Zukunft is the German word for ‘future’. As environmentalists, we are inspired by the German attitude towards responsible waste reduction and recycling.

 

We would pay $1 for a bottle of water and probably nothing for a pair of disposable chopsticks, but how much are we willing to pay for the damages owed to all potential stakeholders of our environment?

 

Plastic bottles are made from materials that do not biodegrade. They may take centuries to break down while sitting in landfills, releasing toxins that contaminate our soil and oceans in the process. Even if incinerated, toxins are released into the atmosphere, which contribute to global warming and acid rain. On the other hand, the unsustainable destruction of 6 million trees per year is attributable to the growing demand of disposable chopsticks. The damage from the disposable industry is not just to our health and our wallets; it also shapes the world animals and our future generations will live in.

 

At Zukunft, we offer a fair valuation of items that have become too easily demanded and disposed in the new age of consumerism. The value that goes into any of our product is not merely its production cost, but also the cost of environmental and health impacts on all potential stakeholders, decided by you.

 

Economically, the value we pay for these products only takes into account the private marginal costs and benefits. However, these items contain negative externalities which differ across individuals. This interactive platform eliminates such problem by offering users the opportunity to decide on the cost of the negative externalities. 

 

This platform aims to raise awareness about the negative effects of these common objects and to discourage their over-consumption. Proceeds will go towards supporting the environmental conservation efforts of World Wide Fund for Nature.

Zukunft, for the future.