and effectively
relaying information. We will confirm rather than disconfirm all messages and be very
transparent with whomever we work with.
Recourses

Recourses Available to us as we attempted to find a solution

A.
B.
C.
D.
E.

Franchisers
Friends/family
Homeless shelters
Time: 4 times a month (12 hours)
Money: start with $300 and get donations
When looking into the resources for this plan there were a lot of main ones that came
to mind. We want to give our toys to children in homeless shelters and orphanages so
we would need to discuss with them on how they want us to deliver them and what
toys they allow/ dont allow. In order to make our plan work, we would have to
discuss with different franchise owners in order to see how they would like us to go
about leaving bins for toys and picking them up. We decided we could also ask our
friends and family to donate their toys or to look out for the bins we put in the fast
food places and put their toys there. We also decided that as a group we would get
together 4 times a month to collect the toys, clean them, and deliver them to the
homeless shelters. With the amount of time we are donating we also decided we will
start this project by donating $300 of our own money for the bins, advertising, etc,
and we will be willing to take donations if people would like to help us with this
project.

Part 3: Criteria

Apply principles of effective communication that we are learning in the class.

Be achievable within our four-week time frame.
Cost less than $300 of our own money
Donate at least 3000 toys in our first month
To achieve less plastic waste from children throwing away their toys
To promote happiness for every child
Gives kids who are well off the opportunity to give back to the community
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Help parents who cant afford toys for their children

Raise awareness of the poverty within your community
Create unity in your community

Part 4: Brainstorm Possible Solutions

Our group made an effort to create a list of possible solutions to fix toy waste within our
community. All ideas were written to allow us to constantly be thinking. Some ideas were better
than others and some more possible to accomplish then some ideas listed and some didnt fix our
problem. Many of the ideas we came up with have been done before, so we were trying to think
of a new ways to create change and thought we came up with a good list.
1. Collect unneeded/unwanted fast food toys and donate them to families in need.
2. Place recycle bins specifically for plastics toys outside of fast food places.
3. Hold toys drives at churches and schools.
4. Make toys to donate at schools.
5. Send toys to third world countries.
6. Ask companies to donate money to buy kids in need toys.
7. Write a letter to fast food industries to give away toys to donate
8. Go to schools and collect unwanted toys
9. Do toy drives in neighborhoods collecting toys families dont want
10. Make a city goal to donate a certain amount of toys within a certain time frame

Part 5: Solution Analysis

We took the time to go over each brainstormed solution and tried to figure out how it
would reduce toy waste and if it was achievable. We made a narrowed list of our toy five
solutions we thought could create change within our community.
A. Narrowed list of solutions
1. Collect unneeded/unwanted fast food toys and donate them to families in need.
2. Place recycle bins specifically for plastics toys outside of fast food places.
3. Go to schools and collect unwanted toys
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4. Do toy drives in neighborhoods collecting toys families dont want

5. Hold toys drives at churches and schools.
B. Chart
We made a chart as shown in (Appendix 2) to help us determine which solution would
work best. Across the top are the solutions, each number representing the same solution
given in the narrowed list of solutions. Down the left side was our ranking or criteria for
the solution. The ranking was on a scale of 0 (not meeting the criteria) to 5 (meeting the
criteria). The numbers were then added up to allow us to determine which solution would
best meet the criteria needed.
C. Final Solution
The solution we chose was #1 and #2. We thought it was possible to collect
unneeded/unwanted toys and place recycle bins outside of fast food places. We concluded
that many children use those toys once while in the restaurant and then throw them away.
Even adults who just buy the kids meal for a cheaper/ smaller meal throw the toy away.
We want to eliminate this problem by placing bins outside/inside of fast food industries to
collect those unwanted toys. Once the toys are disposed of in these bins, the toys will go
through a sanitation process, placed into certain age appropriate groups than deliver to
homeless shelters, orphanages, and families in need.
Why this solution is best?
We specifically chose these two solutions because it hasnt been done before, it is cheap,
and it answers our exact problem of how to reduce waste within the food industry.
D. Possible Negative Consequences
1.
2.
3.
4.

People might forget about it after awhile

Hard to get volunteers
Franchise owners might be done with it after a few months
Homeless shelters might not be willing to accept fast food toys

Part 6: Implementation of solution

After choosing our solution, we made a plan to implement it.
1. We will speak to McDonalds, Burger King, and Wendys franchise owners in order to
figure out how we want to make this plan work. We want to make sure we have a good
understanding with each other so we can get the most out of this project.

