Viable Alternatives Knowledge Hub
Explore practical insights, real-world case studies, and lessons from the field on reducing waste, improving resource efficiency, and advancing circular economy and zero-waste outcomes
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Feature Articles
Explore key sustainability concepts, technologies and initiatives.
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Bite Toothpaste
Bite, brush and repeat. An environmentally friendly alternative to plastic toothpaste tubes. They make this toothpaste pill from natural ingredients. Additionally, all the packaging is recyclable, thus reducing waste to landfill.
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Construction | Ecology | Marine | Sustainable | Water
Makoko Floating System
The Makoko Floating School was an idea inspired by the bustling water community of Makoko in Lagos, Nigeria. Kunlé Adeyemi completed the pilot project in March 2013. Kunlé and his team of architects and designers at NLÉ have collaborated with various partners around the world. From Venice in Italy, Bruges in Belgium and Chengdu in…
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Ecology | Marine | Plastics | Recycle | Sustainable
Recycling Flip Flops, Art From Marine Waste.
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…
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Ecology | Farming | Health | Reduce waste | Zero Waste
Medical and Disaster Relief Drones
How are drones used for emergency medical response and disaster relief? Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) or Electric Autonomous Aircraft (EAA) are commonly known as drones. Humanitarian and commercial applications successfully use drones to assist in emergency response. Medical Drones deliver packages at room temperature and cold chain (between 2-8ºC). Supplies delivered vary from whole blood,…
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Environmentally Friendly Paints
Three environmentally friendly and sustainable methods of producing paints. From recycling old latex paints, to the production of paints using windmills and linseed. Finally the paints made from food which is safe for children to use and is also edible. Rona Eco Paint recycling in Canada. Paints derived from flax by Rigo in The Netherlands….
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Wecyclers – Recycling, Lagos Nigeria
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.
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Shark Deterrent
By combining the studies of shark behaviour, shark vision, shark neurology and marine life defence strategies. A fresh approach to the growing understanding of how to repel sharks.
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Sustainable Alternatives to Leather
There are now several plants-based sustainable alternatives to leather. We categorise many of these as vegan leather. However, vegan leather was first known as pleather. Furthermore, leather is plastic leather made from PVC (polyvinyl chloride), PU (polyurethane) or textile-polymer composite microfibres. Let us look at 5 sustainable types of leather. Comprising three products that…
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Slowing Down the Speed of Light
The astronomer Ole Rømer first demonstrated the speed of light in 1676. “A Dynamical Theory of the Electromagnetic Field” by James Clerk Maxwell showed how the movement of waves. Demonstrating electric and magnetic fields travel through space at the speed of light. Paul Drude was the first to use the symbol c for the speed…
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