Recycle converts of waste into a new substance or product.
Clean Water Daily access to clean potable water is a global issue. UNICEF and WHO state that globally, 1 in 3 people do not have access to safe drinking water. Worldwide, 2.2 billion people lack access to safe in-home drinking water services. 4.2 billion people are without safely managed sanitation services, and 3 billion people…
Marine Debris Every year, global production of plastic is rising. In 2019, the amount of plastic produced globally was approximately 368 million tonnes. This is 9 million tonnes more than in 2018. In our article Floating Island of Plastic Waste, we discussed the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which is 1.6 million square kilometres or three…
At Viable AlternativEnergy “green” (sustainable/ recyclable/ alternative) projects, products and ideas “give us life”. People who create and design new products with these concepts in mind inspire us. The annual Green Product Awards look at products designed to support the change towards a green way of living. They choose products for their aspects of design,…
Waste Hierarchy The Amended Waste Framework Directive (EU) 2018/851 put in place by the European Parliament establishes waste prevention and management legislation and policy. This directive includes the fiscal incentives for the application of the waste hierarchy. In this directive, ‘waste’ is defined as any substance or object which the holder discards or intends or…
The Decline In Biodiversity The loss of biodiversity in the food and agriculture sector threatens global food security. Furthermore, the decline in bees and pollinators are another major worry. Our reliance on pesticides and agrochemicals threatens our ecosystems and clean sources of groundwater. The FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) of the United Nations states that…
These top articles from Viable AlternativEnergy focus on sustainable, environmental and socially conscious projects, products and ideas. Please join us, as we recap our 7 top articles from 2020. 1. Cubo Modular Bamboo Housing This top article was a favourite with our readers from the Philippines. Cubo, created by Earl Patrick Forlales is a modern,…
The average photovoltaic (PV) solar panel has a lifespan of 25 years. Solar panels contain glass, polymers, aluminium, silicon, lead, cadmium, tellurium and gallium. These potentially hazardous materials require specialised waste treatment at the solar panels end-of-life. In 2016, the International Renewable Energy Agency estimated there were 250,000 tonnes of global solar panel waste. In…
What is Sustainable Art? Sustainable art encompasses a wide range of artistic concepts, everything from thought-provoking environmental critique to studios working with carbon neutral or green footprint objectives. Additionally, using reclaimed materials, eco-friendly methodologies, and restorative practices. The artists below delve into this realm of sustainable, conceptual, eco-art. Contemporary Artists Tan Zi Xi @MessyMsXi (Tan…
Chewing gum is consumed by millions of people every year. Over £14 billions spent on chewing gums globally. Like Marmite, you may love it or hate it. Singapore has banned its import since 1992. However, over £60 million was spent to clean up Britain’s streets of carelessly disposed of chewing gum in 2018. The mastication…
Precious Plastic Universe (Precious Plastic version 4) launched on Tuesday 7th January 2020. At Viable AlternativEnergy, we’ve been waiting anxiously for this new update since August 2019. With earlier versions of Precious Plastic (version 2 and 3), followers have primarily used the information shared as educational tools or for small-scale projects. A major limitation was…
Viable AlternativEnergy posts focus on environmental and socially conscious projects, products and ideas. Please join us, as we recap our 7 top posts from 2019. 1. Kamikatsu – Japan’s Zero Waste Town The first municipality in Japan to promote a zero-waste policy. Residents sort waste into 45 categories. Kamikatsu municipality managed to recycle 81% of…
Precious Plastic is an open source platform that shares their findings on how to solve plastic pollution. This project was created by Dave Hakkens from the Netherlands in 2013. The video below gives you a background on this project via the version 3 launch. We are patiently awaiting the updates that will come with the…
Tyres are complex products consisting of more than 200 raw materials. These different raw materials make it difficult for tyres to be recycled. Around the world several artists have been inspired by tyres and are very effective in sculpting old used tyres. Truly turning waste into art. A few artists from around the world include…
In 2004, all waste generated in Ljubljana, Slovenia’s capital went to landfill. Presently, Ljubljana diverts 80% of its refuse from the landfill. Furthermore, 68% of this waste gets recycled. Ljubljana won the title of the 2016 European Green Capital award. This was a major win because Ljubljana was the only nominee out of the 5…
Binners’ Project supports the most marginalised people in urban areas. Helping them to create an income from the collection of redeemable containers and other things from bins. Enabling these groups of waste pickers to sustain their livelihood and to divert waste from landfills.
Kamikatsu, Tokushima Prefecture, was the first municipality in Japan to promote a Zero Waste policy. The residents sort waste into 45 types in 13 categories. The municipality managed to recycle 81% of all their refuse in 2016.
Wecyclers allows people in low-income communities to capture value from their waste. This Lagos based company provides a door to door collection service. Giving households a chance to generate value from waste. Also providing a reliable supply of raw material to the local recycling industry.