Waste Ventures is a social enterprise tackling the toxic issue of global waste through a holistic model geared at collecting, composting, recycling and reusing waste. The founder, Parag Gupta, took his social business to the next level of sustainability through the development of a model that not only helps the environment, but that also improves the living conditions of workers.
"Waste Ventures incubates solid waste management companies owned and operated by waste pickers," the company explains. "We provide them a solid waste management blueprint to recycle, compost, and earn carbon credits from waste collected."
Currently in India, professional waste pickers earn an average of a dollar a day -- not nearly enough to take care of their families, let alone send their children to school -- and they have a life expectancy of just 45 years.
The infographic video featured above was produced by Waste Ventures and illustrates the story of Rajiv, a waste collector in India, along with some frightening stats on the environmental and social harm caused by a lack of safe waste management. A few key points:
- India generates 40 million tons of trash each year
- Each year that number grows by 2 million tons
- Only 25% of that trash is collected
- Methane is 23x more harmful than CO2
Dealing with waste is a pressing global issue, and Waste Ventures hopes to tackle the problem at the root while also offering safe, ethical, and environmentally-friendly employment opportunities.
Contact Information
Waste Ventures website
Waste Ventures on Facebook
Waste Ventures on Twitter
What's Driving This Trend
- Holistic Waste Management
- Opportunity for developing a comprehensive waste management system that includes collection, composting, recycling, and reusing waste.
- Empowering Waste Pickers
- Opportunity to incubate and support waste management businesses owned and operated by waste pickers, improving their livelihoods and living conditions.
- Safe Waste Management
- Opportunity to address the pressing issue of unsafe waste management practices and provide safe, ethical, and environmentally-friendly employment opportunities.
Who This Affects Most
- Waste Management
- Disruptive innovation opportunity in the waste management industry by developing sustainable and efficient waste management solutions.
- Social Entrepreneurship
- Disruptive innovation opportunity in the social entrepreneurship sector, empowering marginalized communities and creating social impact through waste management initiatives.
- Environmental Services
- Disruptive innovation opportunity in the environmental services industry, addressing the need for safe and sustainable waste management practices.