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2. We will go to schools and churches and ask for donations in order to get the supplies
needed (bins, cleaning supplies, etc.). We will then go and purchase the supplies needed
to do this project.
3. We will put up signs and advertise in order to build awareness to our project in the
community.
4. Once the toys are donated we will pick them up, clean them and deliver them to the
homeless shelters, or orphanages.

Conclusion
In conclusion we believe donating all the toys from various kids meals, which are being
wasted in the fast food industries, is a great idea. It will first start off small and we believe it has
potential to expand to other cities and possibly even other states. It is cost effective and asks for
very little volunteers. We can get a lot of the supplies needed through donations and through the
fast food industries themselves. It is a great way to advertise these food chains as it also benefits
children and reduces waste. We eventually want all children to have their personal toy they can
call their own and why not teach other children to share these toys they get at restaurants, and
never play with again, to someone in need. Through this charitable act we hope to stop wasting
toys and provide joy into childrens lives.

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Works Cited
Adler, Ronald, Jeanne Marquardt Elmhorst, and Kristen Lucas. Communication at Work:
Strategies for Success in Business and the Professions. 11th Ed. ed. Salt Lake City:
McGraw-Hill Companies, 2013. Print.
WebCT pages to accompany COMM 1010: Elements of Effective Communication. (2010). Salt
Lake Community College, Salt Lake City, UT. Available at www.slcc.edu.

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Appendices
Appendix 1: Team Contract
Relational Norms
1. Show up to the best of your ability, we understand that we all have crazy schedules and
there will not be any penalties for being late/ leaving meetings early.
2. We have to speak up when we have an idea
3. Be kind when it comes to suggestions and ideas
Task Norms
1. Let people know what is happening if you are going to be late or miss a meeting
2. Come to meetings prepared
3. Stay focused so we can have a productive meeting.
Relational roles
1. Praise giver: Hannah
2. Harmonizer: Reagan
3. Empathetic Listener: Mason
4. Encourager/ Slack Cleaner: Keon
5. Encourager: Jessica
Task Roles
1. Starter/ Direction giver: Hannah
2. Diagnose: Reagan
3. Info/opinion seeker: Mason
5. Reality Tester/Summarizer: Keon
6. Gatekeeper/info-opinion giver: Jessica

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Appendix 2:
Possible Solutions
1.Collect unneeded/unwanted fast food toys and donate them to families in need.
2.Place recycle bins specifically for plastics toys outside of fast food places.
3.Go to schools and collect unwanted toys.
4.Do toy drives in neighborhoods collecting toys families dont want.
5.Hold toy drives at churches and schools.
Criteria
1. Apply principles of effective communication that we are learning in the class.
2. Be achievable within our four-week time frame.
3. Cost less than $300 of our own money.
4. Donate at least 3000 toys in our first month
5. To achieve less plastic waste from children throwing away their toys
Analysis of Potential Solutions Based on Criteria
Solution 1

Solution 2

Solution 3

Solution 4

Solution 5

Criterion 1

Criterion 2

Criterion 3

Criterion 4

Criterion 5

TOTAL POINTS

24

22

20

19

20

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Appendix 3: Group 1- Team Member Points

Keon Aarabi-19
Keon was an extremely valuable group member; he was able to contribute 100% all the
time. He was able to do his job as the encourager by making everyone feel good about
their ideas. At time he could have been better at staying on topic. Keon was good at
bringing materials to the meetings, like his laptop. Overall as a group we fill that Keon
was a great addition to the group, we decided to give him 19/20 points.
Reagan Anjewierden: 18
Reagan came prepared to all meetings. She was the group member who had all her assignments
ready to go on time. She took great notes for the group. However, she could have participated a
little more in the group discussions.

Mason Burnett-18
Mason showed up to all meetings and participated well. He continually helped his group
members and gave his impute often. He fulfilled his roles in the group as the empathetic
listener and opinion/information seeker by continually talking with the group. At times
he could have participated more or picked up more of the workload. We decided to give
him 18/20 points.

Hannah Cooper- 19
Hannah seemed very interested in the assignment. She came to every meeting and was
willing give her insight on what was needed. Hannah could have come to the meetings a

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little more prepared. She was a good leader and was able to keep people on task. Hannah
was also good at keeping her part as being the praise-giver. She was willing to
compliment each group member even if they weren't all on topic.
Jessica Menlove- 19
Jessica was very into this project. This is something she has always wanted to do in her life and
was really invested into it. She could have been better at preparing for the projects. But she was
willing to offer help. Although she talked a lot she was still able also encouraged us
and keep us on task. She went the extra mile for this project. We decided to
give her 19 points.

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