Case Study: Applying Traditional Brainstorming to Improve Community Recycling Initiatives
Learning with ACRE - 031
Context
In the vibrant lakeside town of Kisumu, Kenya, local authorities identified a concerning decline in community recycling rates, particularly in residential neighbourhoods. Despite the introduction of several awareness campaigns in previous years, participation remained stagnant. Community members often cited a lack of motivation, inaccessible infrastructure, and limited knowledge of the practical benefits of recycling. Recognising these challenges, the environmental action committee, a diverse body comprising council members, local educators, small business owners, student representatives, and residents from various socio-economic backgrounds, resolved to take a new approach. They opted to harness the power of traditional brainstorming to uncover creative, locally relevant solutions.
The primary objective was ambitious yet grounded: to develop a set of community-led strategies that could boost household participation in recycling by at least 25% within one year, with a strong emphasis on youth and family engagement.
Preparation
To ensure the success of this ideation effort, the committee enlisted the support of a facilitator from a local NGO well-versed in design thinking and inclusive community engagement. Before the session began, the facilitator worked with committee leaders to craft a focused yet open-ended challenge question: "What are 30 unconventional ways we might inspire families to recycle more at home?"
Participants received a short orientation on the foundational principles of traditional brainstorming:
Prioritise quantity over quality.
Suspend judgement—no idea is too unusual.
Build on each other's ideas.
Encourage bold and imaginative thinking.
To anchor these principles in practice, the facilitator shared anecdotes from previous projects, such as how a suggestion for 'tree-shaped recycling bins' evolved into a nationally recognised urban beautification and waste collection initiative. These stories helped establish a playful, open tone and boosted confidence among participants.
Creating a welcoming environment was essential. The session took place in a well-lit community hall adorned with posters from local recycling campaigns. Comfortable seating, name tags, and refreshments helped participants feel relaxed. Ice-breakers and storytelling games broke down social barriers and fostered a sense of shared purpose and trust.
The Brainstorming Session
The session began with 15 minutes of silent, individual brainstorming. Participants jotted down ideas on coloured sticky notes, encouraged to follow whatever associations or images came to mind. These notes were then placed on a large community idea wall. A notetaker using a digital tablet simultaneously captured each idea, ensuring no insights were overlooked and allowing for easy categorisation later.
This was followed by a 25-minute group brainstorming session, which incorporated visual and verbal prompts. The facilitator used vivid images—such as piles of plastic waste, bustling recycling centres, and children proudly showcasing recycled crafts—to spark discussion. A random word generator introduced stimuli such as “festival,” “bridge,” and “animal,” prompting lateral thinking. The results were exciting and diverse, including ideas like:
Hosting a “Recycling Olympics” where neighbourhoods compete for eco-themed prizes.
Offering discounts on school fees for households that consistently meet recycling goals.
Launching a storytelling programme on recycling that travels with a mobile van.
Partnering with local artists to build public sculptures from recyclables.
Introducing a mascot-driven children’s recycling club.
By the end of the session, the team had generated over 120 unique and actionable ideas.
Join us at ACRE29, Africa’s Premier Creativity and Creative Thinking Conference in 2025 at Klein Kariba, South Africa! https://acreconference.com
Post-Session Analysis
The facilitator guided the group through a structured post-session review. Ideas were first clustered into thematic areas: education and awareness, incentive schemes, infrastructure support, cultural engagement, and youth-driven campaigns. Participants then used dot-voting to select the most promising ideas from each cluster. Follow-up discussions focused on feasibility, community readiness, resource requirements, and potential for measurable impact.
From this refinement process, five flagship initiatives were chosen for immediate prototyping:
Neighbourhood Recycling Competitions – A friendly, gamified system to foster local pride and engagement.
Recycling Roadshow Van – A mobile unit featuring music, storytelling, and hands-on learning about recycling.
School Ambassador Programme – Student-led initiatives with peer education and classroom challenges.
Public Art from Waste – Collaborative sculpture projects in key public spaces to reinforce the recycling message.
Starter Kits for Households – Practical toolkits distributed through faith institutions and markets to make recycling easier and more visible.
Outcomes
Over the course of six months, these initiatives began to take root:
Recycling participation rose by 18%, with projections indicating continued growth.
More than 1,200 students across 15 schools took part in the ambassador programme, creating ripple effects in their households.
The recycling roadshow van became a fixture at weekly markets and local events, attracting families with its music, puppetry, and live demos.
The art installations received coverage from both regional media and international environmental blogs, boosting civic pride.
The community responded enthusiastically. One parent said, “My children now remind me to sort our waste every day, it’s become a family ritual.” Another community elder commented, “We see recycling differently now. It’s not just about rubbish, it’s about caring for our home.” These personal stories echoed a broader shift: a growing sense of ownership, pride, and optimism around environmental responsibility.
Lessons Learned
This project revealed several key insights into the power of traditional brainstorming when used intentionally and inclusively:
Structure Unlocks Creativity – Clear framing and a thoughtful environment enabled deep engagement and creative confidence.
Visual and Playful Prompts Work – Sensory cues and randomised inputs sparked ideas that might not have emerged through conversation alone.
Equity Enhances Innovation – The diversity of the group ensured ideas were relevant and resonant across the community.
From Ideas to Action – Clustering and prioritisation allowed the group to transition smoothly from brainstorming to implementation.
Storytelling Sustains Impact – Embedding personal stories in the initiatives increased emotional connection and sustained momentum.
This case demonstrates that traditional brainstorming, far from being outdated or simplistic, can become a powerful tool for social innovation when grounded in inclusive practices and guided by clear intention. In Kisumu, it served not only to generate ideas, but to build bridges—between people, between ideas, and between vision and action.
Note - some details have been changed to maintain confidentiality.
Read more about The Kisumu Zero Waste Project
Join us at ACRE29, Africa’s Premier Creativity and Creative Thinking Conference in 2025 at Klein Kariba, South Africa! https://acreconference.com