Frequently Asked Questions
about our work
How does Bottle for Botol begin working with a school in Indonesia?
First, it is important that the Principal and teachers understand and support the education program. We visit the school and discuss the program with the Principal and teachers. Once we both agree to the program we sign an MoU with the school.
We then run a workshop for the teachers and school staff, including canteen staff, to explain the program goals and run education activities to explain the issues of plastic waste and its environmental impacts. At the end of the workshop we provide the school with a water refill stand and stainless steel water bottles for the teachers. We also provide education books for the students, as well as lesson plans and media for the teachers so they can deliver our eight lesson education program.
Our Education Officer then meets one-on-one with the teachers to make sure they understand and are comfortable with the lessons. The school chooses the lesson schedule. We communicate regularly with the teachers to answer any questions and to conduct monitoring and evaluation to help us improve the education program. We aim to join a minimum of two of the eight lessons.
If the schools are located far from our office base we aim to find someone in the local area who can act as a School Communications Officer. Their role is to communicate with the teachers and us, to join at least two of the eight lessons and provide ongoing support to the teachers.
Once a class of students finishes the eight lesson education program we provide them with stainless steel water bottles that they can refill with drinking water at their school!
First, it is important that the Principal and teachers understand and support the education program. We visit the school and discuss the program with the Principal and teachers. Once we both agree to the program we sign an MoU with the school.
We then run a workshop for the teachers and school staff, including canteen staff, to explain the program goals and run education activities to explain the issues of plastic waste and its environmental impacts. At the end of the workshop we provide the school with a water refill stand and stainless steel water bottles for the teachers. We also provide education books for the students, as well as lesson plans and media for the teachers so they can deliver our eight lesson education program.
Our Education Officer then meets one-on-one with the teachers to make sure they understand and are comfortable with the lessons. The school chooses the lesson schedule. We communicate regularly with the teachers to answer any questions and to conduct monitoring and evaluation to help us improve the education program. We aim to join a minimum of two of the eight lessons.
If the schools are located far from our office base we aim to find someone in the local area who can act as a School Communications Officer. Their role is to communicate with the teachers and us, to join at least two of the eight lessons and provide ongoing support to the teachers.
Once a class of students finishes the eight lesson education program we provide them with stainless steel water bottles that they can refill with drinking water at their school!
Can Bottle for Botol work with a school outside of Bali?
Our Indonesian program staff are based in Bali, working with schools in regional areas such as West Bali and Nusa Lembongan, and urban areas including Denpasar and Kuta. We strive to provide our schools with consistent and meaningful support. While we are very keen to expand our program, we operate on limited funding and unfortunately we are currently unable to cover the costs needed to deliver the program in other areas of Indonesia.
If you know a school that you think would be interested in joining our program, please contact us and we will see if we can support them through the program. BfB is a growing organisation and we are open to partnerships, corporate sponsorship or crowd funding opportunities that can help us teach more young people about plastic, its environmental impacts, and encourage sustainable behaviour change. With your help, we can fulfil our dream of expanding BfB to other islands in Indonesia - and in time in the region.
Our Indonesian program staff are based in Bali, working with schools in regional areas such as West Bali and Nusa Lembongan, and urban areas including Denpasar and Kuta. We strive to provide our schools with consistent and meaningful support. While we are very keen to expand our program, we operate on limited funding and unfortunately we are currently unable to cover the costs needed to deliver the program in other areas of Indonesia.
If you know a school that you think would be interested in joining our program, please contact us and we will see if we can support them through the program. BfB is a growing organisation and we are open to partnerships, corporate sponsorship or crowd funding opportunities that can help us teach more young people about plastic, its environmental impacts, and encourage sustainable behaviour change. With your help, we can fulfil our dream of expanding BfB to other islands in Indonesia - and in time in the region.
How do you measure plastic reduction at each school?
We use canteen log books. School canteens keep an accurate record of the number of cups they buy so we can easily use this data to work out the average number of cups bought each week at the school before and after the program.
We use canteen log books. School canteens keep an accurate record of the number of cups they buy so we can easily use this data to work out the average number of cups bought each week at the school before and after the program.
About our bottles
Where are the bottles made?
Our bottles are made in China. We're always looking for good quality suppliers in Indonesia to make our bottles, but to date, we've had no luck. We welcome any suggestions. In the meantime, we source our bottles from a factory with high labour and environmental standards in China.
Are your bottles ethically made?
We're always searching for better factories and we've finally found one!
Putra and Chloe's designs: These adhere to international standards for environment, quality and labour (ISO9001, ISO14001, ISO/TS16949).
Rosie, Cindy, Anom and Porscha's designs: These adhere to Coca-cola and Walmart environment, labour and quality standards.
Can I put boiling water in my stainless steel bottle?
No, it will burn your hands! Our bottles are single-walled, therefore the heat from the hot water will be felt in your hand... We advise you wrap a tea towel around your bottle if you wish to put hot drinks inside. No chemicals will leach from the stainless steel.
Do I need to wash my bottle?
Yes, wash your bottle before you use it with warm soapy water. Remember to wash it regularly with warm soapy water even if you only refill it with water.
What volume of water do the bottles hold?
Maddie's design (red): 500ml Kyle's design (white): 600ml
Rosie's design (green): 650ml Anom's design (black): 650ml
Cindy's design (blue): 650ml Porscha's design (pink): 650ml
Putra's design (pale blue): 750ml Chloe's design (orange): 750ml
They are different sizes because we changed factories on a number of occasions in order to source the most ethically made bottles possible. Different factories had different size bottles.
We will continually expand this list - please email us at christine@bottleforbotol.org for suggestions
Our bottles are made in China. We're always looking for good quality suppliers in Indonesia to make our bottles, but to date, we've had no luck. We welcome any suggestions. In the meantime, we source our bottles from a factory with high labour and environmental standards in China.
Are your bottles ethically made?
We're always searching for better factories and we've finally found one!
Putra and Chloe's designs: These adhere to international standards for environment, quality and labour (ISO9001, ISO14001, ISO/TS16949).
Rosie, Cindy, Anom and Porscha's designs: These adhere to Coca-cola and Walmart environment, labour and quality standards.
Can I put boiling water in my stainless steel bottle?
No, it will burn your hands! Our bottles are single-walled, therefore the heat from the hot water will be felt in your hand... We advise you wrap a tea towel around your bottle if you wish to put hot drinks inside. No chemicals will leach from the stainless steel.
Do I need to wash my bottle?
Yes, wash your bottle before you use it with warm soapy water. Remember to wash it regularly with warm soapy water even if you only refill it with water.
What volume of water do the bottles hold?
Maddie's design (red): 500ml Kyle's design (white): 600ml
Rosie's design (green): 650ml Anom's design (black): 650ml
Cindy's design (blue): 650ml Porscha's design (pink): 650ml
Putra's design (pale blue): 750ml Chloe's design (orange): 750ml
They are different sizes because we changed factories on a number of occasions in order to source the most ethically made bottles possible. Different factories had different size bottles.
We will continually expand this list - please email us at christine@bottleforbotol.org for suggestions
